Himalayan Kitten Breed

It was under the name Himalayan that the American equivalent of the Color point Persians of Europe was first recognized by the United States registries in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The CFA now places it as a color variety of the Persian. However, although standards on both sides of the Atlantic are similar, American taste is for a much more extreme interpretation than would be acceptable in Britain and Europe. The application of a pointed pattern to a Persian type cat took place separately in the USA and Europe. The first conscious breeding for cats of this type was probably in Sweden in the 1920s, followed by work in Massachusetts in the next decade, but it was not until the 1950s that the breed was developed in California under the name Himalayan. Meanwhile, British breeders had begun their experiments in the1930s. British stock provided the basis for Canadian and European lines. The Himalayan and Color point Persians follow the basic standards for the Persian, but with the pointed pattern and blue eyes of Siamese cats.

Large or medium size, of cobby type, well-muscled with a broad deep chest, massive across shoulders and rump, set on short thick legs with large round paws; tail short and bushy.

Round and massive with broad skull, small round-tipped ears set low and wide apart, round forehead, full cheeks and a short broad nose of even width hand with a definite stop, all on a short thick neck.

Large, round and set wide apart. Blue only.

Long, thick, fine and soft but not excessively woolly, standing out from the body and with a full frill covering the shoulders and continuing in a deep frill between the front legs.

Siamese pattern and colors.