Persian cats are one of the most popular cat breeds in the world, known for their long, flowing coats and docile personalities. There are over 80 different coat colors and patterns recognized for the Persian breed, from the common black and white bicolor to the rarest shades like chocolate and lilac.
But what exactly makes a Persian cat coat color rare? Generally, it comes down to two factors:
Unique Genetics
Some Persian cat colors are caused by unusual genetic mutations that only occur in a small percentage of cats. Breeders selectively work to develop and propagate these unique genes in their breeding programs. Examples include the chocolate, lilac, and Himalayan pattern colors.
Difficulty of Breeding
Other rare colors may not necessarily have rare genetics, but they are challenging for breeders to consistently produce. The breeding combinations required to achieve certain colors can be complex. Pointed pattern cats like Red Tabby Points can be rare simply because fewer breeders work with the genetics required.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the rarest and most prized Persian cat colors that you’d be lucky to find:
Chocolate
The chocolate coat color in cats is caused by a recessive dilution gene that alters the black pigment to a milk chocolate brown. When combined with the orange gene, chocolate kittens can also be produced in a warmer cinnamon shade.
While chocolate is not completely unheard of in the general cat population, it remains quite rare in pedigree Persians. Chocolate Persians usually have brilliant copper eyes. They make a striking companion due to their soft, rich coat color.
Lilac
Similar to chocolate cats, the lilac coat color is caused by a dilution of the dark fur pigment. However, instead of chocolate brown, lilac cats have a light beige or pinkish purple tint to their fur. The lilac coloring can range from a pale hue to a darker lavender-grey.
Breeding lilac Persians requires a cat that inherits both the chocolate and pink (pale colors) dilution genes. This makes lilac kittens a challenge to produce. Their alluring and sophisticated coloration puts them in high demand.
Himalayan Pattern
Originally called Colorpoint Longhair, the Himalayan pattern remains quite rare among Persian bloodlines. These cats have the signature colors of the Siamese breed on a Persian body. The coat is ivory white with darker color concentrations on the face, ears, legs, and tail.
Breeding quality Himalayan Persians requires meticulous selection of mates that carry the colorpoint gene. But the striking contrast of their points against a snowy white coat makes each one a stunning feline.
Shaded Silver & Smoke
The silver gene is responsible for removing the yellow and red tones from hair pigment. In shaded silver Persians, the white undercoat is overlaid by black tipping that creates a sparkling silver color. Smoke Persians have the silver undercoat with deeply rooted black tips only.
Since the early cat fancy, silver and smoke Persians have been among the rarest of the breed. Their eye color is brilliant green or hazel. Today, dedicated breeders work diligently to preserve the silver Persian lines.
Golden
A relative newcomer on the Persian color palette, the golden Persian has a warm, rich, hazelnut-brown coat. Goldens carry a form of albinism that prevents the development of darker fur pigments. Instead, their coats range from pale apricot to a deeper burnished copper.
Goldens remain quite scarce, with their unusual coat genetics still being established. But their uniquely soft coloration gives them an unmistakable beauty.
Tabby Colors
While classic tabby striped coats are common among many cats, they are exceptionally rare among pedigreed Persians. Silver, brown, and blue tabby Persians are almost unheard of, but remain the obsession of specialized breeders.
The difficulty arises because the tabby pattern gene dominates over the gene for solid coat color. Breeding tabby Persians requires meticulously selected parents that both carry recessive genes for non-tabby coats.
Tortoiseshell & Calico
Vibrant patches of red, black, and cream fur characterize the tortoiseshell and calico coat patterns. While common as random colors in mixed breed cats, Persians with these flashy blended coats are scarce.
That’s because the tortoiseshell gene only manifests in female cats with certain specialized X chromosome genetics. Since breeding programs focus on solid colors, tortie Persians are seldom seen in pedigrees.
Blue-Eyed White
Persians with deep blue eye color automatically make them stand out from the crowd. Add in a dazzling snow-white coat, and you have a breathtaking feline. However, only a small percentage of white Persians actually carry the blue-eyed gene.
These ethereal cats occur when both parents carry the recessive gene for blue eyes and deafness. Responsible breeders work carefully to ensure any blue-eyed whites they produce retain good hearing.
Bicolor & Harlequin
In addition to rare colors, there are a few rare coat patterns that seldom turn up in Persian lines. The striking harlequin pattern features random patches of color on a white base. Bicolor Persians have black bodies with sharply defined white markings.
Since Persian breeders often specialize in particular colors or patterns, the mismarked harlequin and bicolor genes quickly get bred out of their pedigreed lines. Any that do occur are a delightful surprise.
Conclusion
From the regal Himalayan to the striking shaded silver, rare Persian cat colors prove that some felines are like living works of art. Dedicated Persian fanciers have worked tirelessly over the decades to nurture and develop these genetic rarities.
For the cat lover lucky enough to own one of these special-colored Persians, they have a cat that stands out as a jewel among the world’s most beautiful breed.
