Himalayan
cat Breed Profile
The Himalayan is usually a medium-sized cat although she is massive and heavily boned. With her masses of fur, she can appear to be rather large.
In this article
Size
Weight
large: >12 lbs.
medium: 8-12 lbs.
Coat
Length
Long
Color
Chocolate, Seal, Lilac, Blue, Black, Flame, Red, Cream, Tortoiseshell, Frost, Silver, Golden, Brown, Fawn, Cinnamon
Less Allergenic
No
Care
Longevity
8-11 yrs.
Needs
Moderate
Traits
Grooming Needs
High
Social Needs
Moderate
Eye Color
Blue, Copper, Green
Club recognition
Associations
ACFA , FIFe, TICA
Prevalence
Common
With her massive bones and fur, the Himalayan can appear to be rather large.
The Himalayan is usually a medium-sized cat although she is massive and heavily boned. With her masses of fur, she can appear to be rather large.
- FORM -
The Himalayan is a placid cat that exhibits bursts of kitten-like activity. She will be sleeping in the sun when she suddenly explodes, running around the room and rolling around.
The Himalayan will stretch out next to you, sleep in your bed and even sit on your lap when she is in the mood. She does not mind changes in routine and is generally friendly with anyone and everyone.
The Himalayan needs to have her nutrition controlled if she is to stay in good condition. Since the breed is not known for a high degree of exercise, attention must be paid to both her nutrition and exercise.
The Himalayan needs exercise to keep in top condition. She likes to play with her parent and will play with interactive toys, chase balls, and attack catnip mice, but you might have to keep after her to exercise on a daily basis.
The Himalayan coat requires daily attention. She must be brushed and combed in order to keep the coat from tangling. In addition, the flat face must be carefully cleaned as tear stains can deposit themselves on the face.
The idea of creating a Persian cat with the pointed pattern of the Siamese had long been desired by breeders. Working toward this goal, Persian cats with colored points, called Himalayans, were produced in the United States in the early 1930s thanks to the efforts of Marguerita Gorforth, Virginia Cobb, and Dr. Clyde Keeler. In 1935, after British breeders had visited the United States to see the Himalayan, a breeding program to produce these cats also began in England. The breeding program had to be stopped during World War II but was reinstated afterwards.
In the mid 1950s, the Himalayan was accepted for recognition. The first United States champion was Goforth's LaChiquita, who gained this title with the American Cat Fanciers Association. By the 1960s, every United States registry had accepted the Himalayan for recognition in the show ring.
Recently, some United States registries have incorporated the Himalayan into the Persian class. In these registries, this breed is considered a pointed Persian, but is sometimes called a Persian-Himalayan or Himalayan-Persian as well as just Himalayan. The Himalayan has always been known as the Colorpoint Longhair in Britain.
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