Persian Cat Care, FAQ’s & Expert Advice
Trusted Tips, Favorite Products & Frequently Asked Questions
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Welcome to our Persian care guide! After more than three decades of raising and caring for these extraordinary cats, we have learned that the little details make a big difference.
From choosing the right comb to preparing your kitten’s first room, we are sharing the products we personally use and the advice we give our own families. We hope this becomes a helpful resource you can return to whenever a question comes up.
Our recommendations are based on our hands-on experience, but every cat is unique. Please consult your veterinarian for individual medical, dietary, or behavioral concerns.
Nutrition & Favorite Treats
What type of kitten food do you feed at your cattery?
We proudly feed and recommend Nulo FreeStyle High-Protein Cat & Kitten Food. It has been a favorite in our nursery, and we appreciate its animal-based ingredients and complete, balanced nutrition.
Just like people, however, kittens can have their own individual tastes and preferences. Occasionally, we may have a kitten who prefers or does better on a different type of food. If your kitten is eating something other than our usual Nulo diet, we will let you know exactly what they are eating and their preference before they leave our nursery so you can have it ready at home.
During the initial transition, we strongly recommend keeping your kitten on the food they are already accustomed to. Their entire world is changing, so keeping their diet familiar can help make the adjustment easier and reduce the chance of digestive upset.
If you decide to change foods later, introduce the new food gradually over several days rather than making a sudden switch.
Always choose a nutritionally complete food appropriate for your kitten’s life stage, and follow your veterinarian’s recommendations for any individual dietary needs.
INABA Churu Lickable Treats
These delicious little treats are a favorite in our nursery—especially after bath time! Their soft texture and high moisture content make them easy to offer and wonderful for positive reinforcement.
We use them as a special reward during grooming, handling, and other new experiences. Treats should remain a small part of your cat’s overall diet.
Food Bowls, Water & Hydration
Do your kitties have a favorite food dish?
Our favorite is the Necoichi Ceramic Elevated Cat Food Bowl with the white paw-print design. We appreciate its sturdy ceramic construction and easy-to-clean surface.
Choose a bowl that is comfortable for your individual cat, and wash food and water dishes regularly.
Petkit Smart Pet Water Fountain
Fresh water is one of the simplest and most important things you can provide. We love using water fountains because many cats enjoy drinking from moving water.
The Petkit Smart Pet Water Fountain is one of our favorites. Its filtration system, quiet operation, and convenient design make it a practical addition to a cat-friendly home.
Be sure to clean the fountain and replace filters according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Always maintain the fountain properly, and keep fresh water available at all times.
Hydration Matters: Purina Pro Plan Hydra Care
Hydration is an important part of lifelong feline wellness, particularly for cats who may not drink much from a bowl.
Purina Pro Plan Hydra Care is a supplemental hydration product that we have used and recommended. It may help increase total fluid intake in some cats, but it should not be considered a treatment for kidney disease or urinary problems.
We have suggested offering it two to three times per week as part of our routine. However, the appropriate amount and frequency depend on your cat’s individual needs and the product’s directions. Ask your veterinarian whether it is suitable for your kitten or adult cat.
Litter Boxes & Home Base Essentials
What type of kitty litter do you use?
We use Tidy Cats Instant Action Unscented Non-Clumping Clay Cat Litter and have it delivered through Chewy.
Please do not change your kitten’s litter during the initial transition. We recommend keeping the same litter for at least the first three months whenever possible, as familiar texture and scent can help maintain consistent litter habits.
If a change becomes necessary, introduce the new litter gradually and monitor your kitten’s comfort and litter box use.
What type of litter pan do you use?
After trying many different styles, we have found that the basic Van Ness large litter box works wonderfully for our cats.
We prefer simple, accessible litter pans that are easy to clean. Choose a box with an entrance your kitten can comfortably use, and provide enough boxes for the cats in your household.
Our nursery litter pans are cleaned and sanitized regularly. At home, scoop frequently, wash the box with a cat-safe cleaner, and follow product directions for any disinfectant. Never mix cleaning chemicals.
Preparing Your Kitten’s Home Base Room
What is the most important thing to have in the kitty’s home base room?
When you bring your new kitten home, we strongly recommend setting up one special room just for them. This becomes their safe, familiar space while they adjust to all the new sights, sounds, and smells of your home.
Here is what makes that space successful:
A quiet, secure room
We recommend allowing your kitten to settle into their home base for approximately the first week. Some kittens may be ready to explore sooner, while others need more time. Let their confidence and behavior guide the pace.
All essentials in one place
Provide food, fresh water, a litter pan, a cozy bed, toys, a scratching post, and a comfortable hiding place. Keep food and water separated from the litter box when space allows.
