BL UE PERSIANS. 



12': 



of blue ; but white toes, chests, and spots have 

 often been the results of such experiments. I 

 have bred blue Persians ever since I took up 

 the fancy, which is longer ago than I care to 

 remember, and I have found them strong and 

 hardy cats, requiring no special food, and 

 enjoying the best of health without any 

 cosseting or coddling. I do not consider that 

 blues usually obtain any great size or weight, 

 nor are they generally massive in build or 

 profuse in coat. 



Ten or fifteen years ago I used to have my 

 blue kittens bespoken for about 5 each before 

 they were born ; but nowadays, when blues 

 are so plentiful, one must be content with 

 lower prices, and the average sum for a good 

 blue kitten is three guineas. Still, I am sure 

 that for beginners in the fancy, wishing to 

 combine pleasure and profit, there is no better 

 investment than a good sound blue queen 

 with orange eyes. The demand for blue 

 kittens is really larger than for youngsters of 

 any other breed. They make superb pets, 

 but it is to be regretted that blue neuters are 

 generally spoilt with green eyes, doubtless for 

 the reason that the possession of good orange 

 eyes tempts the owner or purchaser to reserve 

 the specimen for stud or breeding purposes. 



As one of the first breeders and exhibitors of 

 blue Persians I feel I am in a position to speak 

 with authority, and I am of opinion that no 

 breed has made such rapid strides, either in 

 improvements or popularity, as blues. In 

 this statement I am supported by our best 

 professional judge, Mr. T. B. Mason, who, 

 writing to me on the subject, says : "I find ten 

 good blues at the present time to one we came 

 across two or three years ago. I am of opinion 

 that in no colour of cats have we seen more 

 distinct progress than we see in blue Persians.'' 

 Such a statement, coming from our most 

 able and ubiquitous judge, is a valuable one. 

 Mr. Mason has had a large experience in cat 

 judging during the last few years, and his 

 duties take him north and south, cast and west. 



As regards the breeding of blues, I consider 

 that to obtain the true sound colour blues 

 should only be bred to blues. 



I have often, however, observed that a 

 kitten of unsound colour is to be found in 

 litters bred from two sound-coloured blues ; 

 the kitten may have a white undercoat or be 

 full of white hairs, or have a shaded ruff ; but 

 experienced breeders will soon discover that 

 such blemishes are but temporary, and that the 

 ugly duckling of a family may develop into 

 the flower of the flock. It is, therefore, very 

 interesting to make experiments and to keep 

 an apparently worthless specimen to see what 

 it turns~irito when the first months of infancy 

 are passed and the kitten coat has been shed. 



I have known a young blue of sound colour 

 completely transformed in this particular by 

 a severe illness. Her fur became a sort of 

 pepper-and-salt mixture a sprinkling of white 

 and dark grey ; but this same cat, contrary to 

 the prophecy of an able judge, has again 

 changed her coat, and is now a perfectly sound 

 blue, even from tip to root. It was evident 

 that her illness had affected her coat, and that 

 when she regained her usual health she re- 

 covered her correct coat. As regards the eyes 

 in blues, it is not possible to give any exact time 

 for the change in colour from the baby blue to 

 the dreaded green or hoped-for orange. This 

 change takes place gradually, and sometimes 

 the period extends till a kitten is almost a cat. 

 There are many blue cats with what may be 

 called indefinitely coloured eyes; that is, neither 

 orange, nor yellow, nor green. This most un- 

 satisfactory state of things may be generally 

 accounted for by a circle of green round the 

 pupil, which, according to the time of day, will 

 be wide or narrow. Thus it is that cats with 

 this defect are sometimes described with 

 " good yellow eyes," and advertised as such, 

 and then, when received by the purchaser, a 

 glint of green is plainly visible in the inner 

 circle. The perfect eye in a blue should be 

 . absolutely unshaded ; and there are two dis- 

 tinct types of eyes, namely, the golden eye 

 'and the orange eye. The former resembles a 

 golden coin in tint, and the latter has the dash 

 of red which is to be seen in copper. Both 

 these coloured eyes are correct, and much to 

 be admired in blue Persians, and no doubt 



