Persian Cats Colors
A Rainbow of Colors

There are over 100 different Persian cats colors and patterns to choose from - all uniquely beautiful. If you are unsure of what color cat you would prefer, then do take a look at the cat pictures with color descriptions below - it will assist you in making a decision.

Apart from the obvious physical characteristics, Persians are generally classified by the color and the length of their fur. The skin of a cat has cells containing melanin which carry the color pigments which ultimately determines the color of the fur. Eye color is determined by the same gene that affects coat color. Pedigree cat standards insist that eye-color is appropriate to the coat-color.

Persian Cats Colors - Solid or Self Color

Self or solid colors refers to a coat that has the same color throughout i.e. one color with the same intensity. Persians are found in Black cats, Blue, Red, White, Cream, Lilac and Chocolate. Apart from the White Persian cat, that may have copper, blue or odd-eyes (1 blue; 1 copper eye) all the other coat colors only have copper eyes.

• Blue really describes a shade of gray or a dark slate color
• Red can be a deep copper or ginger tone
• Lilac is light pink, lavender or a warm gray
• Chocolate is a rich warm brown
• Creams are the color of milk
• Black Persian cats are jet or pitch black

Persian Cats Colors - Himalayan or Color Point

Color Point means that the extremities (i.e. the tail, legs, ears and face) have darker points or markings. Persian Color Points were derived from crossing Persian cats with Siamese cats resulting in this cat having a light or fawn-colored body with darker points. Himalayan is the American term for Color Point. You can expect to find the following fur colors but all with only vivid blue eyes:

• Lynx Points that have tabby point markings
• Seal Points that indicate dark brown extremities
• Blue Points
• Red Points
• Cream Points
• Lilac Points
• Chocolate Points
• Tortie Points

Persian Cats Colors - Tortoiseshell or Parti-Color

Tortoiseshell (Tortie for short) refers to a cat that has a coat with a combination of 2 colors with very little white. These colors seem mottled or intermingled. Torties all have copper eyes. The most common colors are:

• Red and Black
• Cream and Blue
• Lilac Cream
• Chocolate

In America, Tortoiseshell-and-white cats are referred to as Calico cats. It describes a coat that has red and black patches covering mostly the head and back whilst the under-parts are white.

Persian Cats Colors - Tabby Colors and Patterns

Tabby refers to the patterns found on the coat. Basically a Tabby coat consists of a light coat with dark spots, stripes or marbling. There are 3 markings namely:

• Mackerel Tabby (or tiger) where the stripes run at a 90 degree angle to the spine and around the body
• Marbled Tabby (or classic/blotched) here we find wide stripes curving over the body with bull's-eye markings on the sides
• Patched (or spotted) large, round spots of color spread evenly over the body

Persian cat colors include:

• Red
• Blue
• Blue-Silver
• Brown
• Cameo
• Silver and Cream

Eyes are copper-colored with the exception of the Silver coats which may have Green or Hazel colored-eyes.

Persian Cats Colors - Bi-Color, Parti-Color, Harlequins

The above refers to a coat that is white with one other color; or white with dark patches. The Bi-colors include the Vans and Harlequins. In America, a Van is recognized by an all white body with color on the top of the head and the tail. In Europe, the body is also all white apart from a small patch of color and the tail and head are both colored. A Harlequin is described as a bi-color coat with the following ratios: white 50:75 , color 50:25.

Color variants include:

• Red
• Blue
• Black
• Chocolate
• Cream
• Lilac

Eyes are copper-colored.

News:

A breeder recently contacted us to advise that they have, after years of selective breeding and research, created a Bi-Color (Van and Harlequin) with Blue Eyes and Odd Eyes. Thanks to Eugene of Sherazade Persians for this update. We share some of his pictures with you.

Persian Cats Colors - Smoke and Shaded

This is an interesting one! The coat looks like a solid color, but when the cat moves or if the hair is manually parted, then the white hair is exposed giving rise to the term Smoke color. In essence, most of the hair shaft i.e. 50 - 80 % is colored, while the balance of the hair to the root is a silvery white.

