Originally from Persia (known to us 21st century cat lovers as Iran), Persian cats are a beautiful, high maintenance, cuddle loving breed.
As they are quite prone to allergies it is important to find the right food for your beloved Persian cat.
They are most commonly house cats and are quite docile – therefore they do not need to consume as many calories as other cats.
When you are first entering the world of Persian cats it can be hard to get your head around everything your cat needs.
Luckily for you, we’ve put together this article – complete with a buyer’s guide, FAQs, and a top 5 foods list – so that when you’ve finished reading this article you’ll be ready to pick out the purrrfect* cat food for your cat.
*We’re sorry, that’s the last pun, we swear!
Let’s get down to business! Read on to discover what is the best food for Persian cats.
What Persians Want
As Persian cats are often house cats, it is important to look for ranges aimed at house cats specifically.
Lots of people like to feed their indoor cats dry food as it makes their ‘litter tray gifts’ less pungent.
Most vets do recommend serving your cats a mixture of wet and dry foods.
In a hurry? Here’s our top pick:
Our top choice is the Proactive Range by Iams
This range includes three main blends, Indoor Cat, Adult, and super gut friendly Adult. All of these options come in two flavors – Roast Chicken and Salmon.
Like every cat food on the market, the food has mixed reviews from cats. However, owners love this range. After 5000 reviews this range has a 5/5 star rating on Amazon. A very rare achievement.
This range is designed specifically to be gentle on the gut, whilst still being nutritionally dense. We have seen many reviews saying that this has calmed the stomachs of very sick cats and as one review put it, ‘quieted the poop cannon’.
A brief study of the ingredients will show you how good quality this stuff is. Chicken or Salmon (depending on the flavor) is the top ingredient. There are no filler ingredients in this range, and they have added many key nutrients into the mix.
Our only issue with this range is that it claims to be perfect for all ages. The difference in nutritional needs between kittens and older cats are quite vast (see our buyer’s guide for more details) and doubt that one food would be able to cater well to both of these age groups, as well as adult cats.
Pros
- Amazing price (just over a dollar per pound)
- Dry food, great for indoor cats
- Choice of flavors
- Chicken or Salmon is the number one ingredient
- No filler ingredients
- Added essential nutrients: Including Calcium And Potassium
- Gut friendly blend
- Includes indoor cat blend
- Approved by the American Veterinary Association
Cons
- Only two flavors
- No older cat range
Some cats don’t like it (this will be the case with every cat food that has ever been made)
1. Iam’s Proactive Range
Whilst we think this is the perfect choice for a Persian cat, if you have either a kitten or an older cat please talk to your vet about whether this food will cover all their nutritional needs.
This range comes with three types of food designed for adult cats, indoor cats, and cats with digestive issues. The three types come in two flavors each – Salmon or Roast Chicken. This key ingredient is the number one ingredient on the content list (meaning the majority of the food is made up of this ingredient).
There are no nasty fillers in this food. In fact, Iams has added extra key nutrients like Calcium into the blend. Milk can upset cat stomachs, so this is a great way to make sure they’re not missing out on any nutrients.
As Persians can often have problems with allergies and upset stomachs this range will be a great option for them. Many reviewers have talked about how this ranged has ended their cat’s stomach problems and itchy skin.
The range is approved by multiple Vet Associations, including the American Veterinary Association. Iams worked with Veterinary scientists to develop this range.
Our one concern about this range is that it claims to be appropriate for all ages. However, it is very unlikely that this is the case (see our buyer’s guide for more information). So, if you have a kitten or an older cat talk to your vet before feeding them this.
Not only is this an amazing range of cat food, but it is available at an unbelievable price – coming in at less than $1 per lbs.
Pros
- Amazing price (just over a dollar per pound)
- Dry food, great for indoor cats
- Choice of flavors
- Chicken or Salmon is the number one ingredient
- No filler ingredients
- Added essential nutrients: Including Calcium And Potassium
- Gut friendly blend
- Includes indoor cat blend
- Approved by the American Veterinary Association
Cons
- Only two flavors
- No older cat range
- Some cats don’t like it
2. Rachel Ray’s Nutrish Superfood for Indoor Cats
This food is available in three flavors: (1) Chicken, Salmon & Lentils; (2) Chicken, Salmon & chickpeas; (3) Turkey, Salmon & Chickpeas. This range is designed to help your indoor cat maintain a healthy weight, whilst boosting digestive capability and immunity.
