Himalayan cat (Khmer)

History of the Himalayan cat breed

Oddly enough, the name of the breed has absolutely nothing to do with its breeding area.
In fact, the homeland of cats is the USA, and the definition of “Himalayan” stuck to them simply because their color coincided with the color of rabbits living in the vicinity of the Himalayas. The first attempts to breed a Persian cat with a color-point color were made back in the 30s of the 20th century at Harvard University. The experiment was successful, but the felinological associations were not impressed, so the animals did not receive the status of an independent breed at that time. But British breeders became interested in them, seizing the initiative from their foreign colleagues and starting their own crossbreeding experiments. In the early 50s, American breeders Virginia Cobb, Margarita Gorford and Clyde Keeler again began promoting the new breed. As a result, in 1955, Himalayan cats were recognized by the GCCF, and two years later by the CFA. It is worth noting that in the early stages, breeders simply wanted to create an atypical Siamese color in the Persians, while maintaining other external characteristics. As a result, animals were bred mainly by intrabreeding outbreeding. In the 60s, fashion changed, and individuals born as a result of direct crossing of Persians with Siamese began to appear in nurseries, which introduced strong dissonance into the ranks of the breeding stock.

The breeders managed to agree and come to a single standard only by the end of the 80s. As a result, they relied on the dominant “Persian” features of the exterior, which led to the designation of the breed in the CFA felinological registries as Himalayan-Persian. As for the domestic Himalayas, their numbers are extremely small - color-pointed fluffies came to our country on the eve of the collapse of the USSR and did not cause a stir. Today, the popularity of Himalayan cats in the world has also decreased slightly, although in the second half of the 90s the breed literally “lit up” in the exhibition rings.

Care

Wool

Especially careful care is required for the luxurious wool of the Himalayan. It consists of combing your pet daily, preferably in 3 steps: first with a wide-tooth comb to remove large tangles, then with a more frequent comb and, finally, with a special brush to remove dead hairs. The most problematic areas are the neck, paws and the area under the tail, where the fur rolls up the fastest.

The issue of water procedures causes a lot of controversy. Some argue that the coat of a Himalayan cat needs to be washed with shampoo almost weekly, while others consider bathing once every six months to be sufficient. It is wise to take a closer look at your pet and bathe it as needed, taking into account its lifestyle and living conditions.

Nutrition

With an excessive and unbalanced diet, Himalayans are prone to gaining excess weight. It is recommended to choose dry and wet food from the premium and super-premium segments, intended for cats with long hair: they promote better digestion and removal of hairballs from the stomach. In addition, it is advisable to use malt paste to remove trichobezoars.

From natural products, low-fat protein foods (chicken, beef, turkey) and complex carbohydrates (various types of cereals, sprouted wheat) are welcome.

Caring for ears, eyes and other body parts

The breed is characterized by increased tearfulness, so hygiene procedures should include daily washing with a damp cotton pad. The direction of movement is from the eye to the nose, otherwise inflammation cannot be avoided.

When caring for your pet's ears, remove excess wax with a cotton swab. It is possible to use special ear drops.

It is necessary to trim the claws 1-2 times a month, but the procedure can be performed less frequently if the cat is accustomed to the scratching post.

Walking the pet, living conditions in the apartment

The Himalayan cat is a “domestic” animal in the full sense of the word. Ideal for apartments or private houses. However, too small and cramped spaces will put pressure on the pet’s psyche and can cause neuroses and even aggression. For a good mood and well-being, a cat needs space and the opportunity to explore all corners of the home.

Due to the structure of the nose, problems with the animal’s thermoregulation are possible, so it is necessary to maintain an optimal temperature at home (20-22°C) and shade the room on a hot, sunny day.

If the owner is determined to walk the fluffy beauty outside, he must be prepared for more frequent bathing, the use of anthelmintic drugs and mandatory vaccinations.

Himalayan cat breed standard

At first glance, the Himalayan is a typical Persian who decided to disguise himself as a Siamese. Blue eyes also came to animals from representatives of the oriental group. In fact, the breed is most often identified by the color of its iris. The general fatness of the build, bordering on moderate obesity, is nothing more than an optical illusion created by the cat’s voluminous fur. Under its “fur coat” the Himalayan hides quite average dimensions and a moderate stockiness of build.

Officially, the breed is bred in two lines. The first is the classic Persian type, whose representatives have gentle doll-like “faces” with a short, but not too upturned nose. The second variety is the so-called Beijing (Pekingese) Himalaya, which has more flattened muzzles of a distinctly brachycephalic type. In recent years, there has been a tendency to extremalize the exterior characteristics of the family, so cats with exaggerated round eyes and snub noses most often end up in the show class.

