Editing Himalayan cat

{{Use British English|date=May 2025}}
{{short description|Breed of cat}}
{{Infobox Catbreed
<!-- See: Wikipedia:WikiProject Cats/Templates for more info.-->
| name          = Himalayan
| image         = Sonny Bunny.jpg
| imagecaption  = Lilac point Himalayan
| altname       = Himalayan Persian<br />Colourpoint Persian<br />Longhaired Colourpoint {{small|(obsolete)}}<br />Siamese&ndash;Persian {{small|(obsolete)}}
| nickname      = Himmy
| country       = {{flag|United States}}
{{IRN}} ([[Persia]])
<!-- international registries: -->
{{flag|Thailand}}
| cfastd        = https://cfa.org/persian/persian-breed-standard/
| acfastd       = http://www.acfacat.com/Breed%20Standards/HIMALAYAN.pdf
| ticastd       = https://www.tica.org/phocadownload/ps.pdf
| ccastd        = https://web.archive.org/web/20101025085425/http://acfacat.com/himalayan_standard.htm
| acfstd        =
| gccfstd       =
| fifestd       =
| otherstd      = https://web.archive.org/web/20060610032029/http://aaceinc.org/pages/breeds/him.htm
| note          = Recognized only as a variant of Persian by some organizations, not as a separate breed.
|}}

The '''Himalayan''' (short for '''Himalayan Persian''', or '''Colourpoint Persian''' as it is commonly referred to in Europe), is a breed or sub-breed of long-haired [[cat]] similar in type to the [[Persian cat|Persian]], with the exception of its blue eyes and its [[point colouration]], which were derived from crossing the Persian with the [[Siamese cat|Siamese]]. Some registries may classify the Himalayan as a long-haired sub-breed of Siamese, or a colourpoint sub-breed of Persian. The [[World Cat Federation]] has merged them with the [[Colorpoint Shorthair|Colourpoint Shorthair]] and [[Javanese cat|Javanese]] into a single breed, the '''Colourpoint'''.

==History==
{{See also|Persian cat}}

Work to formally establish a breed with combined Persian and Siamese traits, explicitly for the [[cat fancy]], began in the United States in the 1930s at [[Harvard University]], under the term '''Siamese&ndash;Persian''', and the results were published in the ''[[Journal of Heredity]]'' in 1936,<ref name="Keeler">{{cite journal |title=Siamese&ndash;Persian Cats |first1=Clyde E. |last1=Keeler |first2=Virginia |last2=Cobb |journal=Journal of Heredity |year=1936 |volume=27 |issue=9 |pages=339&ndash;340|publisher=American Genetic Association |doi=10.1093/oxfordjournals.jhered.a104243 |issn=0022-1503}} First page is available online at http://jhered.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/pdf_extract/27/9/339/</ref> but were not adopted as a recognised breed by any major fancier groups at the time. Brian Sterling-Webb independently developed the cross-breed over a period of ten years in the UK, and in 1955 it was recognised there as the '''Longhaired Colourpoint''' by the [[Governing Council of the Cat Fancy]] (GCCF).<ref name="Berg">{{cite web |url=http://www.cfa.org/Breeds/BreedsKthruR/Persian/PERHIMArticle(1999).aspx |title=The Himalayan Persian |first=Linda |last=Berg |year=1999 |work=CFA.org |publisher=[[Cat Fanciers' Association]] (CFA) |location=Alliance, Ohio, US |access-date=4 March 2004 |archive-date=16 May 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130516195723/http://www.cfa.org/Breeds/BreedsKthruR/Persian/PERHIMArticle(1999).aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Cat breeder [[Jean Mill]] from California, US, took a series of graduate classes in [[genetics]] at the [[University of California, Davis]]. By 1948, she was one of three breeders independently crossing the Persian and Siamese to create the Himalayan cat.<ref name="Hamilton">{{cite news |last1=Hamilton |first1=Denise |title=A Little Cat Feat: A Covina woman's efforts at cross-breeding wild and domestic felines are paying off handsomely. |url= https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1994-03-10-ga-32170-story.html |access-date=27 January 2019 |page=2 |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=10 March 1994}}</ref>

