The Himalayan: A Persian With Panache
by Shawna L. Krautheim & Debbie
Moore
The credit for the Persian cat breed goes to Iran, Turkey and the surrounding countries, though references made in ancient hieroglyphs date the pansy-faced longhair clear back to Egypt in 1684 B.C. or, perhaps, even earlier. The variety known as the Himalayan, or Himalayan Persian, did not come into existence until the 1940’s. At first, Himalayans were considered a separate breed (and still are in some countries), though some areas have since adopted Himalayans into the Persian breed standard, where they are now considered a different color variety of the Persian cat.
Himalayan Cat and Kitten Central is pleased to offer this insightful Himalayan Cat Facts and Information article to assist you in learning about the Himalayan cat breed and deciding if a Himalayan cat or kitten is the right choice for your family. Enjoy!
Himalayan Cat Breed Facts
| Himalayan Cat Breed History |
Himalayan Appearance |
Himalayan Temperament
Grooming Your Himalayan Cat |
Himalayan Cat Health Information |
Is a Himalayan The Right Choice
For You?
The History of the Himalayan Cat
|
Origin: England |
It’s generally agreed that the first Persian cats made their way
into Europe during the Great Crusades, around 1300 A.D.
Other people, however, say that the credit should go to the
Italian writer and traveler, Pietro della Valle (1586-1652), who
may have introduced the cats to his home of Italy.
Regardless of how they came to be in Europe, however, the
popularity of these sweet pansy-faced cats spread like wildfire,
making them the most popular
breed of cat. This trend would
spread throughout the world and, today, the Persian cat remains
the popular favorite.
In the United Kingdom, the
Persian cat is referred to as the Longhair and every color
of cat is considered to be a separate breed. Typical of
most cat breeders throughout the world, European breeders had to
take the Persian and see what could be done with selective
crossbreeding, determined to place their own stamp upon this
wonderful breed. One such crossbreeding resulted from a
desire to create what would be known as a color point Persian; a
perfect blending of Persian and Siamese bloodlines to create the
best of both breeds.
It was Brian Sterling-Webb who first
perfected the longhaired color point (Himalayan) after 10 years
of selectively breeding the
Persian and
Siamese
bloodlines. In 1955, he went before the Governing Council
of the Cat Fancy (GCCF) and applied for recognition of the
Himalayan or Color Point Longhair Cat. Approval was
granted by the Council and the Longhaired Colourpoint was
accepted as a new breed of cat in England.
Two years
later, in North America, Mrs. Goforth would also apply for breed
recognition for her own cross-bred variety. She put forth
the concept, however, that while the Himalayan breed standard
was identical to that of the Persian cat, that the Himalayan was
not a Persian but an entirely new breed of longhair.
Agreeing with this concept, the Himalayan cat was granted its
own, individual breed status in 1957.
This is not the end
to the Himalayan’s story, though. Over the next 10 years,
he would rapidly gain popularity, even though the majority of
cats that were being bred failed to meet the desired breed
standard. After much debate through the 1970‘s, it was
decided to allow the outcrossing to Persian cats once more and,
in a surprisingly short amount of time, the Himalayan was once
again able to compete with the Persian cat on the show table.
The next question posed to the breed was rather obvious - If the Himalayan was being outcrossed with Persian cats on a regular basis, and was competing with them on the show tables, considering the two had the exact same type, didn’t it make more sense to just adopt the Himalayan as a new variety of Persian cat? Despite original opposition from the breeders, this was decided to be the wisest decision and, so, the Himalayan breed was then merged with the Persian in the United States.
Himalayan Cat Breed Facts
| Himalayan Cat Breed History |
Himalayan Appearance |
Himalayan Temperament
Grooming Your Himalayan Cat |
Himalayan Cat Health Information |
Is a Himalayan The Right Choice For You?
Himalayan Cat Appearance
The Himalayan cat possesses the exact same body type as the
Persian: a well-balanced animal, rather heavy of bone and yet
possessing a very sweet and endearing face with prominent round
eyes. Often referred to as “pansy-faced cats,” the
Himalayan Longhair’s forehead, nose and chin should all
appear to be aligned, giving him the desired flattened look that
is trademark of the breed and his head should be both massive
and round in shape. The Himalayan, like the Persian, is a
study in both power and grace.
Himalayans are recognized
in the following colors:
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Beautiful to behold, it’s no wonder why Himalayans have been taking top awards at shows for decades.