Head

The head of the Himalayan cat is characterized by a smoothed dome-shaped shape, impressive width and a developed chin area. The size of the skull is from large to medium. The cheeks are plump and voluminous, the expression of the muzzle is touchingly tender.

Jaws

Representatives of the breed have fairly wide and powerful jaws. The bite must be correct, that is, pincer-type, when the incisors are closed straight.

Ears

Himalayan cats have very miniature ears with a rounded tip. The distance between the hearing organs is large, the ears are set low.

Eyes

The eyes are perfectly round, widely spaced, and shaped like transparent buttons. The iris is clean, expressive, colored in a rich blue or pale blue tone. The look can be both concentrated and hypnotic, and slightly perplexed.

Nose

The correct Himalayan has a miniature snub and short nose. During sleep, a cat can sniffle and wheeze, which is considered an acceptable physiological feature for animals with a brachycephalic muzzle structure. An important requirement: the nose, forehead and chin are located in one straight line.

Neck

The Himalayan cat's neck is always thick and short, but it is important that it be muscular and flexible.

Body

The Himalayan has a large (not to be confused with swollen) body with soft outlines. The shoulders and croup are equally voluminous. The backs of the representatives of the breed are shortened and perfectly straight. The belly and ribs are moderately rounded. The Perso-Siamese has a well-developed muscle corset, but at the same time it is characterized by amazing softness, which can easily be confused with an excess of adipose tissue. The frame is strong and quite heavy.

Legs

When viewed from the front and rear, the limbs appear straight. The front legs are very short, which gives the cat a slight “toy-like” appearance.

Tail

The tail is of normal proportions, relatively short and straight.

Wool

Himalayan cats have the richest “fur coats”, giving their purrs a resemblance to giant pom-poms. Elongated throughout the body, the soft coat is “reinforced” by elastic, dense layers of undercoat.

Color

An animal with a pure pedigree has a Siamese mask on its face. Shaded markings on the tail, paws and ears are also required. The colors of Himalayan cats registered by the standard are: blue point, lilac point, seal point (dark brown markings), chocolate point, as well as red-red and cream point.

Disadvantages and disqualifying vices

The championship title is not given to individuals with contrasting spots in the form of a medallion or buttons, as well as animals with any eye color other than blue. Cats with kinked tails, asymmetrical faces, malocclusion (noticeable overbite or underbite) and strabismus are unconditionally disqualified.

Description of the breed

The Himalayan cat is a large, long-haired breed with short, muscular legs. What gives her a special charm are her large round eyes of an inexpressibly beautiful blue color, sharply contrasting with the dark “mask” on her wide muzzle.

Standard

• Body: stocky, equally developed in the shoulders and rump, level back. The legs are short with highly developed muscles, straight. The male weighs about 4 - 6 kg, females 3 - 4.5 kg. A very short neck flows smoothly into the body.
• Head: wide skull, powerful jaws, correct bite. The shape of the head is round, smoothed. Cheeks are full. The profile is short. The forehead, nose and chin are located on the same line.
• Ears: small with rounded tips, set at a considerable distance from each other.
• Eyes: round and large, widely set, bright blue.
• Tail: Proportional to body length, covered with long hair.
• Coat: long, thick, shiny. The frill on the neck turns into a train between the legs. A large number of colors.

Colors

Reference! The characteristic color appears only in the second or third year of a cat’s life.

The most common ones include:

• seal point is a cream, sometimes reaching light brown, color of the body and neck with dark brown markings on the prominent parts of the body.
• flame point or red point - protruding parts are fiery red

More rare colors:

• cake point (tortoiseshell) – the walrus color of the markings is interspersed with cream and red spots.
  

  Important! Usually only females are tortoiseshells; a cat of this color is rare and cannot have offspring.

• blue point – bluish-white color of the whole body with darker “tan marks”. This color is valued the more highly, the deeper the shade of blue the cat's eyes have.
• cream point - “tan marks” of a delicate cream color.
• chocolate point – chocolate markings on an ivory background. This color was especially popular in the 90s and early 2000s.

More valued than others:

• lilac point or frost point - the color of the markings is bluish-pinkish (lilac).
• tabby point or lynx point (marbled or brindle) - the fur on the body of such cats is very light, and the markings have clearly visible stripes of any color (walrus, blue-gray, milk chocolate). The mask has an M-shaped pattern on the forehead, plain ears with a light spot on the outside.

Health

Himalayans have relatively strong immunity. Among the diseases characteristic of the breed are polycystic kidney disease. Also, due to the “flattened” muzzle, pets may be bothered by increased lacrimation.

