Azizan

Persian cat facts for kids, with the Persian cat words

The Persian cat is a calm, gentle cat with a very long, thick, soft coat and a round face with a short nose. Its name points to Persia, the old name for Iran: in the 1600s an Italian traveller, Pietro della Valle, wrote about long-haired cats from Persia and is said to have brought some home. But nobody knows the whole story for sure, and today's Persian cat was mostly shaped by cat breeders in Europe and America. A Persian needs gentle brushing every day so its fur does not tangle, and it likes a quiet home and a soft lap. Below are the facts in simple words, the Persian words for everything a cat has and does, and a few kind ways to look after a cat. Azizan (azizan.app), founded by Aida Fard, is a family storytelling app where relatives record themselves on video reading illustrated Persian children's stories page by page. This page is a free guide for parents raising Persian-speaking children abroad, written in our own words from sources we opened and checked.

Azizan (azizan.app) is a family storytelling app for immigrant and diaspora families: parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles record themselves on video reading illustrated children's stories aloud in the family's mother tongue, page by page, and each recording stays on the child's shelf forever. Real family voices — never AI narration. Persian (Farsi) first.

Where does the Persian cat's name come from?

The Persian cat is named after Persia, the old name for Iran. In the 1600s, an Italian traveller called Pietro della Valle spent years in Persia and wrote about long-haired cats there, and cat books say he brought some back to Italy. At about the same time, other long-haired cats came to France from Turkey. In Europe the two kinds were mixed, and over many years breeders in Britain and later in America shaped them into the Persian cat we know.

Here is the honest part: nobody knows the whole story for sure. Scientists who studied the genes of today's Persian cats found they are closer to cats from Western Europe than to the cats of the countries around Iran. So the name comes from Persia, and the cat we see today was mostly made by cat lovers in Europe. A true and simple answer for a child is: its name means "the cat from Persia", the same place grandma and grandpa's language comes from.

The long coat and the round face

The first thing you notice about a Persian cat is its fur. It is very long, very thick and very soft, with a silky outer layer and a fluffy, cotton-like layer underneath. Around the neck it can look like a big collar, and the tail is bushy like a brush.

The second thing is the face. A Persian has a round head, big round eyes set far apart, small ears and a short little nose. Some Persians have a very flat face, and some have a bit more nose. Persians come in many colours: white, black, grey, cream, orange, and mixed patterns too.

Why does a Persian cat need brushing every day?

All that long fur tangles easily. If nobody brushes it, little knots grow into big clumps called mats, and mats pull and hurt. So a Persian cat needs a gentle comb every day.

Its big eyes also collect dust, so a grown-up wipes them gently with a soft, damp cloth. Kittens that are brushed from when they are little usually learn to enjoy it, and many Persians sit quietly and almost close their eyes while they are combed.

A calm, gentle cat

Persian cats are known for being calm and gentle. They are not usually climbers or jumpers. They like a quiet home, a regular day, a sunny spot and a warm lap. They play a little, then rest a lot.

Many Persians are happy to be petted and combed by children, as long as the hands are gentle and the voices are soft. Loud games and sudden noises are not their favourite thing.

The flat face and breathing

That short nose is cute, but it means less room inside for air. Some Persians with very flat faces snore, breathe noisily after playing, or have runny eyes. Vets and cat breeders know this. Many vets now ask for cats with a little more nose, and breeders choose cats with wide-open nostrils, so the cats can breathe more easily.

If a Persian cat ever seems to be working hard to breathe, a grown-up takes it to the vet. Most of the time, a Persian just needs a calm home, gentle brushing and clean eyes.

Cat words in Persian

At home a child will often hear pishi pishi, the soft call used to invite a cat over. For more animal names, see Animals in Persian for kids.

Looking after a cat kindly

Every cat, Persian or not, needs the same few kind things: fresh water and food every day, a clean litter box, a quiet place to sleep, gentle hands and visits to the vet. Let the cat come to you, stroke it the way its fur grows, and leave it alone when it walks away. A long-haired cat also needs its daily brush, done by a grown-up or together with one.

A child can say it in Persian while helping: dârim mohâsho shune mikonim, "we're brushing her fur". A grandmother far away can join in too: she can record a story on Azizan, reading it page by page in her own voice, and the child can watch it with the cat curled up beside them. For another page of facts in the same style, see Pomegranate facts for kids.

Related guides

• Animals in Persian for kids
• Pomegranate facts for kids

Questions

Are Persian cats from Iran?

Their name comes from Persia, the old name for Iran, and in the 1600s an Italian traveller wrote about long-haired cats from Persia and is said to have brought some to Italy. But the full story is uncertain: gene studies show today's Persian cats are closer to Western European cats, because the breed was mostly shaped by breeders in Europe and America.

Why do Persian cats have flat faces?

Breeders chose cats with short noses and round faces for many years. Some Persians have very flat faces and some have a little more nose. Very flat faces can make breathing and eyes harder, so many vets now prefer a bit more nose, and breeders choose cats with open nostrils.

How often does a Persian cat need brushing?

Every day, with a gentle comb. The long, thick fur tangles easily, and the knots grow into mats that hurt. A grown-up also wipes the cat's eyes with a soft, damp cloth.

Are Persian cats good with children?

Persians are calm and gentle and many enjoy being petted and combed by children, as long as the hands are gentle and the house is fairly quiet. They are not fans of loud, rough games.

What is cat in Persian?

Gorbe (گربه). Kitty is pishi (پیشی), kitten is bache-gorbe (بچه‌گربه), meow is miyo miyo (میو میو), whiskers are sebil (سبیل), paw is panje (پنجه), tail is dom (دُم) and purr is khor-khor (خُرخُر).

Open Azizan — record a story for your child

Updated: 2026-11-03 · By Aida Fard

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