The exact origins of the cats that have come to be known as Persian may forever remain muddled, but most authorities concur that longhaired cats were brought into Europe from points East. Europeans and Americans began to breed these imported longhaired cats together, selecting the traits that they found most desirable, to meet the growing demand. Cat clubs were formed to record lineages of these pets, and the natural outcome was that in July of 1871 the world’s first cat show was held in England at the Crystal Palace in London.