Life expectancy is on average 12-14 years, but there are also long-livers. The health and longevity of blue-eyed fluffies directly depends on the conditions of detention, care, and proper feeding.

Personality of the Himalayan cat

By nature, the Himalayas are more imposing Persians than headstrong Siamese, so in everyday life these comrades behave neatly and peacefully. True, occasionally “inspiration” descends on the cat, and then the furry darling begins to indulge in petty hooliganism. Therefore, often remember the episode from the comedy with Ben Stiller, where the Himalayan lawless man flushes the dog that is boring him down the toilet, and watch for changes in the mood of his ward.

Otherwise, Himalayan cats are quite cushion pets, dependent on comfort and an affectionate atmosphere. These fluffy sybarites are happy to take a nap on their master’s lap and will be happy to accompany a person as he moves around the apartment. To some, such behavior will seem like a banal obsession, but in fact, animals in this way satisfy the insatiable curiosity received from their Siamese ancestors. As an example: if a ward climbed onto the table where you laid out work documents, do not rush to mistake his actions for unscrupulous sabotage. It is likely that the cat just decided to help you with your business.

Himalayans are much more playful than their Persian relatives, so they can chase a wad of paper or a feather flying through a window until exhaustion. If you give a purring mouse a mouse stuffed with catnip, the animal will fall into real euphoria. True, you shouldn’t expect a furry gambling addict to run around at the speed of a meteor – such extreme activity is not typical for the breed. The toy object will be tortured intelligently, with feeling, with arrangement and often at a half-asleep pace, occasionally punctuated by sharp attacks.

The Himalayan cat is very loving and has sincere sympathy for all family members, provided that they reciprocate. At the same time, the pet will always have a separate pet, who will receive a little more affection and contented rumbling than the rest of the household. Representatives of this furry family are not vengeful or vindictive, but they subtly sense the mood of those with whom they communicate. So if you are the same owner who believes that petting a cat only spoils it, you are not on the same path with the Perso-Siamese. Himalayan cats treat children fairly evenly, and even in the most critical situations they prefer not to let out their claws, sincerely counting on a peaceful resolution of the conflict.

History of the origin of the breed

The Himalayan cat breed is the result of crossing two breeds - Persian and Siamese. In the further process, breeders selected kittens that were characterized by the pronounced color of the Siamese cat and the desired qualities.

The history of the Himalayan breed dates back to the 50s of the last century in America. After 10 years, she was recognized as independent, although not for long. At the same time, long-haired colorpoints were bred in the UK, which differed in appearance from the Himalayan in the intensity of color and a more elongated muzzle. To this day they exist, but they have never been a separate breed.

For more than 30 years, Himalayan cats have been fighting for recognition by all associations and the status of a separate breed. However, in 1984, the CFA, which had previously recognized them, changed its mind and merged the Himalayan cats with the Persian, giving them group status. From now on, Himalayan-Persian is written in the pedigree, and to evaluate cats in the ring, they use the Persian standard with an addition developed for the Himalayan division.

Video review about Himalayan cats:

Education and training

Despite their generally docile nature, Himalayan cats are in no hurry to join the educational process. For this reason, basic etiquette standards need to be instilled in an animal from a very early age - an adult Siamese who has managed to master bad habits, unfortunately, cannot be re-educated. After the kitten has been socialized and accustomed to its new home, immediately begin developing its toilet habits. The tray should be located in the most calm and quiet place and in no case next to the food bowl.

The little Himalayan should be placed on the tray immediately after sleep and active play. To make sure your baby understands that the toilet belongs only to him, it is recommended to put a piece of cloth in the litter that you used to wipe up the puddle left by your pet. At the same time, wean your animal from the habit of sharpening its claws on furniture, but first buy a scratching post. If after this the kitten encroaches on the upholstery, sprinkle water on it when you catch it sabotaging, and then send it back to the scratching post.

Are you used to leaving aromatic delicacies on the table? Get ready for your cat to taste them! Himalayans, of course, are passive companions, but they cannot resist a tasty treat left unattended. You need to wean your ward off jumping on the table immediately and unconditionally. Firstly, do not leave meat products on the kitchen surface so as not to tempt your furry. Secondly, try to make sure that this piece of furniture evokes unpleasant associations in the animal. For example, treat it with products that have a strong menthol or citrus scent, which cats hate. You can also place strips of tape on the table, sticky side up, to “catch” the prankster with them.

Teaching a Himalayan cat funny tricks is difficult and essentially unnecessary, but if you decide to play the role of a great trainer, stock up on deli meats. Make allowances for the fact that cats are not dogs; they will not strain solely out of a desire to please you. An important nuance is to clearly convey to the animal what is expected of it. For example, if you want to teach a cat to sit on command, then you first need to demonstrate a treat, and then gently persuade the fluffy to the required position, rewarding it with a delicacy for doing so. Some owners use catnip as a training stimulus. This is the easiest path that experts do not recommend taking.

