Breeding for Disposition
Persians are known for their calm and friendly personalities. However, some kitties are more social and trusting than others. So, what makes a cat friendly?
Prioritizing Purrsonable Parents
The process of creating friendly Persian kittens starts before birth. Selecting sweet tempered, trusting breeders ensures that the kittens inherit an innate demeanor similar to their parents. For this reason, we only keep kings and queens who are affectionate and confident.
The Influence of Genetics
We find that our sweetest, most trusting persians have moderate to extreme brachycephalic features. Centuries of domestication and decades of specialization for the extreme type has caused cranial changes in the breed that permanently affect temperament. Some kittens are hardwired to be calmer, less reactive and more aloof.
The Influence of Environment
While genetics plays a role in a cat’s friendliness, it is not the only factor. Early socialization, positive experiences with people, and a comfortable living environment all contribute to a cats personality. For this reason, we begin handling newborns at an early age and progressively expose kittens to loud noises, frequent grooming sessions, new pets and humans.
Building Tolerance
Our goal with every kitten is to build tolerance while celebrating the characteristics that make each one unique. Each kitten is bathed every 2 weeks, starting at 4 weeks of age. All are held frequently and in different positions to increase their tolerance. We do not expect every kitten to like being handled but we do expect them to become very tolerant. True lap cats are rare, but most our kittens get very close.
Creating Expectations
Every cat is unique, and their personality may not fit into any specific category. We share personality quirks of each kitten with their owner to help owners create appropriate expectations. All parents will continue to shape the personality of their kitten, as much as by what they do as by what they don’t do.
Life After Us
The common goal of our pet parents is for their ethereal kitten to remain friendly and social. I tell them to continually expose their kitten to little stresses to increase their tolerance. Exposure therapy is a technique used to increase a cats tolerance to common activities, objects and noises. A cat raised in a boisterous, lively home will be less reactive than a kitten raised in a calm, quit environment.ย I also recommend acquiring a friendly feline or canine friend for your cat to increase positive stimulation which will increase sociability skills. Those are my top two recommendation.
Celebrating Unique Purrsonalities
In conclusion, feline friendliness is a complex combination of nature and nurture. While genetics predisposes a cat to being friendly,ย environment and experiences may be just if not more impactful. So, whether your cat is a social butterfly or a bit more reserved, it’s important to cherish and appreciate them for who they are; as they will for you. After all, every cat is purrfect in their own way.
