Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Persian cats under first opinion veterinary care in the UK: demography, mortality and disorders.
- Journal:
- Scientific reports
- Year:
- 2019
- Authors:
- O'Neill, Dan G et al.
- Affiliation:
- The Royal Veterinary College · United Kingdom
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
This study looked at the health and common problems of Persian cats in the UK, focusing on 3,235 of them out of over 285,000 cats examined in 2013. It found that about 65% of Persian cats had at least one health issue, with the most frequent problems being related to their fur, teeth, and eyes. On average, these cats weighed about 3.9 kg and lived around 13.5 years. The leading causes of death were kidney disease, cancer, and issues related to tumors. Overall, the findings suggest that Persian cats are prone to specific health problems, and owners should be more aware of how to manage these issues.
Abstract
Persian cats are a popular cat breed worldwide, and especially in the US, Europe and Asia. This study aimed to describe the demography, common disorders and mortality in Persians under general practice veterinary care in 2013 in the UK. The study population of 285,547 cats overall included 3235 (1.1%) Persians. Mean adult Persian bodyweight was 3.9 kg (SD 0.9) and median age was 7.0 years (IQR 3.3-11.6). At least one disorder was recorded in 2099 (64.9%) Persians. The most common specific disorders were haircoat disorders (411, 12.7%), periodontal disease (365, 11.3%), overgrown nails (234, 7.2%), and ocular discharge (188, 5.8%). The most common disorder groups were dermatological (578, 17.9%), ophthalmological (496, 15.3%) and dental (397, 12.3%). Median longevity was 13.5 years (IQR 9.9-16.0). The most common grouped causes of death were renal disease (102, 23.4%), neoplasia (37, 8.5%) and mass-associated disorder (35, 8.0%). This is the first study to use general practice data to examine the overall health of Persian cats. With haircoat, ocular and dental disorders being the predominant disorders identified, this study highlights the need for increased owner awareness to manage and prevent the typical health problems associated with this breed's phenotype.
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Search related cases →Original publication: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31530836/