Himalayan
Discover the Himalayan cat's origins, distinct blue-eyed appearance, and the specific health risks brachycephalic breeds face, from kidney disease to skin conditions.
The Himalayan is a long-haired cat with blue eyes and colourpoint markings, created by crossing Persians with Siamese, though some registries classify it as a Persian variant rather than a separate breed. The complexity lies in its history of shifting classifications and the significant health challenges inherent to its flat-faced, brachycephalic structure.
Breed history and classification
The formal effort to establish a breed combining Persian and Siamese traits began in the United States in the 1930s at Harvard University, with results published in the Journal of Heredity in 1936, though no major fancier groups adopted it then. Brian Sterling-Webb independently developed the cross-breed in the UK over ten years, achieving recognition as the Longhaired Colourpoint by the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF) in 1955. By 1948, breeder Jean Mill was one of three breeders in the US independently crossing these lines, and by the end of 1957, a breeder known as Mrs. Goforth received recognition from the Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA). Early breeding efforts focused on reinforcing the Persian traits by outbreeding to Persians, but by the 1960s, Siamese stock was reintroduced, leading to less "Persian-style" cats. A concerted effort in the 1980s to re-establish the breed along formal Persian lines caused the CFA to merge the Himalayan into the Persian as a variant in 1984, resulting in a decline of the older, Siamese-like specimens.
How registries define the breed
Classification varies significantly depending on the organization, which affects how the breed is viewed in the show ring and breeding community. The CFA and the GCCF consider the Himalayan a colour variant of the Persian rather than a separate breed. The International Cat Association includes it as part of the Persian Breed Group, while the American Cat Fanciers Association treats it as a distinct breed. The World Cat Federation has taken a different approach entirely, merging the Himalayan with the Colourpoint Shorthair and Javanese into a single breed called the Colourpoint.
Physical structure and appearance
The Himalayan resembles the Persian in type, conformation, coat length, and texture, but it does not resemble the Siamese in body type. It is a medium to large cat with a cobby body and low legs, featuring a round, massive head with a thick neck and a snubbed, pushed-in nose. The ears are small with round, slightly pointed tips that face forward. The eyes are large, round, and spread well apart; pointed Himalayans possess blue eyes, while non-pointed individuals have copper eyes, with the exception of silver and golden tabbies which have green eyes. The coat is long and thick over the entire body, including the tail, ear, and toe tufts. While the breed comes in most colours, mink and sepia are prohibited.
Health risks and genetic predispositions
As a brachycephalic breed, the Himalayan is predisposed to respiratory infections, epiphora (excessive tearing), corneal abrasions, ulcers, and corneal sequestration. The breed is also susceptible to polycystic kidney disease, a hereditary condition characterized by cysts growing in the kidneys. Himalayans have a higher incidence of feline asthma compared to other cats. While they are under-represented in cases of urate urolithiasis with an odds ratio of 0.37, a study of cats at the University of Missouri Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital found that 4 out of 16 Himalayans had hip dysplasia, a rate higher than the 6.6% average for all cats. Dermatological issues are common, including dermatophytosis (ringworm), urticaria pigmentosa (a benign mast cell disorder), and idiopathic facial dermatitis. This facial condition, specific to Persians and Himalayans, involves greasy skin, debris in facial folds, ceruminous otitis externa, secondary bacterial folliculitis, Malassezia dermatitis, and itching, typically appearing between 10 months and six years of age.
Cultural presence
The Himalayan has appeared frequently in popular culture, from the telepathic familiar Dickens in the 1982 series Tucker's Witch to the character Sassy in Homeward Bound. Martha Stewart famously owned three Himalayans named after composers: Beethoven, Mozart, and Bartók. Internet fame has also claimed the breed, with Luna the Fashion Kitty becoming a phenomenon in 2011 and Colonel Meow holding the Guinness World Record for the longest fur in 2014. The breed also appears in the Meet the Parents trilogy as Mr. Jinx and serves as the narrator in David Michie's The Dalai Lama's Cat series.