Introduction
The Himalayan is a medium-sized, massive looking, heavily boned cat. These cats appear rather large because of their masses of fur. They seem to be a crossbreed between the Persian And Siamese, except for its blue eyes and point coloration. Many refer to them as 'Himmies.'
History
The Himalayan or the Himmie for short is a crossbreed between Persian and Siamese cats. The Persian and Siamese were the natural breeds and not a creation through human intervention. But the Himalayan is a humanmade breed developed by crossing the Persians with Siamese to get the advantage of color points and blue eyes.
The year 1931 saw the breeders who began to work on crossbreeding the Persian and Siamese. In 1935, the British breeders visited the United States to see the Himalayan breeding program for producing these cats. The program was further implemented in England but was stopped due to World War II and relaunched afterward.
The mid-1950s saw the recognition of the Himalayan cat and their acceptance by the American Cat Fanciers Association. By the 1960s, all the United States registries had accepted the Himalayan as a breed in the show ring.
Physical Appearance
An intimidating and extreme looking breed, the Himalayan has a short but thick body with thick legs with a short thick neck. The bone structure is massive, but the tail a short with small ears. It has round, and a large head has round eyes. The fur coat is full, long, and thick on a Himalayan. Though it is fine in texture, it's hardly lustrous and glossy.
Size
The Himalayan is a medium-sized cat with a weight range of 7 to 12 pounds.
Personality traits
The Himalayan is a calm cat that is sweet and quiet. The Himalayan may get a burst of energy at times, but otherwise, one can find it sleeping in the sun or enjoy sitting in a lap being petted and cuddled and getting all the attention from the family members. Sometimes, one may find the Himalayan cat running around the house, playing with children, and rolling around. The cat being sedate, loud environments are a No-No for a Himalayan. Himmies have simple needs like regular meals, a little playtime with small cat toys, and lots of love that they would like to get and return. The Himalayan would like to stretch out near you, or would like to sleep in your bed, will not mind you changing her routine, and is generally friendly with everyone, including strangers.
Health Factor
The Himalayans though beautiful and sweet, are prone to very health problems that are related to their facial structure. These problems may also be genetic.
- Constructed nostrils of the Himalayan can cause difficulty in breathing or a noisy breathing
- Their jawlines are tricky, so their teeth don't match well together
- Severe eye conditions like progressive retinal atrophy or cherry eye or entropion
- Sometimes found with the nervous system disorder called feline hyperesthesia syndrome
- It sensitive to heat
- Prone to fungal disinfection from ringworm
- May have polycystic kidney disease
- Seborrhea oleosa a skin condition That results in hair loss redness and itching
- Tearing excessively
Care
The Himalayan or Himmie needs a lot of care. One has to look after her nutrition and exercise. Maintaining the cat's good health is a must. Since the breed is a sedate one, it won't exercise much. To make the Himalayan cat exercise, arrange interactive play sessions with children, Pet parents, cat toys, chasing balls, attacking catnip mice, etc. daily.
Another critical factor to address is the litter box issue. Since the Himalayan has a thick coat, the litter seems to get lodged in its paws or fur coat. Therefore, try keeping the cat as well as the litter box clean for its continuous usage.
Due to excessive tearing, one has to keep their eyes clean daily. So, wipe the corners of the eyes regularly. Maintain daily dental hygiene for avoiding a periodontal disease to which the Himmie is prone.
Keep the Himmie indoors only as they are not scrapers and behave poorly in front of other animals. Also, there is a risk of someone stealing such a beautiful cat of yours.
The Himalayan coat requires dedicated daily attention. Regular brushing and grooming the cat will keep the long thick coat from tangling. Carefully clean the flat face of the cat for the deposit of the tears stains on the face.
Conclusion
A lovable cat, the Himalayan is a quiet companion, an energetic playmate, and generally friendly to everyone.