Experts believe that today's domestic cat is the descendent of Felis libyca, a cat that is
still found in Africa and Asia.
A short-haired, brown mackerel tabby, its adaptation to the environment caused many early mutations, one of which was
the development of the long-haired gene. The first of these cats, the Persian, was believed to have evolved on the high, cold
plateaus of the country then named Persia, hence their name.
The cats were introduced into
Europe by the Phoenicians and Romans in the 1500s as highly valued items of trade. The
Europeans were impressed by the Persian.s long silky coat and purposefully bred the cats to perpetuate the trait. By the 1900s
the cats were being exported to the United States and since then their popularity has spread throughout the world.
The Persian is the most popular breed among the long-haired cats; others include Birman, Turkish
Van, Ragdoll, Mayne Coon, Norvegian Forest Cat and the Exotic (short hair version of the Persian).
In Australia today, while Persians are still out-numbered by the short-haired breeds,
they continue to be popular as both a family pet and for showing purposes.
The Persian is a medium to large cat with heavy bones
and excellent balance from section to section.