Gentle background sounds
Soft music or calm household voices can help your kitten become familiar with everyday sounds. There is no need to keep music playing constantly; quiet rest is important too.
A gradual introduction to other pets
Keep dogs and resident cats separated initially. Even the sweetest pet can be overwhelming to a kitten who has just arrived. Introductions should happen gradually and under supervision, rather than on a fixed timetable.
Familiar scents
A blanket or toy carrying the scent of Mama and littermates can be wonderfully comforting during the first few days.
Catnip and enrichment
We enjoy offering catnip toys, silvervine, and other enrichment items, but young kittens may not respond to catnip until they are older. Use kitten-safe toys and supervise anything that could be chewed or swallowed.
Always leave the home base available as a safe retreat while your kitten begins exploring the rest of your home.
Scratching Posts & Cat Furniture
What are the best types of scratching posts?
Cats have a natural need to scratch, stretch, and maintain their claws. Providing appealing scratching surfaces is one of the best ways to protect your furniture while allowing your cat to express normal behavior.
We recommend sturdy posts made from sisal rope or sisal fabric. Some cats also enjoy carpeted or cardboard scratchers, so offering a variety can help you discover their preferences.
A tall, stable post allows your kitty to stretch their whole body while scratching.
Our Favorite Scratching Posts
- SmartCat Ultimate Scratching Post
- Frisco 35-inch Heavy Duty Sisal Cat Scratching Post
- Frisco 21-inch Sisal Cat Scratching Post with Toy
- Pet Adobe Cat Scratching Post
- Trixie Parla Scratching Post
- Ware Angled Sisal Cat Scratcher
- Pawz Road Interactive 33-inch Sisal Cat Scratching Post
- Boss Pet Scruffy’s Sisal Scratch Post
Place scratchers near favorite resting spots and furniture your cat may be tempted to scratch. Reward them when they use the appropriate surface.
Grooming Your Persian or Himalayan
How do you keep your cat’s coat looking so beautiful?
Whether you have a long-haired or short-haired Persian, a few quality grooming tools can make all the difference.
Our favorite finishing brush is the Les Pooch’s Finishing Brush – Small. We have used the same one for years, and it remains a favorite in our grooming routine.
It can help remove loose hair and maintain a beautifully polished coat. However, no brush can eliminate shedding entirely, and aggressive brushing can damage the coat or irritate the skin. Always use gentle technique and choose tools appropriate for your cat’s coat.
What is the best comb for Persians and Himalayans?
A good metal comb is one of the most important grooming tools you can own. It reaches through the coat to help identify tangles and prevent mats before they become uncomfortable.
Our favorite is the Andis Pet Steel Grooming Comb. It is durable, easy to use, and a staple in our grooming routine.
We also enjoy using the Glendan Kitten Slicker Brush for gentle brushing, particularly when introducing young kittens to grooming.
Long-haired Persians and Himalayans generally benefit from daily coat checks and regular combing. Pay special attention to the areas behind the ears, under the arms, around the chest, and near the hindquarters.
Never pull forcefully through a mat or use scissors close to the skin. If a mat is tight or close to the body, a professional groomer or veterinarian can remove it safely.
What shampoo do you use?
We have enjoyed using EQyss Premier Pet Shampoo in our grooming routine. It helps leave our cats’ coats clean, soft, and beautifully fluffy.
Always use a shampoo labeled for cats and appropriate for your kitten’s age. Follow the manufacturer’s directions, rinse thoroughly, and keep shampoo away from the eyes, nose, and ears.
Bathing frequency depends on the individual cat’s coat and needs. Your groomer or veterinarian can help you establish a routine that keeps the coat healthy without over-bathing.
Eye & Facial Care
How do you keep your kittens’ eyes so clean and bright?
Persians and Himalayans may need regular facial care, particularly around the inner corners of their eyes. Some cats require only occasional cleaning, while others benefit from more frequent attention.
The key is gentle, consistent care—and knowing when a symptom needs veterinary attention.
TropiClean SPA Tear Stain Remover
TropiClean SPA Tear Stain Remover is one of the products we have used for routine facial grooming. We appreciate how it helps clean normal tear staining and buildup around the face.
Use only as directed, and avoid getting grooming cleansers directly into the eyes unless the product is specifically labeled for that purpose.
Vetericyn Plus Eye Wash
Vetericyn Plus Eye Wash is another product we keep available for appropriate eye rinsing. A sterile eye wash can help flush away minor debris or normal buildup when used as directed.
