 Why
do Persian kittens purr?
We all love the soothing sound of our
Persian cat purring. It gives us
the feeling that our Persian kitten is feeling content
and happy. Think of the purr from your
Persian kitten as the equivalent to our smile
meaning there is no harm or hostile intent.
Sometimes your Persian kitten will purr
due to stress - for example while visiting the vet's
office.
The purring sound is caused by a
vibrating muscles surrounding the larynx. The purr
actually originates in the brain when certain
stimulation occurs which causes the purring sound.
One of the first sounds made by a Persian kitten
is the purr, and upon maturity the purr becomes more
complex. While Persian kittens
tend to purr in monotone, adult Persian cats are capable
of reaching multiple notes. It is not uncommon to
see purring cats drool. The combination of
drooling and paw kneading (making biscuits) is
indicative of a Persian cat
temporary regressing to feeding time as a
Persian kitten.
 Why
do Persian cats eyes glow in the dark?
Persian cats have
very large eyes which is one of their most striking
features. However, the eyes of a Persian
kitten takes on a magnificent appearance in the
dark seeming to glow. Cats are
inherently nocturnal prowlers with a very keen sense of
vision. So is that why their eyes glow in the
dark? Well first lets learn more about the
structure of a Persian cat's eye.
The structure of a Persian
cat's eye includes the cornea, iris, lens,
retina, and tapetum lucidum. The cornea is a
clear, curved part of the eyeball directly in front of
the pupil. Another important part of a
Persian kitten's eye is the iris which gives
the eye its color. The lens is located directly
behind the iris. The retina includes a network of
light sensitive cells while the tapetum lucidum
allows a Persian cat to take in extra
light in dim situations. As the cornea works as
a viewfinder taking in light and transmitting it to the
lens, the lens bends the light rays. These light
rays are then focused to form an image on the retina.
The tapetum lucidum lines most of the back of the retina
acting as a mirror reflecting light that was not
absorbed the first time. The result is a brilliant
glow also called eye shine. A Persian cat
cannot see any better than you or I in total darkness;
however, when even some light is present, the tapetum
lucidum allows the Persian cat to make
good use of it.
 Eye
color can play a role in the color of the eye shine.
Persian kittens with blue eyes will
have a red eye shine while Persian kittens
with with green or copper eyes have a yellowish green
eye shine.
Why do Persian kittens sleep so much?
Persian cats sleep up
to 18 hours a day. It is unknown why
Persian cats tend to sleep so much. Some
believe that it is due to their solitary nature.
Persian kittens and older
Persian cats will sleep the most. A warm,
well fed, content Persian cat will
sleep just about any time of the day. It is
normal for Persian cats to pattern
their sleeping habits to be awake while their owner is
home. This allows sleeping time during work hours
and social time with owners during the morning and
night. Persian kittens dream just
like humans being just as active in dream state as they
are while awake. While dreaming, a Persian
cat may twitch or swish their tail.
Source: Why Do Cats Do That - by
Kim Thornton
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