It is said that Persians were smuggled out of Persia (modern day Iran) during the 17th century by European explorers together with spices. Persians are one of the oldest known breeds, dating back to as far as the 1600s. For centuries they draped themselves in courts of royalty, in England, France and Italy. They were the favorites of England’s Queen Victoria and Florence Nightingale. In the 1900s, persian cats were exported around the world and since then they became the most popular cat in the world.