However, eye discharge is not always a grooming issue. Redness, squinting, swelling, cloudiness, yellow or green discharge, an eye held shut, or signs of pain should be evaluated promptly by a veterinarian.
Never use human medicated eye drops or leftover prescription medication without veterinary direction.
Rewarding Your Kitten After Grooming
Always try to end grooming on a positive note! A few favorite treats, gentle praise, or a short play session can help your kitten associate brushing and facial care with something pleasant.
Our favorite rewards are Life Essentials Freeze-Dried Chicken Treats. They are a wonderful high-value treat in our nursery, and our kittens absolutely love them.
Keep treats small and age-appropriate, and never force a frightened kitten to continue a grooming session.
Stress & Transition Support
Are there products that can help my kitten cope with re-homing?
Moving from our home to yours is a big change for a little kitten. Familiar routines, a quiet home base, and patient introductions are the most important tools for helping them settle in.
We also use and recommend the Feliway Calming Dispenser as an optional support. Synthetic feline pheromone products may help some cats feel more comfortable in unfamiliar environments, although results vary.
We keep Feliway diffusers in our cattery and often suggest using one in your kitten’s home base during the transition period. Follow the manufacturer’s directions and keep the diffuser safely positioned.
Favorite Nursery Toys
What toys do your kittens love the most?
Well… lord knows we have tried just about every cat toy known to man! Some toys come out of the box and immediately get ignored, while others are loved so hard they practically fall apart.
Our all-time favorite nursery toy is the SmartKat Electronic Motion Hot Pursuit. Many of you have spotted it in our videos and asked where we found it. The cats absolutely love the unpredictable movement and the chance to chase and pounce.
Other favorites include:
- Zenes Interactive Butterfly Rotating Cat Toy
- Robotic 360-Degree Self-Rotating Ball
- Kitten Teether Sticks
- Catnip Balls
- Wand toys and soft plush toys
Introducing Your New Kitten to Other Cats
How do I introduce a new kitten to my older cat?
We get this question all the time, and the most important advice we can give is to take things slowly.
Start by placing your new kitten in their own home base room without a face-to-face meeting. Allow both cats to become familiar with each other’s scent through the closed door and by exchanging bedding or toys.
Once both cats appear relaxed, you can begin short visual introductions through a secure barrier, followed by brief supervised meetings when they are ready.
Reward calm behavior with treats, praise, or play. A little hissing can be normal communication, but persistent tension, chasing, or aggression means it is time to separate them and return to an earlier step.
Never force the cats together or place a carrier directly in front of a resident cat who may feel threatened. Some introductions take days, while others take weeks or longer.
With patience and the right approach, many cats learn to coexist peacefully—and some eventually become the very best of friends.
Kitty Towers & Cozy Spaces
Is there one thing every kitty should have?
YES! A kitty tower is one of our favorite additions to a cat-friendly home.
Cats love having a special place where they can climb, observe, relax, and feel secure. A sturdy tower provides an outlet for natural climbing and scratching instincts while giving your kitty a comfortable place to watch the world.
We have several towers and cozy cat condos throughout our home, and our cats spend hours lounging, playing, and being their goofy little selves.
Choose a stable tower appropriate for your cat’s size and mobility. In multi-cat homes, providing several resting spots and vertical spaces can make play and rest time so much more enjoyable.
Re-Homing Comfort Packages
Re-homing can be hard on kittens, so anything we can do to reduce stress and provide comfort makes a big difference during this transition.
To help even more, we offer a Re-homing Combo Set, which includes a special blanket scented with their littermates’ and mama’s scent. Familiar smells are incredibly comforting and help reduce anxiety during travel and the first days in a new home.
✨Details:
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The set will be placed inside your kitty’s pet carrier (if purchased)
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Machine washable
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Extremely durable—made to last
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Available for an additional $35.00
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Colors vary
This simple comfort item has proven to be a wonderful source of reassurance for kittens during those first emotional days away from their nursery. A little familiarity goes a long way in helping your new kitty feel safe, calm, and at home.
Personalized Transition Toy CollectionÂ
Send Your Baby Home Wrapped in Comfort, Familiarity & LoveÂ
Our custom take-home toy packages are thoughtfully curated with your kitten’s heart in mind. Each collection includes a hand-selected assortment of their favorite toys and kitten-safe teethers—chosen based on what they’ve already been playing with and loving right here in our nursery.
This isn’t just a toy bundle… it’s a piece of home.
Many of the toys carry the soft, familiar scent of mama and their nursery mates, offering a sense of comfort and security during those first few days of transition. It’s like sending your baby home with a gentle hug from everything they’ve ever known.
