Himalayan Cat
History
The Himalayan
cat was produced by crossing
a Persian cat with a Siamese
to get the Siamese color points, then breeding back with
Persians to maintain the look and luxurious long hair of
the Persian. It is believed that
the breed was first developed by a British man, Brian Stirling-Webb,
in the 1950s. Some cat associations including all associations
in the UK do not recognize Himalayans as a separate breed
but classify them as color-pointed Persians. The name comes
from a resemblance to the color-pointing found on rabbits
in the Himalayan mountains. The cats themselves have no
connection with the Himalayan region.
Appearance
Himalayans
resemble Persians in appearance, except for their color.
They are stunning cats with a long fluffy coat and beautiful
color pointing. The hair can be up to 7 inches long. The
body is white or cream and there are many shades of point
color including chocolate, blue, brown, red, lilac, tortoiseshell
or tabby. Chocolate and blue pointed Himalayans are the
most difficult to produce because they can only be born
of parents who both carry the necessary color gene. They
have heavy bodies with broad shoulders and hips and short
legs. This coupled with their long hair means that their
belly appears very close to the ground when they walk. Point
color is limited to the face, ears, legs and tail. They
have large round blue eyes and short, cute pansy-like faces.
In many cats the nose is almost directly between the eyes.
Temperament
Himalayan cats
are friendly creatures, liking to stay close to their owners
and always wanting to get involved with what you are doing.
They have a sweet, melodious voice. It is said that once
you have a Himalayan you will not be able to resist them,
and most 'Himmy' owning households contain more than one.
Due to their inbreeding, pedigree Himalayans have some tendencies
to genetic disorders. These can include problems with joints,
genetic abnormalities and polycystic kidney disease. They
are also more prone to hairballs than other breeds. Himalayans
requiring a great deal of grooming, although it is said
that they are easier to groom than Persians because the
Siamese influence makes their top coat a little more silky
and their undercoat less woolly than the Persian. This prevents
the coat of the Himalayan cat from matting so easily. The
coat should be brushed daily and many cats also require
daily wiping of the face. You will need a bristle brush
and a wide toothed comb for the coat, plus a narrow toothed
comb for the face and ears. Some breeders recommend bathing
a Himalayan cat regularly to reduce oil on the coat.
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