As usual, this food has mixed reviews from cats. But on the whole, owners love this range. We have noticed a few owners complain about their cats getting diarrhea when switching over to this food.
There are a lot of unusual ingredients in this range, and some cats with more sensitive stomachs may struggle with this.
This is a well-priced cat food and comes in a few sizes (3lb, 7lb, 13lb).
Pros
- Designed exclusively for indoor cats
- Helps maintain weight
- Boosts digestion
- Boosts immunity
- A huge amount of product
- 3 flavors
Cons
- ‘All ages’
- Some cats don’t like it
- Some cats’ stomachs have been upset by the unusual ingredients
3. Purina’s Fancy Feast Range
There are upsides and downsides when it comes to wet food in general. Cats tend to love wet food, but it can make their bathroom trips a little pungent. Wet food can also be a little too rich for cats with sensitive stomachs. Wet food is also more expensive per pound than dry food.
That being said, most cats seem to love this food (there are exceptions, of course, we all know cats like to be difficult sometimes!), and it comes in a huge variety of flavors.
You can even get it in ‘variety packs’ to spice up your cat’s life. The packaging for this range is also recyclable.
This range also comes with kittens and older cats friendly options.
Pros
- Protein heavy
- Made in the USA
- Soft meats, easy on the teeth and the stomach
- Recyclable packaging
- TASTY
- Different age ranges available
- They even do a version with cheese mixed in
Cons
- Wet food can be a bit rich for some Persian cats
- Can get expensive if you have a lot of cats
- Wet food can lead to pungent trips to the litter tray
4. Sheba’s Perfect Portions Pate Range
The texture of this wet food makes it a great range for cats of all ages. We use it at home for our cats and they love it – to the point where they’ve been pushing each other around to get more.
We love that Sheba offers this food for a variety of ages, as the Adult range is too rich for older cats.
This food is nutritionally balanced and contains no preservative, fillers, corn, grains, soy, or wheat. These are some of the key cat allergens, so many Persians will have to avoid these ingredients.
Wet food can be too much for some cats’ sensitive digestive systems, and this is a particularly rich range.
Pros
- Age ranges available
- Texture kind to teeth and bellies
- Packed with high-quality ingredients
- YUMMY
- Our cats are obsessed with this stuff
Cons
- Wet food can be a bit rich for some Persian cats
- Can get expensive if you have a lot of cats
- Wet food can lead to pungent trips to the litter tray
- Our cats like this so much that they’ve started waking us up early (4 am…) to get their breakfast
5. Solid Gold’s Indigo Moon Range
They use natural ingredients and add extra prebiotics to the mix to help keep your Persians healthy. Their Indigo moon range is grain-free, gut-friendly, calorie-dense, filled with superfoods, and filled with the finest Alaskan Salmon.
They claim this is a ‘feeds all ages’ recipe, but as we have mentioned with other foods on this list, this is a very hard claim to live up to. As this is a smaller brand the food is very expensive – almost three times more expensive than our number one choice.
However, this is still a great choice for your cats from ages 1-8, as it is full of gut soothing ingredients and has great reviews from owners. Cats (as you may have guessed) have mixed feedback.
Pros
- Calorie dense
- High-quality ingredients
- Gut soothing
- Gut friendly
- Grain-free
- Filled with superfood
Cons
- Expensive
- Mixed reviews from cats
Buyer’s Guide
Below is a quick step by step guide to let finding the perfect cat food for your Persian cat.
We’ve included what we believe to be the most important factors to consider when it comes to buying cat food for your furry best friend.
Price
The first thing you need to decide is how much money you want to spend on your cat food every week.
The good news is that there are amazing options available at many different price points. Some people believe that cat food is worth investing in, whilst others don’t. It is up to you, but it is a decision worth making before purchasing any food.
It is worth noting that cat food for older cats can be a little bit more expensive, but they can greatly improve your elderly cat’s quality of life.
