Longevity and persian cats

[oliverreed]

I have two older persians - one is about 15 and the other is 13. Both seem to be really slowing down - the older girl is definitely getting a bit senile and is often unsteady on her feet. Often can’t remember that she needs to come downstairs in the morning for breakfast, I have to go and carry her. And she has poop “accidents” on the furniture some times. I have had her commpletely checked out at the vet, there’s nothing wrong with her but age. I got her at a shelter so she could be a little older than 15.

My 13 year old himmie has lost quite a lot of weight recently, he’s down to around 8 lbs from 10. Again, complete and expensive vet check, complete with blood work, urinalysis, x-rays - they find nothing. And I’ve been with my vet for years and he’s excellent.

I have heard that Persians do not live as long as other breeds, does anyone know if this is true? I have had a siamese cross who lived to be 19 and a Burmese who lived to be 20.

[SLW]

We lost a sweet persian to a stroke when she was 14 which seemed plenty old enough for an indoor kitty. Currently I have a siamese who is 16 and showing signs of kidney problems.

[purplnurpl]

our cats only lived to 13.
short haired tabby and domestic long hair

I currently have a selkirk rex. They are 1/2 persian.
He needs to live forever–dying is NOT an option.

[EquineLVR]

I had a full persian _ he lived to 21 - just lost him last year…

[AlmostDun]

My Persian only made it into her low teens. For several years she went through a cycle of losing a few pounds, gaining them back, and losing them again. Eventually she stopped eating and started having trouble with her back end. She got the one way trip to the vet then. :sadsmile:

Several of my other cats have died young as well, but her downhill slide started younger and lasted longer than any other cat I’ve had.

[SquishTheBunny]

Ive seen a lot of younger persians with problems, and a lot of older ones too. I think any animal, purebred or not, can run into problems early in life or late.

If it makes you feel any better, we see a persian cat here at the hospital once a month for kidney checkups. The cat is 22 or something rediculous like that. Apparently she’s looked “old” for her past 1/2 life. She looks miserable, but she’s the sweetest old lady

[Coyoteco]

I don’t know about Persian cats specifically. I do know that my mother’s cats lived to at least 20, with one living to 25 or more. I don’t even think of a cat as old until it reaches 17 or 18.
BTW, the cat who looked the oldest when I got them, was the one who lived the longest. I think she was the oldest (except the 25 yo who had been rescued earlier by my brother and ultimately gone to my mother).

[oliverreed]

Well, my 13 year old Himalayan has the beginnings of kidney diseaase and . . . . . high blood pressure! Vet says that the HBP is probably causing headaches, which would explain general listlessness and unwillingmness to eat. So he’s now on cyproheptadine for appetite and HBP meds. Probably going to get prescription low protein food as well. The kidneys are not in serious shape at this point. I’m hoping we can manage this for a while.

My first Himalayan was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease at age 2. He lived to age 7. Himmies are apparently prone to this, although responsible breeders make sure they are not passing along this predisposition. I have to say the breeder I got this boy from was definitely not one of the responsible ones. But I fell in love with him.

[cajunbelle]

My blue cream female lived until the ripe old age of 12, Kidney Disease took her too soon! Never even thought it could be breed related, all of our other beasties, always lived thru their late teens.

[oliverreed]

Yes, it is definitely breed related - himmies, not persians. If you ever get another one you want to find a breeder that guarantees PKD free. They are out there. I have now learned this lesson.