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Cat breed · United States

Himalayan

Mèo Himalaya

3 min readUpdated 02/10/2026
Blue point Himalayan kitten with a long coat lounging on a wooden table
See 7 photos
Photo: Asilverstein · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

The Himalayan combines the body and coat of the Persian with the pointed colouring and deep blue eyes of the Siamese [1]. It's gentle, sedate and affectionate [1]. Registries classify it differently: CFA (Cat Fanciers' Association): The world's largest registry of pedigree cats, based in the US. It keeps pedigree records, writes breed standards and runs cat shows. All terms shows it as a colour division of the Persian [2], while TICA (The International Cat Association): An international cat registry based in the US and one of the largest. It often recognizes newer breeds before CFA does. All terms lists it as its own breed in the Persian Breed Group [1]. FIFe (Fédération Internationale Féline): The International Feline Federation, an umbrella body of cat clubs, mostly in Europe. All terms has no separate Himalayan breed [8]. Please read the health and welfare note below.

Contents (11 sections)
  1. Relationship to the Persian
  2. History
  3. Appearance
  4. Photo gallery
  5. Temperament
  6. Care
  7. Health
  8. Cat facts
  9. Frequently asked questions
  10. Similar breeds
  11. References

Quick facts

Origin
USA and UK/Canada (mid-20th century), from Persian x Siamese breeding
Weight
~4.1–5.4 kg
Lifespan
~8–11 years
Coat
long
Energy
low
Details & sources
Size
Medium to large, short and Cobby: A short, compact, sturdy body with a broad chest and short legs. All terms ; looks bigger than it is thanks to the coat [1]
Weight
VCA gives about 4.1–5.4 kg (9–12 lb) [11]
Lifespan
TICA (The International Cat Association): An international cat registry based in the US and one of the largest. It often recognizes newer breeds before CFA does. All terms estimates 8–11 years [1]; no Himalayan-specific longevity study found
Coat
Long and flowing, with an undercoat that mats; pointed pattern [1]

Traits (scale 1–5)

Energy
2/5
Shedding
4/5
Grooming needs
5/5
Good with kids
4/5
Vocal
2/5
Independence
2/5

Basis: Editorial estimate based on TICA's description, not a measurement

Recognized by major cat registries

Cat registries keep pedigree records and set the standard for each breed. Tap an abbreviation to see what it means.

CFA (Cat Fanciers' Association): The world's largest registry of pedigree cats, based in the US. It keeps pedigree records, writes breed standards and runs cat shows. All terms USYes
TICA (The International Cat Association): An international cat registry based in the US and one of the largest. It often recognizes newer breeds before CFA does. All terms international, US-basedYes
FIFe (Fédération Internationale Féline): The International Feline Federation, an umbrella body of cat clubs, mostly in Europe. All terms EuropeNo
GCCF (Governing Council of the Cat Fancy): The UK's oldest pedigree cat registry (since 1910). All terms UK-

GCCF (Governing Council of the Cat Fancy): The UK's oldest pedigree cat registry (since 1910). All terms : pending verification.

Relationship to the Persian

The Himalayan is a man-made breed, created by crossing Persians with Siamese to get a Persian-type cat with the pointed pattern [1]. TICA groups the Himalayan, Persian and Exotic Shorthair in one Persian Breed Group with a shared body type [1]. CFA divides the Persian into seven colour divisions for showing, and the "Himalayan" division covers the pointed cats [2]. Much of the care and health information on our Persian page applies to Himalayans too.

History

In 1931 Virginia Cobb and Dr Clyde Keeler began an experimental breeding programme and produced the first Himalayan kitten, "Newton's Debutante" [1]. In the 1950s Ben Borrett ran a similar programme in Canada [1]. According to TICA, GCCF (Governing Council of the Cat Fancy): The UK's oldest pedigree cat registry (since 1910). All terms recognised the breed as the "Colorpoint: A pale body with darker face, ears, legs and tail, like a Siamese. All terms Longhair" in 1955 [1]. Marguerita Goforth pioneered its path to championship, and American associations recognised it as the Himalayan in 1957 [1].

Appearance

  • Body: medium to large, short and Cobby: A short, compact, sturdy body with a broad chest and short legs. All terms , equally massive across shoulders and rump, with heavy boning [1].
  • Head: large and round, with a short, snub, broad nose and small, round-tipped ears set low and far apart [1].
  • Eyes: large, round and deep blue [1].
  • Coat: long and flowing, with an undercoat that mats [1].
  • Colour: a light body with darker points (ears, face, legs, tail) in seal, blue, chocolate, lilac, red, cream, tortoiseshell and blue-cream, in many point patterns [1]. The pattern comes from a heat-sensitive TYR mutation, the same as in the Siamese [3].
7 photos · tap to enlarge

Photos: Wikimedia Commons - author & licence shown when enlarged and on the Photo credits page.

