 Persian
Kittens - The Sensitive Period
The first two months of a
Persian kittens life is known as the "The
Sensitive Period". During this time a
Persian kitten is learning to move, eat,
stimulate senses, and be handled by humans.
Movement:
During the first two weeks of a Persian kitten's
life, she relies mainly on her mother for everything.
She can barely move at this point, but at about 2 to 3
weeks of age, she begins a preliminary walking movement.
Persian kittens are able to smell the
mother's teats and feel her warmth which encourages her
to use a paddling like movement toward the mother.
At around 3 to 4 weeks of age, a Persian kitten
is able to walk in a somewhat wobbly fashion while at
about 3 to 5 weeks of age, a Persian kitten
can start to run. It isn't until about 6 to 7
weeks that a Persian kitten is able to
really start exploring the world using all of the gaits
of an adult Persian cat.
Food:
Persian kittens live completely on
their mother's milk up until the age of one month.
At that point, a Persian kitten can
begin eating solid foods.
Stimulation:
A Persian kitten must grow in a setting
that challenges and stimulates her senses. If not,
she may never learn to overcome problems or learn how to
become interested in her environment.
Human Handling:
The amount of handling a Persian kitten
receives during the the first 8 weeks of life plays a
crucial role in her personality. In order for a
Persian kitten to adapt well in a human
environment, she must be handled gently and frequently
by people. Studies show that Persian
kittens that are handled regularly during the
first 45 days of life seem to develop a willingness to
be handled and a general inquisitiveness.
Source: The Cat Bible - by
Tracie Hotchner
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Persian Cat - Fast Facts
A group of Persian
kittens is called a kindle
A group
of adults Persian cats is called a
clowder.
A mother Persian cat
is called a queen or dam.
A father
Persian cat is called a tom or sire.
A Persian cat has 230 bones in
her body. Ten percent of these bones are
located in the tail.
The Persian cat
is the only species of animal that can walk while
holding it's tail
vertical.
When does a Persian
kitten become a Persian cat?
From the ages of 4 to
8 months a Persian kitten is
considered adolescence. Between the ages of 6
to 12 months a Persian kitten
reaches sexual maturity. Social maturity is
reached between the ages of 18 months to 2 years.
Females can take up to 2 years to reach full weight
while males can take as along as 3 years.
Note: Persian cats have been
known to sexually mature later than most breeds
sometimes taking up to two years.
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