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The contents of this newsletter are inspired by the visitors of PERSIAN-CATS.COM. The following tips and information come primarily from bulletin board postings and particularly useful discussions in the chat room.
This Month's Features: Get Creative, Alternative to Shaving, and Purrsonalities
Get Creative!
By Cara B.
Cats are so fun to capture in pictures but what do you do with all those pictures? You can create a photo album dedicated to your furry friend(s)! You can begin by creating a layout and sorting pictures of your cat by choosing kitten pictures (or if you acquired your cat long after kittenhood you can choose any first photo). Tell of a story on how you acquired your cat beside each picture. As you add pictures, your writing will flow with memories! You can liven your photos with fun captions and decorative cat theme stickers or you can even draw your own. The computer offers many options for printing pictures or enhancing your photos online. Cats play such an important role in our lives, and having a cat album is a wonderful way to express your creativity and keep wonderful memories of your pet.
Alternative to Shaving
(This information came from Mary B. & Elizabeth I.)
There are ways for a groomer to thin out the fur on a Persian rather than going with a full shave or a lion cut. For example, a wire slicker brush is useful for thinning. There are also special tools just for stripping out the undercoat. This is something a groomer should be able to do, or you could try it yourself.
Either way, the key is a vigorous deep combing so that you can tear out the unwanted hair. Mary says, "When I strip the coats on my cats, I really rake through the coat quickly." The goal is not to preserve the coat, so gentle, light combing will not do the trick.
Purrsonalities
(This information came from Mary B. & Cara W.)
Genetics probably play the biggest roll in a cat's personality. (Of course, environment, illness, age, neuter/intact, etc. all play some important roles as well.) Sometimes you see similar personality traits throughout a line or breed. Other times you get a personality that just seemingly comes out of the blue. There are no rules set in stone when it comes to behavior. Some kittens can behave terribly even though they were handled and loved just as much as the other kittens in the house from the moment they were born. These "bad apples" can have the same personality that people would swear is the result of abuse. On the other hand, there are cats that were indeed abused and neglected but were still sweet and total "lap cats."
Another thing that can influence a cat's personality is the hierarchy or pecking order of a group. This is most obvious when the kittens in a litter begin leaving. The remaining kittens will often have dramatic personality changes if the dominant or submissive kittens have left. Adult cats also have a pecking order. Very shy cats can become outgoing and even assertive once spayed or once a more dominant cat has left or been dethroned.
