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Front view of a Himalayan cat
Side view of a Himalayan cat
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The Himalayan, also called colourpoint persian, is a breed of cat with extremely
long, fluffy fur, and
the blue eyes and the points of a
Siamese. Himalayan is the American term, while in Europe they are reffered
to as colourpoint persians.
They were bred from Siamese (for the markings) and
Persians (for coat-length and temperament), and share characteristics of
both breeds. Himalayans are now considered the same breed for cat registries
(CFA), (TICA) as the
modern Persian
show cat since they have the exact same conformation with a pointed coat.
The body of a Himalyan is white, but the points come in many different
colours: blue, brown, lilac, chocolate, red and creme. The points can also be
tabby or tortie patterned.
These cats are sweet-tempered, intelligent, social and good companions.
Because of their heritage from the Siamese cats they tend to be more active than
an ordinary Persians. Their coat needs daily attention and grooming, because,
like many longhaired cats, they have an abundance of fur.
Trivia
The Himalayan cat has become well-known in recent years with the movies Meet
The Parents (2000) and Meet The Fockers (2004). The cat seen in the two movies
was named Mr. Jinx. In the movies Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (1993)
and Homeward Bound II: Lost in San Francisco (1996), one of the main characters
is a Himalayan cat named Sassy (voiced by Sally Field).
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