The Himalayan is a breed that came from crossing Persian and Siamese cats. From the Persian it got a gorgeous coat and body, and from the Siamese its distinctive coloring and bright blue eyes.
Breed History
The Himalayan comes from Great Britain and the US at the same time. In the 1930s, Dr. Clyde Keeler and Virginia Cobb crossed a Siamese cat with a black Persian to see which genes were dominant and passed on. The result was black shorthaired kittens: the colorpoint and longhair genes turned out to be recessive.
After many years of crossing kittens from different litters of the two breeds, American breeder Marguerita Goforth succeeded. In 1950, she produced a longhaired Persian with Siamese colorpoint coloring. Seven years later, the breed was registered as the Himalayan because of its distinctive coloring (like that of the Himalayan rabbit, for example).
At the same time, the same breed was developed and recognized in Great Britain in 1955, but under the name “Colorpoint Longhair.”
In 1984, the CFA merged the Himalayan and Persian breeds, so in the CFA today Himalayans are shown as the colorpoint division of the Persian. Breeders who disagreed with this decision founded their own organization, where the two breeds remain separate.
Himalayan Personality and Traits at a Glance
| Affection for family | ★★★★☆ |
| Shedding | ★★★★★ |
| Health | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Playfulness | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Vocality | ★★★★★ |
| Good with kids | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Friendliness toward strangers | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Ease of grooming | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Gets along with other pets | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Intelligence | ★★★☆☆ |
Himalayan Cat Breed Overview
The Himalayan is a medium to large cat weighing about 9–13 lb. Adult males can weigh even more.
Most international cat associations use a single breed standard for the Himalayan, the Persian, and the Exotic Shorthair. The only difference is coat length and color. Here’s a detailed description of the Himalayan according to TICA:
- Head: round, broad, smoothly domed, medium to large but in proportion to the body. Powerful, broad jaws with an excellent bite. A strong chin. Full, prominent cheeks. A short, broad, full, flat face;
- Ears: set wide apart, small, with rounded tips;
- Eyes: large, round, slightly prominent, set wide apart. Eye color is as important as shape and size: all shades of blue;
- Nose: as wide as it is long, snub, with open nostrils. In profile, the nose is level with the forehead and chin;
- Body: cobby, sturdy, with a well-rounded belly, medium to large. A short, thick, muscular neck and a deep chest;
- Legs: short and straight, with heavy bone and well-developed, strong muscles; large, round paw pads;
- Tail: in proportion to the body and straight;
- Coat: a thick undercoat gives volume, with a full ruff and long fur all over the body.
Personality
Colorpoints are balanced, dignified, gentle, and affectionate cats. They’d rather sit in your arms than climb your curtains to the ceiling. The Himalayan is good at sensing its owner’s mood and adapts to it.
These are very smart animals. They love affection and attention but aren’t demanding. If a Himalayan wants your attention, it will simply meow quietly and look you straight in the eye.
Still, the more active Siamese genes show through the calm Persian personality. Himalayan kittens are very playful and especially love paper. They’re a great fit for families with children, since they can both play and relax calmly in the sun. These cats are friendly to other animals too.
Care and Health
Caring for a Himalayan is the same as caring for a Persian. That means thorough daily brushing.
Also, because of their flat faces, their tear ducts don’t drain properly. As a result, they “cry” more often, and their eyes need cleaning every day.
Surprisingly, Himalayans love baths, and baths are good for them, since they wash away oil from the skin glands. Otherwise, the coat gets greasy and unattractive.
From the Persian, the Himalayan also inherited a tendency toward some health problems. The most common is polycystic kidney disease (ask the breeder about PKD testing of the parents). The flat nose makes these cats more prone to respiratory infections and makes breathing harder. Himalayans also often have skin, eye, and liver problems.
Feeding
Proper nutrition can help prevent many of these possible problems. Himalayans tend to gain weight, so you need to watch their diet carefully.
Dry or wet commercial food is recommended for Himalayans. It contains the right amount of nutrients and vitamins. With natural food, it’s harder to give your cat all the trace elements it needs, and its health and looks depend on them.
Himalayans live about 12 years on average.
Color
How can you tell you’re looking at a Himalayan and not a Persian? Its main distinguishing features are the colorpoint pattern and deep blue eyes. According to the standard, there should be clear contrast between the body color and the point color. The points cover the ears, legs, tail, and face. That point color is what defines a Himalayan’s color. Sometimes the points may have a tabby or tortie pattern.
In general, various shades of Himalayan (colorpoint) coloring are allowed. The most popular are:
- Blue point: the standard,
- Lilac point: a diluted blue, with a whiter, brighter body,
- Seal point: dark brown points and dark brown paw pads,
- Chocolate point: chocolate-brown points, with a lighter, brighter body than a seal point, and pink paw pads,
- Flame (red) point: inherited only from a cat carrying the red gene,
- Cream point: slightly paler than red.
The hardest Himalayans to breed are those with chocolate and lilac points, because both parents need to carry those colors.
The photos below show what a Himalayan looks like:
How Much Does a Himalayan Cost?
In the US, a pet-quality Himalayan kitten from a reputable breeder usually costs about the same as a Persian: roughly $1,200–$3,000, with show-quality kittens and rare colors costing more. The price depends on sex, pedigree, and the cat’s looks. You may find cheaper kittens from random sellers, but whoever you buy from, check reviews of the seller. Even if the kitten isn’t show quality, it should at least be healthy.
Where to Buy a Himalayan in the US
Although the breed is considered fairly elite, you can find Himalayan breeders across the US, and many Persian catteries breed Himalayans too:
- CFA (Cat Fanciers’ Association) Find a Breeder – https://find-a-breeder.cfa.org/;
- TICA (The International Cat Association) breeder listings – https://tica.org/find-a-cat/find-a-cat-breeder-listings/;
- Royal Kittys (Atlanta, Georgia; CFA; specializes in Himalayan Persians);
- Khloe’s Kittens Cattery (Essex County, New Jersey; Persian, Himalayan, and Exotic kittens);
- Sterlingpaws Persians (New York; CFA; Persians and Himalayans).
