Copyright Rijana

PERSIAN CREAM

This breed is less numerous than any of the other varieties of the Persian, perhaps because the litters are usually small. It is a particularly beautiful cat, which looks delicate with its light cream coat.

The Cream was first mentioned in England in 1890, but such cats were usually considered too light Red Persians. Many were therefore sold as pets and some to the United States, where there is still great interest in Persian Cream.

Possibly the first Cream kittens appeared in litters of Tortie females and Red Tabby males. A Tortie has red, black and cream in its coat, so that completely cream kittens can be born from it. A breeder who finds this colour attractive can further isolate it through selective breeding.

Grooming

Daily grooming is required. A few days before a show a bath may be necessary; a treatment with baby powder brings the coat into show condition.

Breeding:By mating only Persian Cream with each other, the type eventually deteriorates, so that crosses with other colour varieties are necessary. Cream is genetically a dilution of red and in fact easier to obtain than solid red. The best result is given by crossing Blue and Cream. A Cream female mated to a Blue male produces Cream males and Blue-Cream females. A litter from a Cream sire and a Blue dam consists of Cream kittens of both sexes, Blue males and Blue-Cream females.

Kittens:

Cream kittens are often born with a faint tabby marking. Usually this disappears again when the adult coat begins to develop, at an age of about 9 months.

BREED STANDARD:

The cream coat must be completely solid, without any markings and without a darker area at the bottom of the spine. In America a lighter cream colour is preferred than in England and Europe; too red is considered a fault. There must be no lighter undercoat; the hairs must be evenly coloured from tip to root. In older cats or just before moulting the coat is sometimes darker. Nose and paw pads pink. Eyes deep copper.