New Additions as of October 27th

Kitty update...

Delta has 4 kittens that are ready...3 silver shaded and one white boy with blue eyes.

Indi had two pure white kittens one boy and one girl they will have copper eyes. Ready in about 2 weeks.

Misty has a Himi boy who is seal Pt, and a white boy. they are just starting to toddle around.

Princess has had her litter, one black boy, one tortie girl, one himi.

Tia has had her litter, one himi and three dark tabbies probably mackereal tabbies with the base color of black

Dessy had her kittens last night...2 dark blue persians and one silver persian that may become a himi as it ages.

the next two litters will probably produce reds and whites!!

October 14th 2010 2nd post

Question:
What kinds of things do you send your kittens home with and what kinds of things do I need to have at home?
Thanks!
Janet

Answer:
I send the kitten home with all his papers, health records, and two types of food. I feed Royal Canin Baby Cat and Purina Kitten Chow. Royal Canin is a premium food with a premium price to go with it...and Purina Kitten Chow can be bought at Walmart or Safeway for $7.00 for a big bag...Purina is a completely balance diet it just has more fillers so the kittens poop more. But when I release a kitten I do not know the budget of the family who is taking it so I plan for both income brackets. What ever you choose to feed your little one...mix 1/2 and 1/2 with what I provide, that way the little one does not get sick from a change in diet.


NEEDS:

You would need a kennel for transporting him, a litter box, the kitten is used to using Scoopaway, a litter scoop, food and water dishes and a bed...the kitten will probably use yours more than his or her own.

WANTS:

A climbing tower with scratching post. (The taller the better according to all my kitties.. and ones with a hidy holeat the top are the best!!)

Fishing Lure type toys for interactive play

Individual play toys for individual play (feathers and fabric are more fun than plastic balls, and catnip toys are yummy.)

A Fountain to keep the water fresh.  At Paz 4 Play we use a 10gallon fish tank pump with a 30day filter, a ceramic decorative bowl and glass rocks so that the fountain is pretty...it only needs to have water added as the level declines for 30 days then we clean it add another filter and done...

October 14th 2010

Please forgive the time delay in writing this blog....my dad has been in the hospital since the last posting and priorities have been with him...he is now getting better but in a nursing home to regain his strength, so my postings may be spotty for some time to come...

Questions:

Hello Laura!

Your cats are gorgeous!!
I have attached a picture of my cat, a Himalayan-Ragdoll mix to refer to, as I plan to look into buying a purebreed-Himalayan next year. Since I love this cat's face so much, I want to get a purebreed that looks very much like her. Thus, my questions are:

1) What face type is she closest to?
2) Her colorpoint? The vet has her down as chocolate, but then what is "seal?"
With your expert eye, I will at least know exactly what I am looking for when the time comes. Should you need a profile picture, I'll be happy to send one to you.

Thank you so much!! Your help is soo appreciated!
Corinne

Answer:
Good Morning Corinne,
Thank you for contacting me. I am Laura Peters with Paz 4 Play Cattery. Chelsie is a doll face with a tortie gene. She looks like a seal pt to me but the way to know for sure is to look at the leather of her paw pads. If they are seal brown then she is a seal pt, if they are cinamon pink then she is a chocolate pt.
A seal pt is the darkest points with the base color of black, the chocolate is the darkest color point for a cat that has both the red and black mixed. There are only two colors in cats at the most basic level...red and black...all the colors derive from the mixing of the two colors. Because Chelsie has that patch on her nose and paws, I know that she has both colors in her bloodline as that is how the tortie gene (dual colors) is expressed, in her coat.

Hello September....

The time is racing...and summer is almost over...I kittens are flying out the door, and as a result, I am flying up to the Portland Airport almost every other day...get to see my sister more often...Ha Ha Ha..

The kittens are going to Pittsburgh PA, Ann Arbor Michigan, Elko Nevada, Idaho, all over Washington State, Toronto Canada, Khalona Canada, Vancouver Canada, BC Canada, Montana, and all over Oregon State and California.

