Himalayan
A Persian carrying Siamese points, so the long coat comes with a dark mask and blue eyes. Quiet, and it stays on the ground rather than on top of the cupboards.
Photo by Helena Jacoba, CC BY 2.0
Overview
The Himalayan is a Persian carrying Siamese points, produced by crossing the two in the 1930s and 1950s and then breeding back to Persian type. Some registries call it a breed and others call it a Persian colour division.
Whichever way it is registered, it is a Persian in build, and that means it comes with the Persian's coat and the Persian's face.
Temperament
Quiet, gentle and affectionate, with slightly more of the Siamese's playfulness than a standard Persian usually shows.
They are lap cats, they are calm, and they are not athletic. They suit a quiet household and they are patient with gentle children. They are not vocal.
Care and grooming
This is the demanding part. A full double coat at Persian length mats if it is not combed daily, and a matted Persian coat cannot be brushed out, it has to be clipped.
The flat face brings its own routine. Tear staining, blocked tear ducts, dental crowding and noisy breathing are all common, and the eyes need wiping daily rather than occasionally.
Living and exercise
An indoor cat in a calm, cool home. A shortened airway cools less efficiently, so hot weather is genuinely harder on them.
Polycystic kidney disease is the inherited condition to insist on. It is the commonest inherited disease in Persians and Persian related cats, prevalence figures run high, and it has a DNA test, so there is no reason for a breeder not to show a clear result.
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