Himalayan

The Himalayan is a longhaired pointed cat created in the United States during the 1930s by crossing Persian stock with the Siamese.

Virginia Cobb and geneticist Clyde Keeler bred the first documented kitten, named Newton's Debutante, in 1931 to study inheritance patterns of long hair and pointed color. Marguerita Goforth continued targeted breeding in the 1950s using a seal point queen named Princess Himalayan Hope. Official championship recognition came from American associations in 1957. The Cat Fanciers' Association accepted the cat in 1957 before reclassifying it as a pointed division of the Persian in 1984. The International Cat Association places it within its unified Persian Breed Group.

Adult males display a solid, cobby torso weighing 4-6 kg (9-13 lb) set upon short, heavy-boned limbs. Wide-set sapphire blue eyes highlight a broad skull with tiny, round-tipped ears and a short snub nose. Long flowing hairs cover a dense undercoat across the pale torso, contrasting with darker pigment on the mask, ears, tail, and paws. Registries describe the Himalayan as docile, tranquil, and responsive to household emotions. It enjoys gentle lap cuddles and light floor play without climbing tall curtains.

Daily grooming with a metal comb prevents painful mats in the soft undercoat, and regular gentle cleansing around the eyes prevents staining from blocked tear ducts. Common inherited conditions include polycystic kidney disease, which causes fluid-filled renal sacs, and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Its shortened facial profile predisposes individuals to stenotic nares, chronic rhinitis, and malocclusion of the jaw.