You hear all sorts of things about Persian cats when you own one.

"Awww it's so cute."
"Those cats are really weird."
"Why has your cat been hit with a spade."

I'll admit that in the 12 months of pestering from my girlfriend leading up to me caving in and getting her one, I too had reservations about these strange creatures. I wondered why we couldn't just get a normal cat with a normal cat face for a normal cat price.

So, 18 months on from welcoming Misty Moon into our home I thought I should recount my experiences and attempt to confirm or dispel some of the myths about Persian cats.

GROOMING

The Myth: Persian cats require loads of upkeep and will end up choking on their own massive furballs if you don't brush them everyday and put a ribbon in their hair.

The Reality: They can actually look after themselves for the most part, our cat gets brushed a couple of times a week and has a lovely coat of long fur (except in the summer months where we have taken to shaving her fur short for her own comfort). So long as you check for knots and matted fur and sort them out when you find them, which you will if you are giving your cat attention, you shouldn't have a problem. You certainly do not need a wide array of brushes and combs, one standard wire brush will do the job. The only real laborious upkeep is with the eyes. They water constantly and Persians don't seem to be able to do much about it which means they need cleaning pretty much every day unless you want a cat that winks at you all the time.

The Warning: Persian cats shed a lot of hair and it gets EVERYWHERE. Be prepared to be picking it off your clothes and hoovering your carpets forever more.

FEEDING

The Myth: Persian cats are stuck-up little creatures who will only eat posh food.

The Reality: They seem to eat whatever you give them, like most cats. We've tried a variety of different branded cat foods, wet and dry, and there seems to be absolutely no preference. In fact, she only eats half a pouch of the stuff a day along with some biscuits. So really they can be cheaper than your average cat.

The Warning: Buy a shallow bowl, those flat faces are not engineered for burrowing into a deep one.

TEMPERAMENT

The Myth: Persian cats are unfriendly and unloving to their owners.

The Reality: Obviously this will differ from cat to cat but I've yet to meet a Persian that lives up to the cartoon evil villian portrayal of the movies. In fact as most of them are house-bound they are far more trusting of people than most cats and will give you more attention than you could possibly need, so long as you are willing to give it back.

The Warning: Persians and children do not seem to get along particularly well, they prefer calm people and the hyperactivity of children tends to send them running for cover.

If you are thinking of getting a Persian I would heartily recommend it, they are constantly entertaining, forever loving and the upkeep required is smaller than you think (and definitely worth the effort).