During this important teething stage, the included teethers help soothe tender gums while naturally redirecting chewing behaviors—keeping your kitten comfortable, content, and out of mischief.
We also include calming favorites infused with catnip and silvervine, known to help kittens relax, unwind, and adjust more easily to their new surroundings.
And just like your kitten…
Many of these pieces are truly one-of-a-kind—specialty items you won’t typically find in stores, making each collection as unique and special as the baby you’re bringing home.
A small detail that makes a big difference in their transition.
Training & Good Manners
How do you teach kittens not to scratch furniture or jump on counters?
The best approach is to make the right behavior easy and rewarding.
Provide sturdy scratching posts, approved climbing spaces, and plenty of interactive play. When your kitten uses a scratching post or chooses an appropriate resting spot, reward them with praise or a small treat.
If they begin scratching furniture, gently redirect them to a suitable scratcher. For counters, remove tempting food, provide an appealing alternative perch, and consistently reward the behavior you want.
We do not recommend spraying kittens with water or using canned air to frighten them. Punishment can increase fear and stress and may damage the bond you are building with your cat.
Patience, consistency, and positive reinforcement are the foundation of good manners.
Are Persian cats prone to misaligned teeth?
Yes—mild dental misalignment is fairly common in Persian cats, and in most cases it’s completely harmless.
Because Persians have a shorter, rounded muzzle, their teeth don’t always line up perfectly. This can result in a slight overbite, underbite, or a tooth that sits a little off-center.
In the vast majority of cases, this is purely cosmetic and does not affect your kitten’s ability to eat, groom, or live comfortably. Many owners don’t even notice it.
If you ever see signs like trouble eating, drooling, or sensitivity, a quick check with your vet can rule out any issues—but this is uncommon.
With routine dental care and regular vet visits, most Persians do just fine.
In short, it’s a common and usually harmless trait—just one of those little quirks that makes each Persian unique.Â
Essential Oil Safety
Did you know that many essential oils can be dangerous to cats?
Essential oils are found in diffusers, cleaning products, perfumes, and many household items. Cats can be particularly sensitive to certain essential oils, and exposure through ingestion, skin contact, or concentrated vapors may cause serious problems.
Avoid applying essential oils directly to your cat or using them as home remedies. Keep bottles and diffusers out of reach, and consult your veterinarian before using any essential-oil product around your pets.
If you suspect exposure or notice drooling, vomiting, tremors, difficulty breathing, or unusual behavior, contact your veterinarian or an animal poison control service immediately.
Age Release Message – Kitten FoundationÂ
Building a Strong, Healthy Kitten Foundation. We believe one of the most important gifts we can give every kitten is a good, strong, solid foundation before they ever leave our nursery. Every kitten develops at a different pace, so we don’t determine when a kitten is ready to leave based on age alone.
Instead, we look at the individual kitten—its size, development, weaning progress, confidence, and overall readiness. As a general rule, no kitten leaves our nursery until it has reached about 2–2.5 pounds and we feel it has developed the strong foundation needed for a successful transition into its new home.
Many things influence how quickly a kitten develops. The parents’ size, the number of kittens in the litter, the kitten’s individual growth rate, and especially their weaning progress can all play a role. Some kittens simply need a little more time than others—and we are perfectly happy to give them that time.
We also believe kittens need their mother for much more than milk. A mother cat has incredibly valuable lessons to teach her babies well beyond eight weeks of age. She helps teach them appropriate feline behavior, confidence, independence, boundaries, grooming habits, proper litter pan skills, and many of the little social lessons and good habits that help shape a well-adjusted adult cat. Those extra weeks with Mom and their littermates are an important part of their education.
They are learning how to be cats—lessons that simply cannot be rushed or replaced. After nearly four decades of raising Persian kittens, one thing we know for certain is that the best things in life are worth waiting for. We aren’t raising kittens simply to send them home as quickly as possible. We are raising little lives that will someday be someone’s best friend, someone’s constant companion, someone’s warm spot on the pillow—and, for many families, a tiny piece of their heart.
That’s why we never rush them. Every kitten gets the time they need to grow, learn, gain confidence, and become strong enough for the wonderful life waiting beyond our nursery doors. The calendar doesn’t decide when they’re ready. The kitten does.
Since 1989, generations of tiny pawprints have passed through our nursery and into the hearts and homes of families across the country. Through all those years, our promise has remained the same: Build a strong foundation. Give them all the time they need. Love them like they’re ours until the day they become yours.
Where Are You Located?
We are located in Unionville, Missouri, where our kittens are born, raised, and cared for by our family.
We are always happy to help our approved families with questions about preparing for their new kitten and choosing the products that will make their transition as comfortable as possible.