All the Kittens are ready to go and we will miss them but they are going to great homes with loving families...

We do have new kittens that are about 2 weeks old....a new breeding of Dakota and Delta...one is white and three are the most unusual cats I have seen in years...the undercoat is white but the tips are golden brown...this is going to be one for CFA...the pads are black...any guesses?  My guess is shaded or gold tipped but I need to do my homework... 

August 29th 2010

We have two indoor/outdoor cats. Should I not consider a persian for this reason?

There are several reasons why Persians should be indoor only...but it is ultimately your choice...they love to be outside just like any other cat.




1. Persians have long hair, if they are caught out in the rain they mat straight to the skin if not dried quickly. Also barkdust, tree leaves, grass clippings, sand, dirt, all get caught in the coat causing matting.

2. Obviously there is the issues of harm...dogs, traffic, and desease that can transfer from animal to animal.

3. Take desease...Persians with smushy faces are more prone to resperatory infections...while the Classic Persians( with a nose) are not.

4. Then there is the Persian mentailty of being breed for docility, gentleness, and affection. They will follow anyone home...do you want to spend alot of money to have a neighboor adopt that cute little kitty they found outside?
With indoor outdoor cats in the house, they may inadvertently get the persian sick, but you run that risk every time they go in and out with or without the persian...so..what can I tell you...if you live in the country, or have other circumstances, you would be the one to judge what is a good idea, and what isn't.

I have had people tell me of their cats, that have been stolen when they went out, or cats stolen by contractors and plumbers,.... who is to say that the kitty didn't just get out...Persians are smart...but they are also very trusting...of everyone....


I hope this helped you make a decision one way or the other...let me know if I can help in any other way...best wishes Laura Peters Paz 4 Play

August 21st 2010

Question:

Do you ship to Hawaii?

Answer:

Unfortunately Hawaii has a 4 month quarantine for kittens.  So I do not ship to Hawaii.  I have talked to two breeders of Persians who live there and they are very nice and knowledgeable. There pricing seems to be in line with mine so they are reasonably priced.  One is on the Big Island and one is in Pearl City outside of Honolulu. If you every need a kitten in Hawaii I would not hesitate to purchase from them.  Call for their info if you ever need it.

Aug. 17th 2010

Question:

  I heard there is a personality difference in colors...is that true?

Answer:

Some people think so...I believe that there is....the most noticable example is the Tortie or Tortoiseshell...


Tortie's are gene specific for females...they do not come in males...and every tortie I have ever had as a breeder or as a kitten has been a diva...very demanding of attention...wanting your full and undivided attention...in such a perfect way that you are always at their beck and call.

Himi's are playful, Whites are queens and kings...royalty.  Blues are quiet and undemanding.  Reds are food hogs (like Garfield).  There will always be exceptions to the rule...but Yes I see a difference in personality between the colors of Persians.

August 16th 2010

Question:


 How often is DNA Testing Wrong?

Answer:  Sometimes the swabs that you  take are contaminated...or the kitten nursed minutes earlier.. . That can sometimes affect the tests...and they need to be redone.  I have been testing kittens for 4 yrs and the tests have had to be rerun 4 out of 127 times...with one test that needed new swabs sent in.

I have had several kittens that I thought were female and the tests came back male...I looked again and sure enough they were boys...oops.....only one time has it been the reverse...I thought boy...the tests said female...I took the cat to the vet and he is definitely male...so I asked them to run the test again....sometimes their is human error involved....or not enough genetic material on the swab....especially when you are talking male/female markers.....but genetics are never wrong...

August 7th 2010

Question of the Day:


How can you tell what the color of eyes a kitten will have?

