Persian breeders, verified by hand.
The most registered pedigree cat in America, and the most demanding to keep.
The long-coated, flat-faced breed that has been the most registered pedigree cat in America for decades. Daily grooming is not optional.
History
Longhaired cats from Persia reached Europe in the 1600s, and the breed has been selectively bred in the West ever since. It has been the single most registered breed in CFA for decades — around 30% of all its registrations. The pointed variety is the Himalayan.
Living with one
Quiet, sedentary and undemanding of attention, but very demanding of time: the coat needs daily grooming and will mat within days without it. This is not a cat you can leave to manage its own maintenance.
What Persians are screened for
PKD1 is the defining concern — historically found in over a third of Persians — and it is a simple one-time DNA test, so a breeder who has not run it has chosen not to. PRA-pd is a Persian-specific progressive retinal atrophy with recessive inheritance and also has a DNA test. HCM is echo-screened. The honest part: Persians are brachycephalic, and flatter faces bring shortened airways, narrowed nostrils and compressed tear ducts. Breeders differ genuinely on how extreme a face should be, and the more moderate lines generally breathe better. Ask to see the parents breathing at rest, and ask where the breeder stands on muzzle length. A breeder who engages with that question seriously is telling you something useful.
This is what breeders in this breed commonly screen for. It is not veterinary advice, not a complete list, and Kittenry does not authenticate the documents a breeder provides — here is exactly what we do and don't check.
Four questions worth asking
Are both parents PKD1 negative, with certificates?
Have the parents been tested for PRA-pd?
Where do you stand on muzzle length, and can I watch the parents breathe at rest?
How much daily grooming does this coat actually need?
And one rule that applies to every breed on this site: pay by credit card. Zelle, Cash App and wire transfers have no chargeback rights. Kittenry never handles your money — you pay the breeder directly, and we want your dispute rights intact.
Persians on Kittenry
We're onboarding our founding catteries now, and Persian is one of the breeds we're actively recruiting. If you breed Persians, apply here — the first catteries in each breed are listed free.
Looking for a Persian?
Tell us what you're after and we'll point you at the right cattery when one has kittens.
0 other waiting for a Persian right now.