Himalayan - photo gallery

Photo: Nickolas Titkov from Moscow, Russian Federation · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

1 / 7

Temperament

Himalayans are gentle, quiet and prefer a calm home; they'd rather lounge on the sofa with you than climb the curtains [1]. They're responsive to your moods and very intelligent [1]. They have sudden bursts of kitten-like activity between naps in the sun [1], but you may have to encourage daily exercise [1]. They don't demand attention, though they'll tell you with quiet meows and meaningful looks if they're short of it [1]. They adapt to any family that treats them gently [1].

Care

  • Coat: brush and comb daily to prevent tangles [1].
  • Face: clean regularly and carefully to prevent tear stains [1].
  • Nails and teeth: trim nails weekly in kittens and every 2–3 weeks in adults; brush teeth regularly [1].
  • Weight: neutered cats gain weight more easily, so watch food quality and quantity [1].

Health

  • What to check: TICA advises asking your breeder and vet about polycystic kidney disease (PKD), respiratory problems, eye problems such as progressive retinal atrophy (PRA (Progressive retinal atrophy): An inherited eye disease that slowly worsens sight and can lead to blindness. All terms ), and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM (Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy): A heart disease where the heart wall thickens; the most common heart disease in cats. All terms ) [1].
  • PKD: the PKD1 mutation was found in Persians and Persian-derived breeds, making a DNA test possible [4].
  • Flat faces: across cats, research found flatter faces linked with more owner-reported respiratory signs [5].
  • Lifespan: TICA estimates 8–11 years [1]. We found no Himalayan-specific longevity study.

Ask the breeder about the parents' test results, and talk to your vet about any specific concern.

Don't confuse with…

  • Persian: same body and coat; the Himalayan is the pointed, blue-eyed version [1][2].
  • Birman: blue-eyed colourpoint, but with a medium-length Roman nose and four white feet [6].
  • Ragdoll: blue-eyed colourpoint, but a large breed [7].

Ask your vet. This information is for reference only and does not replace a veterinary diagnosis.

Cat facts

  • The name comes from the pointed pattern, not the mountains [1].
  • The first Himalayan kitten was "Newton's Debutante" [1].
  • Its points come from the same gene mutation as the Siamese's [3].

Frequently asked questions

Is a Himalayan a Persian?

It depends on the registry. CFA (Cat Fanciers' Association): The world's largest registry of pedigree cats, based in the US. It keeps pedigree records, writes breed standards and runs cat shows. All terms treats Himalayans as one of seven Persian colour divisions, the pointed one [2]. TICA (The International Cat Association): An international cat registry based in the US and one of the largest. It often recognizes newer breeds before CFA does. All terms lists the Himalayan as its own breed in the Persian Breed Group, alongside the Persian and Exotic Shorthair [1]. Physically, it has a Persian's body and coat with a Siamese's colouring and blue eyes [1].

Is a Himalayan hard to groom?

It takes work. The coat needs daily brushing and combing because the undercoat mats [1]. The flat face also needs regular, careful cleaning to prevent tear stains [1].

Are Himalayans as vocal as Siamese?

No. Some breeders say Himalayans talk a little more than Persians, but nothing like the Siamese. They use quiet meows and meaningful looks [1].

Similar breeds

Brown tabby-and-white flat-faced Exotic lying on a wooden table in a café
7 photos

Exotic Shorthair

Sweet, easygoing, loyal and very quiet

Vietnamese name: Mèo Exotic (mèo mặt tịt lông ngắn)

United States

Health noteCalm

Breed photos: Wikimedia Commons (CC0 / CC BY / CC BY-SA) - authors & licences on the Photo credits page.

References

  1. TICA, Himalayan (breed profile)
  2. CFA, Persian (breed profile; Himalayan division)
  3. Lyons LA et al. (2005). Tyrosinase mutations associated with Siamese and Burmese patterns in the domestic cat. Animal Genetics 36:119–126
  4. Lyons LA et al. (2004). Feline polycystic kidney disease mutation identified in PKD1. J Am Soc Nephrol 15(10):2548–2555
  5. Farnworth MJ et al. (2016). Flat feline faces: is brachycephaly associated with respiratory abnormalities in the domestic cat (Felis catus)? PLoS ONE 11(8):e0161777
  6. CFA, Birman (breed profile & standard)
  7. CFA, Ragdoll (breed profile & standard)
  8. FIFe, Breeds (no separate Himalayan breed)
  9. International Cat Care, Persian cats and brachycephaly (updated 26 Sep 2025)
  10. iCatCare and iCatCare Veterinary Society International Partners, Feline conformational health and welfare in cat breeding (position statement, 2025)
  11. VCA Animal Hospitals, Himalayan (cat breed profile)

Accessed: 2026-10-02

CFA, TICA, FIFe and GCCF are the major cat registries in the US, Europe and the UK. See the glossary

Written by Catopedia from the sources above. Photos credit their author and licence under each image and on the Photo credits & licences.