If one third of the hair is tipped and the rest of the hair is light or white this is referred to as Shaded.

Persian Cats Colors:

• Black Smoke
• Blue Smoke
• Blue-Cream Smoke
• Cream Smoke
• Red Smoke
• Tortoiseshell Smoke

All these Cats have copper-colored eyes.

Chinchilla Persian Cats Colors

The Chinchilla Persian coat is described as a pure, silvery or snow-white undercoat with evenly spread black tipping over the tail, back, sides, head and ears. Tipping means that only the tip of the hair is colored and in the case of the Chinchilla Persian, an eighth of the hair length is colored.

Then of course you have the Silver-Shaded Persian where one third of the tip of the hair is colored thereby making it darker than the Chinchilla Persian. Finally, the Golden Chinchilla which is really a warm cream/apricot color with black tipping. This is rarest color.

The eyes can be either green or blue-green and rimmed with black which is one of the distinguishing features of Chinchillas

Note: In some countries, the Longhaired Chinchilla is judged as a separate breed to the Persian and has slightly different features to the Chinchilla Persian.

That's it folks - a guide to Persian cats colors in a nutshell! Check out our cat photo galleries for more Persian cats colors.

Related Cat Pages:

Persian Cat - facts and valuable information for cat lovers

History of Persian Cats - the origin and development of the breed

Pictures of Persian Cats - some of the most beautiful photos of this longhaired cat

© Photographer Theresa Fouche

Incatique Royal Velvick Cream Color Point Persian Owner: Ingrid De Wet Breeder: ElsaLeRoux

Flamboyant Paco Blue Smoke Persian Owner: Carina Langner Breeder: Marianne Nel

Tres Jolie Special Edition Red Bi-Color Persian Owner: Colleen Gardner Breeder: Charmaine Danziger

Flamboyant Alvin L'Meur Red Shaded Cameo Persian Owner: Rene van Wyk Breeder: Marianne Nel

Pashapaws Persian Harlequin Madammoiselle Owner/Breeder: Audrey Kenny - Photographer: Ronnie Magic

Pashapaws Red Alert Red Persian Owner/Breeder: Audrey Kenny

Grabe's Enya Dilute Calico Harlequin Persiane Owner/breeder: Linda Grabe

L'Exquisite Mystique Copper-eyed White Persian Owners: Charmaine Danziger and Daniel Viviers Breeder: by Brenda Neukircher

Jalbertus Brettachtal’s Deus Jupiter (Imp) Silver shaded Persian Owners: H van Schoor, S Marsh, C Pretorius Breeder: K Sinn

Sp Ch L'Exquisite C'Est Si Bon Blue Spotted Tabby Persian male Owner: Charmaine Dangizer and Daniel Viviers Breeder: by Brenda Neukircher

Sp Pr Chattapaws Roger, Cream Harlequin Persian male, Owner: Rene van Wyk

Flamboyant Mojito Brown Mackerel Tabby Bi-colour Persian, Owner: Mike Hancock

Flamboyant Tammy the Tiger Brown Mackerel Tabby Persian , Owner/Breeder: Marianne Nel

Tintagel Viva Diva, Black Tortie Persian female, Owners: Frikkie and Kirsty Gous

Nizat's Brandee Calico harlequin Persian Owner: Irshad Abdulla, Breeders: Coreen and Nicole da Luz

Tortie Persian girl, Owner: by Brenda Neurkircher

Tintagel Kiss 'n Tell Black Persian , Owner/Breeder: by Ros Chapman

Sha-Sume Nitro Blue harlequin Persian , Owner: Annitta de Villiers, Breeder: Hedwig Peplar and Johan v Tonder

Tres Jolie Bellissimo Black Bi-Colour Persian Owner/Breeder: Charmaine Danziger

L'Exquisite Apres Midi Black Smoke Persian, Owner/Breeder: Brenda Neukircher

ChaCha Donnatella Black Calico Persian female, Owner/Breeder: Charmaine Turner

Milkwoods Hey There D'Lila Black Calico Bi-Colour Persian, Owner:Dawn Keyter, Breeder: Adele Breedt