What do Boston Terriers and Persian cats have in common? Each breed has a flatter face than most dogs and cats have. For Persian cats, there's an extreme form of the trait that is disabling for the cat and really should be discouraged. For Boston Terriers, the trait can be dysfunctional in hot or humid weather, but generally these are sturdy little dogs who have been popular with city dwellers for a long time.
Since this series is following a list of dog breeds, let's consider the terriers first.
The Boston Terrier is a small sturdy dog who belongs to a group of dogs that were bred for their tendency to dig up their prey. They are more aggressive mouse and rat hunters than cats are--and can do more damage if the rodents' dens and tunnels are underneath the garden. They stand between one and one-and-a-half feet high at the shoulders and weigh no more than 25 pounds. They have "tuxedo" coloring: white and either black, or blackish gray, or blackish brown.
Although this breed is typically even-tempered, obliging, and cheerful, always up for a brisk walk as those little legs scurry along at the human's heel, its flat face is a phobia trigger. Boston Terriers are not the dreaded Pit Bull Terriers, but their humans may have to spend time explaining this to panicky neighbors. On the other hand, the Boston Terrier's incidental resemblance to the Pit Bull can put a healthy fear of the law into an evildoer.
They thrive on lots of opportunities to keep up with a fast-walking urban-type human but Boston Terriers are also easy to carry.
"Purebred" dogs are sometimes inbred enough that birth defects happen. Like several popular breeds in which puppies are marketable enough that breeders will let two carriers of a defective gene mate, Boston Terriers are sometimes available at low prices because they have eye, ear, or leg defects that can become disabling. This happens even in "natural"-looking breeds. A solution would be to reduce obsession with "purebred" dogs and focus on healthy ones.
Local warming, the indisputable fact, can make it hard for Boston Terriers to pant enough to cool off in Boston or in other cities, in summer. The ideal solution involves reversing local warming by digging up pavement, planting trees, turning off air conditioners, walking rather than driving, unplugging all electronics in summer, and all those other things city dwellers don't want to do. The usual solution involves allowing the dogs to lie in front of air conditioners, unless of course the dogs have access to a nice cool cave.
Boston Terriers are sometimes recommended as having less of an odor than other dogs. This is at least partly due to their short coats. The hair does shed, though not a lot, and benefits from grooming with a brush or grooming glove that has relatively short, soft bristles.
They need a lot of exercise, and sometimes develop problems because they tend not to be self-starters when it comes to exercise. If turned out into the yard they may sit by the door and mope, and become neurotic, and behave badly. They tend to bond with their humans and want their exercise to take the form of games with their humans. Some Boston Terriers enjoy and do well in dog athletic clubs. They also usually like chasing and fetching toys.
Like most dogs, Boston Terriers can overeat and make themselves sick if you let them. They can also become territorial and jealous of others who distract their humans from them. If they can't be with the humans of their choice, they may vent their feelings on objects that may be considered distractions, like their humans' shoes, clothes, furniture, and books. This is better than turning against their humans' friends or children, which can also happen. Boston Terriers usually make good family pets if they don't feel neglected and become "neurotic."
They tend to be stubborn and can be hard to train, but typically they do love to please their humans, to earn treats, and to play with their humans...so, once they've learned to control their bowels and not jump and growl at visitors, they sometimes do well in those agility contests where dogs display their ability to run, turn, jump, dive, and weave among posts on command. However, the American Kennel Club's page for this breed had an instructive, amusing video of Boston Terriers in a dog show. The video focussed on a dog who walked right at his human's toe, not heel, and stood at attention facing the opposite direction from all the other dogs!
Now, on the cat side...Persians are the cats with the flat faces and long thick coats. Both traits can be exaggerated from relatively functional mutations into dysfunctional ones. At best they are a high-maintenance breed, usually docile and likely to benefit if humans take over grooming their fur, eyes, and ears. Their relatively round and flat faces can make it hard for Persians to clean themselves or even to eat. For obvious reasons they suffer from hairballs, and can have more serious problems.