Separate US-based breeding efforts had begun around 1950,<ref name="Berg" /> and a breeder known to sources simply as Mrs. Goforth received breed recognition from the [[Cat Fanciers' Association]] (CFA) near the end of 1957 for the '''Himalayan'''.<ref name="Berg" />  Early breeders were mostly interested in adding Siamese colouration to long-haired cats, and therefore reinforced the stock by outbreeding to Persians only to retain the Persian trait dominance.<ref name="Berg" />  However, by the 1960s, some were re-introducing Siamese stock and producing less "Persian-style" cats,<ref name="Berg" /> In the 1980s, a concerted effort to re-establish the breed along more formally Persian lines ultimately caused the breed to be merged into Persian as a variant in some registries (e.g. in 1984 by CFA), and a decline in the "old" or Siamese-like specimens.<ref name="Berg" />

==Recognition==
The Himalayan is considered a colour variant of the Persian and not a separate breed by the CFA and the GCCF.<ref name="CFA">{{cite web |title=Persian Standard |url=https://cfa.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/persian-standard.pdf |website=Cat Fanciers' Association |access-date=14 January 2024}}</ref><ref name="GCCF">{{cite web |title=Persian Standard |url=https://www.gccfcats.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/PERSIAN.SOP_.October2023.pdf |website=Governing Council of the Cat Fancy |access-date=14 January 2024}}</ref> The Himalayan is considered a separate breed by the [[American Cat Fanciers Association]] and [[The International Cat Association]].<ref name="ACFA">{{cite web |title=Himalayan Breed Synopsis |url=https://acfacat.com/himalayan.htm |website=American Cat Fanciers Association |access-date=14 January 2024}}</ref><ref name="TICA">{{cite web |title=Himalayan Breed |url=https://www.tica.org/breeds/browse-all-breeds?view=article&id=1444:the-himalayan-breed&catid=48 |website=The International Cat Association | date=27 August 2019 |access-date=14 January 2024}}</ref>

==Appearance==
[[File:Himalayan cat percy.jpg|thumb|A 3-year-old male seal-point doll-faced Himalayan]]
The Himalayan resembles the Persian in type, conformation, and coat length and texture. The Himalayan does not resemble the Siamese in type.<ref name="ACFA Standard">{{cite web |title=Himalayan Standard |url=https://acfacat.com/Breed%20Standards/Himalayan%202022.pdf |website=American Cat Fanciers Association |access-date=14 January 2024}}</ref>

===Body===
The Himalayan is medium to large in size with a cobby body and low legs.<ref name="ACFA Standard"/>

===Head===
The Himalayan's head is round and massive with a round face and a thick neck. The nose is snubbed and pushed in.<ref name="ACFA Standard"/>

===Ears===
The ears of the Himalayan are small and round tipped and slightly pointed forward.<ref name="ACFA Standard"/>

===Eyes===
The eyes are large and round and spread well apart. Pointed Himalayans have blue eyes, non-pointed Himalayans have copper eyes except for the silver and golden tabby which have green eyes.<ref name="ACFA Standard"/>

===Coat===
The Himalayan has a long and thick coat all over the body including the tail and ear and toe tufts.<ref name="ACFA Standard"/>

====Coat colours====
The Himalayan comes in most colours with prohibited colours being mink and sepia.<ref name="ACFA Standard"/>

