Persian kittens - issues with eyes

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kategger

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Hi,

I'm looking into buying a Persian kitten, there doesn't seem to be much around at the moment but I have found one breeder who has 6 week old Himalayan kittens available at the moment.

She has sent me pictures and I will go and have a look at them soon but I'm a little concerned already because they seem to have problems with their eyes being cross-eyed and their face being stained, probably from excessive tearing. I'm interested in the one in the first picture because that one is very cute because it looks quite 'normal' but its little sister (image 2) looks pretty ill I think!

Are there any experts here who know a little more about Persians and could give me some advice on whether to buy any of these kittens or stay clear of them? I'm just not sure if they have genetic problems or if it's all completely normal and the cross-eyed-ness will go away once they've grown a bit...

Also, the breeder will allow the kittens into their new home at the seemingly tender age of 9 1/2 weeks. I read that 'reputable' breeders of purebred kittens don't allow theirs to leave the mother before they are 12 weeks old. Should I be concerned?

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kirothecat

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I dont know alot about the cross eye thing, i heard it goes away after a kitten gets older. I had a persian grey cat (my profile picture) and i have a persian white cat right now, and you have to clean their eyes every day (i cleaned my grey cats eyes less because i didnt see when she had stains but i clean my white cat once or twice a day because the red tears are really visible), you will also have to brush them. Besides that persian cats are honestly perfect pets, they are quiet, dont make messes around the house, are really cuddly, they can make toys out of anything and arent outside cats.

If you are really worried about the cross eyes then ask the breeder and a vet about it. We got our gray persian at 9 weeks old, and she lived a healthy life (died at age of 15), but every breeder is different, ask other people about the breeder
 
talkingpeanut

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kategger said:
Hi,

I'm looking into buying a Persian kitten, there doesn't seem to be much around at the moment but I have found one breeder who has 6 week old Himalayan kittens available at the moment.

She has sent me pictures and I will go and have a look at them soon but I'm a little concerned already because they seem to have problems with their eyes being cross-eyed and their face being stained, probably from excessive tearing. I'm interested in the one in the first picture because that one is very cute because it looks quite 'normal' but its little sister (image 2) looks pretty ill I think!

Are there any experts here who know a little more about Persians and could give me some advice on whether to buy any of these kittens or stay clear of them? I'm just not sure if they have genetic problems or if it's all completely normal and the cross-eyed-ness will go away once they've grown a bit...

Also, the breeder will allow the kittens into their new home at the seemingly tender age of 9 1/2 weeks. I read that 'reputable' breeders of purebred kittens don't allow theirs to leave the mother before they are 12 weeks old. Should I be concerned?

IMG_0745[1].JPG

IMG_0745[1].JPG


IMG_0741[1].JPG

IMG_0741[1].JPG

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Do these kittens have pedigrees?
 
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talkingpeanut said:
Do these kittens have pedigrees?
Click to expand...
Yes, the breeder says both parents of the kittens have a pedigree with 4 generation bloodline but neither are active registered and the kittens aren't registered either because they're only selling them as pets. The parents used to be registered active but the breeder bought the Persians off her uncle so that's why their active status has gone. I'm assuming that's not too big of an issue and if she can show me paperwork showing that the parents have a pedigree that should be okay? They are selling them at 650 GBP per kitten - is this a normal price or should I not be paying that much if they're not actually registered?

They do have paperwork showing they're PKD negative...it's just the cross-eye issue I'm worried about! 
 
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kategger

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Kirothecat said:
I dont know alot about the cross eye thing, i heard it goes away after a kitten gets older. I had a persian grey cat (my profile picture) and i have a persian white cat right now, and you have to clean their eyes every day (i cleaned my grey cats eyes less because i didnt see when she had stains but i clean my white cat once or twice a day because the red tears are really visible), you will also have to brush them. Besides that persian cats are honestly perfect pets, they are quiet, dont make messes around the house, are really cuddly, they can make toys out of anything and arent outside cats.

If you are really worried about the cross eyes then ask the breeder and a vet about it. We got our gray persian at 9 weeks old, and she lived a healthy life (died at age of 15), but every breeder is different, ask other people about the breeder
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Yeah that's what I was thinking, that maybe the cross-eye issue will disappear when they get a little older... So you think the brown face on the second kitten is just the tearing issue and the breeder hasn't been cleaning the kittens' face properly?