Packaging
Cat food pouches are the most convenient method for buying and serving cat food. They are compact and are mess-free (unless your cat headbutts the pouch out of your hand as you’re trying to feed them, as happened to us this morning. We don’t want to talk about it.)
However, cat food pouches, on the whole, are not recyclable. So, for those of you who are looking to reduce your cat’s carbon pawprint, you may need to look at more expensive options like tins.
Pack Sizes
Maybe, like us, you have two very hungry male cats at home, who go through cat food like crazy. For us, it makes sense to buy our cat food in bulk. This does, however, result in us having to sacrifice a whole kitchen cupboard to the cat food.
Bigger packs tend to be better value for money, and cat food is non-perishable. Even if you have only one cat it may be a better option for you to buy in bulk and store the food, rather than frequently pick up more expensive smaller packets.
Wet food or dry food or both?
Some cats live exclusively on dry cat food, some cats (like ours) refuse to eat it.
Both types of food are designed to provide your cats with everything they need to live their best lives. So the choice between the two comes down to personal preference (yours or the cats, it depends on how strong-willed they are).
The major selling point of dry food is it doesn’t smell, however, cats find wet food much more exciting.
Age range offered
When choosing your cat food it’s important to check that your brand of choice offers food in an age category that suites your cat(s).
We have noticed a lot of people online saying that putting age limits on cat food is a money-making scheme by the cat food companies. However, this is just rubbish. There is, in fact, a lot of scientific evidence behind feeding different aged cats, different food.
Kitten food – These packets are smaller (perfect for a kitten sized appetite) and are filled with all the essential nutrients a growing kitten needs. This helps them move away from mum’s milk to something a little more solid.
1-7 years – These packets are designed to help cats maintain their energy and weight as they go around doing whatever mysterious things cats spend their days doing.
8-11 years – At this age, your cat starts to become less active, but their digestive systems are still fully functioning. At this age, cat food becomes lower in calories to stop them from putting on weight as they slow things down.
11+ years – By the time your cat reaches this age they generally can no longer eat as much, or digest their food as well as they once could. Major weight loss is very common in cats of this age group. These packets tend to be smaller, but more nutritionally dense, and have extra vitamins added to help the old folks cope with day to day life.
Intolerances
It comes as a shock to many people that their pets can have food intolerances just like humans.
Some cat breeds are more prone to intolerances than others, but if you change your cat’s food and they become ill, go see your vet as soon as possible.
Frequently Asked Questions
We are constantly asked questions about all sorts of cat breeds.
So we’ve put together this FAQ section to answer the questions you ask us most about Persian cats.
What do Persian cats look like?
Traditionally, Persian cats are long-haired, white cats with short noses and large eyes. They do come with many different colored coats – including grey and ginger.
Famous Persian cats include Crookshanks from Harry Potter (played by Crackerjack, the ginger Persian), and Lugui the Lion cat (an Instagram sensation).
Persian cats are originally from, yep you guessed it, Persia (now known as Iran). They are thought to be the world’s oldest natural cat breed.
How long do Persian cats live for?
Persian cats live between 12-14 years on average.
The oldest ever Persian cat was called Creme Puff. Creme Puff lived in Austin, Texas, and lived to be 38 years old (he died in 2010).
What health issues are Persian cats vulnerable to?
One of the major issues Persian cats suffer from is Brachycephalic Airway Syndrome – see more on this below.
They can also suffer from dental malocclusions. In cats this refers to teeth that don’t fit well together.
They often suffer from itchy skins and eye infections. They have a heat sensitivity issue. They are susceptible to Ringworm. They are also prone to excessive tearing of their skin.
Are Persian cats lively?
Persian cats can have lively moments, however, they are generally docile. They are very demure, they like to preen themselves and will happily sit on their owner’s’ laps for hours.
They enjoy quiet homes with set routines that vary little from day to day.
Can Persian cats breathe properly?
Like other animals with short noses (think pugs and french bulldogs), Persian cats can have difficulty breathing. This is known as Brachycephalic Airway Syndrome in cats.
Not all Persian cats suffer from this, but it is something to be aware of.