==Health==
[[File:Himalayan CAT.jpg|thumb|A red-point showing the typical [[Brachycephalic airway obstructive syndrome|brachycephalic]] peke face]]
Like the Persian, the Himalayan is a [[Brachycephalic airway obstructive syndrome|brachycephalic]] breed which predisposes it to health issues such as respiratory infections, [[Epiphora (medicine)|epiphora]], corneal abrasions, ulcers, and [[corneal sequestration]].<ref name="Long Beach">{{cite web |title=Himalayan Cat |url=https://lbah.com/breed-disease/himalayan-cat/ |website=Long Beach Animal Hospital |access-date=14 January 2024}}</ref> Himalayans are also suspecitible to [[polycystic kidney disease]], a hereditary condition that results in [[cysts]] growing in the kidney.<ref name="Long Beach" /> Himalayans have a higher incidence of [[feline asthma]].<ref name="Long Beach" />
In a review of over 5,000 cases of [[Bladder stone (animal)|urate urolithiasis]] the Himalayan was under-represented, with an odds ratio of 0.37.<ref name="pmid22443437">{{cite journal |last1=Albasan |first1=H. |last2=Osborne |first2=C. A. |last3=Lulich |first3=J. P. |last4=Lekcharoensuk |first4=C. |title=Risk factors for urate uroliths in cats. |journal=[[Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association]] |date=2012 |volume=240 |issue=7 |pages=842–847 |pmid=22443437 |doi=10.2460/javma.240.7.842 |pmc= |url= https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/eutils/elink.fcgi?dbfrom=pubmed&tool=sumsearch.org/cite&retmode=ref&cmd=prlinks&id=22443437}}</ref> A study of cats presented to the University of Missouri-Columbia Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital that underwent radiography found 4 Himalayans out of a population of 16 to have hip dysplasia, higher than the 6.6% average for all cats.<ref>{{cite journal | last1=Keller | first1=G.G. | last2=Reed | first2=A.L. | last3=Lattimer | first3=J.C. | last4=Corley | first4=E.A. | title=Hip Dysplasia: A Feline Population Study | journal=Veterinary Radiology & Ultrasound | publisher=Wiley | volume=40 | issue=5 | year=1999 | issn=1058-8183 | doi=10.1111/j.1740-8261.1999.tb00375.x | pages=460–464| pmid=10528838 }}</ref>

Himalayans are predisposed to [[dermatophytosis]] (ringworm).<ref>{{cite book | last1=Hnilica | first1=Keith A. | last2=Patterson | first2=Adam P. | title=Small Animal Dermatology | publisher=Saunders | publication-place=St. Louis (Miss.) | date=2016-09-19 | isbn=978-0-323-37651-8 | page=}}</ref>

The Himalayan is predisposed to [[urticaria pigmentosa]], a type of benign [[Mastocytosis|mast cell disorder]].<ref>{{cite book | last1=Rhodes | first1=Karen Helton | last2=Werner | first2=Alexander H. | title=Blackwell's Five-Minute Veterinary Consult Clinical Companion | publisher=Wiley-Blackwell | publication-place=Ames, Iowa | date=2011-01-25 | isbn=978-0-8138-1596-1 | page=389}}</ref>

Idiopathic facial dermatitis, also known as facial dermatitis of the Persian and Himalayan cat is a type of dermatitis only observed in the Persian and Himalayan cat. It's characterised by greasy skin, debris adhering to the folds of the face and nose, [[ceruminous]] [[otitis externa]], secondary bacterial [[folliculitis]] and ''[[Malassezia]]'' dermatitis, and [[pruritus]]. Onset is at 10 months to 6 years.<ref>{{cite book | last1=Rhodes | first1=Karen Helton | last2=Werner | first2=Alexander H. | title=Blackwell's Five-Minute Veterinary Consult Clinical Companion | publisher=Wiley-Blackwell | publication-place=Ames, Iowa | date=2011-01-25 | isbn=978-0-8138-1596-1 | page=476}}</ref>