Himalayan Cat Temperament
The Persian cat is a laid back and lovable loafer who enjoys nothing more than to be pampered and petted and the Himalayan variety of the breed is no exception. Known for their docile and laid back temperaments, they do very well with other cats and animals, and are very tolerant of children, provided they are old enough to know better than to poke at kitty’s big eyes or pull the long hair. Generally a very lazy cat, the Himalayan Persian is not much of a climber, nor one that is prone to getting into mischief.
Himalayan Cat Breed Facts
| Himalayan Cat Breed History |
Himalayan Appearance |
Himalayan Temperament
Grooming Your Himalayan Cat |
Himalayan Cat Health Information |
Is a Himalayan The Right Choice For You?
Himalayan Cat Grooming Requirements
The Persian breed is the supermodel of the cat world and, as
such, requires a lot of primping and pampering to look her best.
If you’re interested in one of these cats, be forewarned that
they are high-maintenance - there is no other way to describe
caring for the Persian cat, Himalayan or no. Daily combing
must be done, in order to prevent matting of the long and
beautiful fur and the occasional bath should be given, in order
to prevent an over-abundance of oil in the coat.
Bathing the Himalayan cat should only be done after the cat’s
toenails have been clipped and the coat has been thoroughly
combed through to ensure that all mats and snarls have been
removed. Failing to remove the tangles first will only
make them worse and result in a vicious rat’s nest that you
simply can’t loosen and comb out. Always comb them first,
ensuring that your cat‘s coat is free flowing and loose.
Another thing to remember, when bathing your Himalayan cat, is
to dilute your soap, prior to use. Not only is undiluted
shampoo hard to work into your cat’s coat, but it’s equally
difficult to rinse out again. For best results, dilute a
small amount of shampoo into water and use a bottle to
distribute it through your cat’s coat, doing a small section at
a time. After you’ve worked it through the coat, you
need to rinse it well - usually done by rinsing the coat for at
least 5 minutes or by filling the tub numerous times until the
rinse water remains free of any soap residue.
The use of
conditioner is also very important when one has any variety of
Persian cat. Like humans, you will need to choose your
shampoo and conditioner based on the quality of your cat’s coat.
A little show trick? Add a small amount of fabric softener
to your cat’s bath water and then rinse thoroughly once again.
This will make the coat very soft and help to prevent tangles -
just be sure to keep it out of kitty’s eyes, nose, and mouth as
many chemicals can make your Himalayan kitten ill.
When
blow drying your Longhair cat, you should always use the low
setting and always ensure that the temperature is set on cool.
While it’s tempting to use warm settings, realize that this can
not only burn your kitten’s skin, but can just generally make
the kitten uncomfortable and turn bath time into something that
she is afraid of. To keep your Himalayan kitten
cooperative, start at a young age and always make bathing a
pleasurable experience, filled with lots of love and praise.
Himalayan Cat Breed Facts
| Himalayan Cat Breed History |
Himalayan Appearance |
Himalayan Temperament
Grooming Your Himalayan Cat |
Himalayan Cat Health Information |
Is a Himalayan The Right Choice For You?
Himalayan Cat Health Concerns
The Himalayan Persian is generally a very robust and healthy breed of cat. Like many purebreds, however, they are still prone to a few genetic problems. Some of the health concerns of the Persian cat include:
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Prone to feline urological syndrome
-
Polycystic kidney disease
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Corneal sequestrum
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Stenotic nares
Is
the Himalayan the Right Breed For You?
There are few cats who are as laid back or loveable as the
Persian, and the beautiful Himi or Himalayan, is no exception.
Loving the opportunity to sit beside you in the chair or drape
across your lap, most love to be pampered and petted and are
content to soak up any attention they are offered.
However, owning a long-hair cat is no picnic for the
inexperienced and uncommitted. Caring for a Himalayan cat
takes a great deal of time and effort. If you have a very
busy lifestyle and don’t have a lot of time to spend combing
cats, chances are that this breed is not the cat for you.
You might consider looking into some of the short haired cats or
breeds that are less likely to mat.
For those who are
committed, however, the Himalayan is a wonderful and endearing
friend. Whether you call him a Himi, a Himalayan Persian,
a Himalayan, or a Colourpoint Longhair, you’re bound to be taken
in by his sweet personality and adorable face. This makes
all that combing and primping worth every moment.
Ready to add an exquisite Himalayan cat or kitten to your family? Visit our Himalayan Cat Breeders Showcase where you can find contact information for responsible Himalayan catteries and view photos, detailed information and litter announcements for Himalayan kittens for sale. Click here!