It's good to hear you were happy with your Persian and that she lived a long healthy life. They do seem like the perfect type of cat to me what with their temperament, it's just that I'm a little worried about health conditions associated with the breed as there seems to be a lot more to worry about than with other breeds. Looks like that's reflected in the price of pet insurance as well, insurance for Persians costs a little more so I'm worried that there is more that could go wrong... 
 
talkingpeanut

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kategger said:
Yes, the breeder says both parents of the kittens have a pedigree with 4 generation bloodline but neither are active registered and the kittens aren't registered either because they're only selling them as pets. The parents used to be registered active but the breeder bought the Persians off her uncle so that's why their active status has gone. I'm assuming that's not too big of an issue and if she can show me paperwork showing that the parents have a pedigree that should be okay? They are selling them at 650 GBP per kitten - is this a normal price or should I not be paying that much if they're not actually registered?

They do have paperwork showing they're PKD negative...it's just the cross-eye issue I'm worried about! 
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I would walk away from this breeder. This all sounds fishy to me. If you're paying that much for a purebred kitten, you should have papers. And if they're not active, then your breeder shouldn't be breeding them. How old are the cats? How many litters have they had?

Hoping posiepurrs posiepurrs can weigh in.
 
kirothecat

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kategger said:
Yeah that's what I was thinking, that maybe the cross-eye issue will disappear when they get a little older... So you think the brown face on the second kitten is just the tearing issue and the breeder hasn't been cleaning the kittens' face properly?

It's good to hear you were happy with your Persian and that she lived a long healthy life. They do seem like the perfect type of cat to me what with their temperament, it's just that I'm a little worried about health conditions associated with the breed as there seems to be a lot more to worry about than with other breeds. Looks like that's reflected in the price of pet insurance as well, insurance for Persians costs a little more so I'm worried that there is more that could go wrong... 
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it looks like stains, but it might be the picture. They have a few more problems than other breeds but nothing too serious (less if they are doll faced). About the stains you have to get the cat used to cleaning because some of the dont like it. My grey persian enjoyed eye cleaning but with my white persian it is super hard, i have to hold her down. If they dont like it i recommend giving them a trear after you clean their eyes bc they will be calm knowing they get something after it. Also its best to use cat tissues or regular but dipped in hot water (you can also ask vets for drops)
 
neely

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talkingpeanut said:
I would walk away from this breeder. This all sounds fishy to me. If you're paying that much for a purebred kitten, you should have papers. And if they're not active, then your breeder shouldn't be breeding them. How old are the cats? How many litters have they had?

Hoping @posiepurrs can weigh in.
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I totally agree, this does not sound like an overly reputable or long established breeder.  posiepurrs and Wellington cats on the forum are experts on the persian breed.  I have had 3 persians, not at the same time, and they were all adopted/rescued.  It is possible to rescue a persian if you are patient.  However, there is no shortage of persian breeders.  It would be helpful if you went to a CFA or similar cat show, talk with other breeders, and check on the purebred cat rescue sites.  It's worth waiting for the right cat and you will be much happier in the end.  You are absolutely right, they are a very docile breed with a sweet and loving temperament.  Best of luck on your search for the right persian. 
 
solomonar

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As far as I know (but I am by no means an expert, so please correct me if I am wrong) pure breed individual is something different from a pedigreed one. Pedigree means that the ancestors are tracked and certified, while pure means that the individual has specific characteristic of that given breed. Pedigree is something the Feline Association should have clearly regulate, since is not enough to "know" the line,  it shall be certified somehow..
 The Association in your country shall explain how they keep track of the pedigree lines. Perhaps they have a list of certified breeders as well, I do not know. 

It is known that usual points when select a breed are particularly:

- care needs, including grooming

- most likely conditions (pure bread often have a certain risk map)

- whether talkative or not - I cant stress enough this point.... my common breed tomcat is very talkative, day and night    


But .cats are temperamental, both by breed and by individual. My cat, by chance, suits my expectation. But if I would adopt again, I will certainly check the individual behavior features before. 

Shopping around to compare - why not? Myself I don't buy even an egg before comparing at least two offers..
 
 
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posiepurrs

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Prices for Persians vary by geography, however personally I think the price is to high for an unregistered kitten. Most breeders I know don't let kittens go until 12 weeks (including me)because Persians mature much slower than other breeds. As for crossed eyes, the kittens eyes don't seem crossed, more wall eyed. Eye staining are not dependent on how extreme a cat is. One of mine is not extreme at all- he is a pet, and his eyes need to be cleaned every day. If I were in your shoes I think I would probably pass on this kitten, even as cute as it is.
 
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