==In popular culture==
{{in popular culture|section|date=June 2023}} 
*In the CBS television detective series "[[Tucker's Witch]]" (1982), a Himalayan cat named Dickens is the familiar to witch Amanda Tucker.  Amanda Tucker has a telepathic link with Dickens, who provides her and her husband with clairvoyant clues to help them solve mysteries. Dickens is featured prominently in the show's opening and closing credits.<ref>{{cite web |title=Tucker's Witch – "The Good Witch of Laurel Canyon" |url=https://cinemacats.com/tuckers-witch-the-good-witch-of-laurel-canyon/ |website=Cinema Cats |date=July 2014 |access-date=14 January 2024}}</ref>
*In the spoof film ''[[Date Movie]]'' (2006), Mr. Jinxers is a parody of his ''Meet the Parents'' counterpart.<ref>{{cite web |title=Date Movie 2006 |url=https://cinemacats.com/date-movie-2006/ |website=Cinema Cats |date=15 November 2017 |access-date=14 January 2024}}</ref>
*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]]).<ref>{{cite web |title=Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey |url=https://libremdb.iket.me/title/tt0107131 |website=IMDB |access-date=14 January 2024}}</ref>
*The main character of the anime/manga ''[[Prince of Tennis]]'', [[Ryoma Echizen]], owns a Himalayan cat named Karupin (or Kalpin in the English translation).<ref>{{cite web |title=Karupin |url=https://myanimelist.net/character/28944/Karupin |website=My Anime List |access-date=14 January 2024}}</ref>
*[[Martha Stewart]] owns three Himalayans, named after composers: [[Beethoven]], [[Mozart]] and [[Bartók]]. The cats have been featured in her commercials for [[Kmart (United States)|Kmart]], on her television show, ''[[Martha Stewart Living]]'', and in her magazine, such as the cover of the February 1999 issue.<ref>{{cite web |title=Fluffy Himalayan Cats |url=https://www.themarthablog.com/2009/01/my-new-adopted-fluffy-himalayan-cats.html |website=The Martha Stewart Blog |date=21 January 2009 |access-date=14 January 2024}}</ref>
*A Himalayan named [[Luna The Fashion Kitty]] became a social media phenomenon in 2011 with a popular [[Facebook]] page, a website, and several media references.<ref name="Racked 2">{{cite web|author=Lilit Marcus |url=http://racked.com/archives/2011/11/07/meet-luna-the-fashion-kitty.php |title=Meet Luna, the Fashion Kitty - Bitches in Stitches - Racked National |publisher=Racked.com |date=2011-11-07 |accessdate=2012-01-29}}</ref>
*A Himalayan-Persian named [[Colonel Meow]] became an Internet celebrity in 2012, and entered ''[[Guinness World Records]] 2014'' as the cat with the longest fur.
*Mr. Jinx (also known as Jinxy, or simply just Jinx) from the ''[[Meet the Parents]]'' trilogy is a seal-point peke-faced Himalayan with an all-black tail.<ref>{{cite book | last=Sandler | first=Corey |title=Econoguide Walt Disney World Resort Universal Orlando, 5th Edition |year=2007 |publisher=Globe Pequot |isbn=978-0-7627-4169-4 |page=307 |chapter=Animal Planet Live! }}</ref>
*The "narrator" of David Michie's series of books that begins with "The Dalai Lama's Cat" is a Himalayan cat.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Dalai Lama's Cat Series by David Michie |url=https://www.goodreads.com/series/152114-the-dalai-lama-s-cat |website=www.goodreads.com}}</ref>
*A community-created cosmetic item for the Medic and Spy classes in the 2007 computer game ''[[Team Fortress 2]]'' is a Red Point Himalayan cat named "Harry".<ref>{{Cite web |title=Steam Community Market - Harry |url=https://steamcommunity.com/market/listings/440/Harry |access-date=2024-12-10 |website=Steam}}</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Himalayan-sharapova.jpg|Red (flame) point
File:Strathcona-Siamese-Persian-mix-cat-3730.jpg|Blue-point
File:Chocolate Himlayan.jpg|Chocolate-point
File:Himalayan Persian.jpg|Red-point
File:Himalayan close-up.jpg|[[Tortie]]-point
File:Himalayan Male Cat 5 years Old Lilac Point.jpg|alt=Himalayan Male Cat 5 years Old Lilac Point|5-year-old male lilac-point
File:Himalayan Cat Male with Brown Colour 3.JPG|Male Himalayan cat with brown colouring (note the points inherited from siamese and relatively long hair inherited from Persian parent)
File:Himalayan cat m3.JPG|Seal lynx point Himalayan cat
File:Bluepoint Himalayan Kitten Cirrus at 6 months by Asilverstein 2014mar14 IMG 2542b.jpg|Example of blue-point feline markings on juvenile male
File:Sealpoint Himalayan Kitten Genghis at 6 months by Asilverstein 2014mar14 IMG 2626.jpg|Example of seal-point feline markings on juvenile male
File:Seal point himalayan.jpg|Seal-point Himalayan
</gallery>

==References==
{{reflist|32em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Himalayan cats}}
* [http://catsplace.org/himalayan-cat-breed/ Himalayan Cat Breed]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080509194432/http://www.cfa.org/breeds/profiles/articles/persian-himalayan.html Himalayan-Persian CFA Breed Article]

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