The position of this web site is that ordinary American and British Long-Haired cats are more attractive than Persians. However, Persian cats have survived for a long time. The most normal-looking faces, with room for normal teeth, indicate the best chance of the animal's being able to breathe, eat, and groom itself normally. A tendency to develop kidney disease in old age runs in many Persian cat bloodlines. Still, even with this tendency, on average they live up to fifteen years.
Persian cats can be good pets in a quiet, calm household. They like to cuddle on their own terms; they will nestle beside their human, and may solicit grooming, but (like normal-looking cats) seldom like to be picked up and moved around unexpectedly. They have relatively long, broad bodies and short legs, and often grow to a large size even under all that fur.
They can be almost any color. People have enumerated almost a thousand different patterns in Persian cats' coats. The basic coat color is white or pale grey, usually with patches of black and/or orange outer hairs. Variations in the placement of the colored hairs are almost endless.
Zipcode 10101: Jasper from NYC
There are more typy-looking Boston Terriers on the Petfinder page for Zipcode 10101 if you look. I happen to feel that this one's Beagle ancestors handed down to him a more appealing face than a "purebred, pedigreed" Boston Terrier could ever hope to have. Sue me. Anyway Jasper is believed to be six years old. He was malnourished when brought in, but has recovered weight and energy in foster care and is guaranteed to be 25 pounds of fun'n'games. He doesn't mind other dogs, or even cats, but he may chase cats--for fun. He loves fetching balls, tugging on ropes, and meeting people who squeal about how cute he is when he goes out for walks. For Jasper exercise works as a reward. This is fortunate because, although house-trained, he could use some further education. When excited he tends to become noisy.
Rosa from Old Bridge
Her web page: https://www.petfinder.com/cat/rosa-3ea21866-cf41-4b2d-b030-80aed3d03043/nj/old-bridge/happy-homes-animal-rescue-nj728/details/
Their usual "adoption fee" is $225 for one kitten or $400 for two kittens. That's already steep! For this one they want $900...and they'll probably get it. They say her purrsonality is as amazing as her looks. Well, she's three months old. How much purrsonality can she have developed? She does seem to be a baby Queen Cat, though. Her web page mentions siblings who either have already been adopted or don't have a Persian look. For $900 they certainly ought to throw in her plain-Jane sister free of charge.
Zipcode 20202: Rooster (Roo) from Fairfax
His web page: https://www.petfinder.com/dog/rooster-bdb3e6f2-ab56-4b31-aaae-2a38092e65fc/va/fairfax/nova-pets-alive-va760/details/
He was an unclaimed stray. In Fairfax? How does a 15-pound pup survive the traffic in Fairfax? Who knows how, but he did. Rooster is another Boston Terrier crossbreed; his other ancestors are thought to have been Chihuahuas. He's a lap dog who likes to sit on or beside his human whenever his human is sitting down. He probably lost his original human in a tragic way, but he's willing to love again. Rooster is thought to be three years old and is likely to live another twelve years--or more.
Victor from Vienna
His web page: https://www.petfinder.com/cat/victor-3851682c-d494-4a03-bfc5-c88b03c03921/va/vienna/a-cats-friend-inc-va872/details/
Despite having that iconic "She Who Must Be Obeyed" look, he's male (though neutered). They don't say much about him but do mention that people living outside the Metropolitan Area will be asked for references. Victor won the photo contest, easily, but several other homeless cats in DC have a Persian look.
Zipcode 30303: Lucy from Sautee Nacoochee
Lucy's real ancestors are unknown but believed to include Boston Terrier, because of her shape, and possibly Australian Cattle Dog--she's oversized for a Boston Terrier at 30 pounds. She is clever, likes to please humans, and has learned commands quickly. Very energetic and wiggly, she must have a yard with a solid fence (deep as well as high) and lots of good brisk walks. She is inclined to pull on her leash, as shown. When she finally settles in for a nap she likes to snuggle. If you can maintain the lead position with a strong, smart pet, Lucy might be the dog for you.
Blue Aster from Powder Springs
Whatever this fancy-looking cat's life experience has been, it's left her insecure. She wants to own a human again. She will purr and cuddle and put up with all the petting and grooming her human wants. She does not want to share her human with anyone else. She does not like other pets or children in her home. They don't mention whether she'll tolerate her human's mate.