Answer:

All kittens are born with blue eyes. If the parents have copper eyes the eyes will start to change at about 4 weeks old. And by 6 weeks old it is clear.  If the parents have blue eyes the kittens eye will remain blue.
The trick is to tell when the parents have different eye colors....This happens mostly with white cats. They can have blue eyes, copper eyes, odd eyes copper and blue or green and blue. The way to tell is take a picture of the kitten in sunlight...The eyes that have "red eye" will remain blue...the ones that don't will turn another color either green or copper. Green is a stage between copper and blue, and I do know that the eye will not have the "red eye" if it is changing from blue. Sometimes it takes a year for the color to fully change. That is why on the registration papers the breeder will only specify blue, copper or odd eye.

This is why I do not fix the "red eye" on the kitten pictures.

August 6th 2010

This is my first day back for Salt Lake City.  I have been thinking of what I want this blog to be about. 

I have decided that I would try to make this a blog about answering questions that are asked of me by my clients and other breeders.

Question of the Day:

The reason I am writing you is I have been researching Persian Kittens for about a year, and it has been a long time dream of mine to own one. I am not looking for a show cat, I am looking for a pet. We did have a cat named Misty that has now passed which we rescued from a local animal shelter. Misty unfortunately would never bond with us and would never let us touch her. Most of her life she hide under the bed and was petrified of everything and everybody. So was so mysterious, hence that name Misty! So I am really looking for a kitten that we can bound with and that will allow us to hold him/her. Hopefully, sit in our laps and sleep with us at night. All the research that I have done indicates that male Persians are easier to bond with than females. Is this true? And would you have anything available that would fit our lifestyle? I was looking at the pictures of available kittens that you have on-line, but I really don't want to buy a kitten on looks I would prefer to buy more on personality! Any input on information you could give me would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your time.


My Answer:
 
Hi XXXXXX,
 

I'm Laura Peters with Paz 4 Play Cattery in Salem OR. It is a delight to hear from someone who does their homework....
Yes there is a big difference in personality between females and male persians and himi's.

Females tend to only attach to one or two people...they are best for singles and retired couples....when the grandchildren come over they hide under the bed and are not seen until the kids leave.

Males are what are known as the "Lap Sluts" ...they love on everyone...they greet everyone at the door...are always asking with their eyes and personality's what are you doing?....alway want to play and be the center of attention...and want to help you type...

That being said....I breed for personality in both my males and females...I only have one mommy that does not have the "Lap Slut" mentality. All my girls sleep on my head, greet me at the door and are always there to greet new people that come to look for kittens.
I occasionally get the kittens that are not lap cats and are more individual....I tend to find singles and retired couples for them...I always try to gage the personality of the kittens to suite their new homes.
If you are not looking for a show cat here are some things to consider.

Doll faced Persians are a healthier animal than the smushy faces that are now considered "Show Quality". (Doll faces are the classic persians pictured on the fancy feast commercials.) They have just enough of a nose that their eyes do not weep, thier teeth are straight, and they do not have the resperatory issues that plauge the smushy faces. They do not snort, gurgle, snore, or grunt when they breath.

There are two types of coats in the Persian and Himalayans. A cottony coat need daily or every other day brushing, it is thick and long and mats easily. A silky coat is much less time intensive and is basically self maintaining. Dessi, Chloe, and Tia on the web site are silky coats. Both coats can grow up to 5 inches long the first year....which is why they show cats when they are under a year old...it is the bushiest, fullest and longest the coat will every be. After the first year the coat settles down to a reasonable level.

Every white and light colored kitten may have tear staining like small white puppy dogs. They just need thier eyes wiped occasionally...and they get used to it and it is an easy thing to do. The less nose the more tear staining.

Now think about what you would like....and let me know what to look for....to accomodate your tastes and time commitment. Please call if you have further questions or I can be of further assistance...it takes less time to talk than to type with kitties trying to help me with my laptop. Gosh this has taken an hour to respond.....with all the help of Kennedy and Shimmer....
Thanks,
Laura Peters
503-999-4416

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