It is also useful to slightly modify the method with tasty rewards by adding a clicker to the treat. Click the device while the command is being executed, and then, if the task is completed, treat the cat with a treat. Soon the fluffy will understand that the sound of the clicker is followed by encouragement, and will fulfill the requirements more readily. By the way, if you notice that the cat is sincerely resisting your commands and is trying to leave, you should not try to suppress his will. Exercise only when the cat is ready to study and no more than once a day - in a 15-minute lesson, the breed exhausts its internal resource and needs a long rest.

Maintenance and care

Himalayan cats are comfort-dependent creatures, so take a responsible approach to choosing a comfortable bed, tray, toys, as well as bowls for food and drink. To care for your hair, it is better to invest in a set of combs, which must include a slicker brush, metal combs with fine and rare teeth, and a brush made of natural bristles.

Dressed in voluminous “mantles,” Himalayan Persians are sensitive to rising temperatures and easily suffer from heatstroke in hot weather. Animals also overheat in stuffy city apartments, so in the summer the cat will either have to be cut or turn on the air conditioner more often. The breed does not suffer from increased jumping ability. This means that you can save money on the purchase of a tall play complex or replace it with some interesting labyrinth with jute scratching posts.

Hygiene and grooming

The spectacular fur of Himalayan cats without care instantly loses its luster, turning into an eerie collection of tangles and dirty dreadlocks. So three times a week, and daily during the shedding season, take out your arsenal of combs and work through your pet’s fur. First, the hair is “disassembled” with a sparse comb, then the tangles are manually untangled, removing dead undercoat using a furminator and a fine-tooth comb. The final touch is adding gloss with a natural bristle brush.

If there is an acute shortage of time, the animal can be cut, but this trick will not work with show animals, who, after such transformations, will simply not be allowed into the exhibition. You should not rely on the fact that the cat will lick its fur on its own - even a gigantic tongue cannot cope with such a shock of hair as the Himalayas. By the way, about licking: a product for removing hair from the stomach should always be in the first aid kit of the owner of a fluffy cat. Otherwise, prepare to spend a lot more on surgery at the vet.

Once a month, the Perso-Himalaya should be bathed using a mild shampoo and conditioner - most animals are loyal to this procedure and do not panic. Drying wool with a hair dryer is allowed, but the fluffy will have to be accustomed to such manipulations gradually - the sound of a working hair dryer frightens and unnerves kittens. Pay special attention to the fur around the anus - it needs to be trimmed periodically and washed thoroughly. Due to their anatomical features, the eyes of representatives of the breed leak, so it is necessary to carry out their hygiene daily. For this purpose, it is better to buy a special herbal lotion with taurine and D-panthenol. During the day, it is also useful to wipe the tear troughs with a clean cloth soaked in cooled boiled water.

Cleaning the ears of a Himalayan cat is carried out weekly using hygienic drops and fabric or cotton pads. Once every two to three days, it is advisable to brush your pet’s teeth, for which you need to buy cat toothpaste and a brush. Even if your furry ward has perfectly mastered the art of scratching a scratching post, it is better to shorten his claws once a month - this is both safer and more hygienic for furniture upholstery.

Feeding

Himalayan kittens up to 6 months of age are fed 4 times a day. The same diet for adult pregnant cats. Six-month-old pets are transferred to a three-course diet, which is followed until the animal is 1.5 years old. Next, the Himalayan cat eats twice a day. If you don’t want to worry about calculating the calorie content of each serving and waste time searching for useful vitamins and dietary supplements, use dry and wet industrial food. At the same time, the drying class must be no lower than super-premium or holistic.

Feeding the Perso-Siamese "natural" is also acceptable, but in a particular case it is easy to overdo it, since the breed is prone to overeating and weight gain. Products that are necessary for a pet “sitting” on a natural menu: lean meat, fish fillet (once a week or less), low-fat fermented milk products, vegetables (carrots, pumpkin), quail egg. Porridge as such is not necessary, although almost all breeders add rice and buckwheat to the meat to enrich the Himalaya’s daily diet with fiber. And of course, do not forget that it will not be possible to balance a cat’s homemade diet without ready-made vitamins and microelements, so periodically stop by the veterinary pharmacy and consult a veterinarian.

Care instructions

Purchase the following accessories for grooming: a metal comb with fine teeth, a brush with natural bristles, a slicker brush, cat shampoo, toothpaste and a brush for cats, and coat conditioner.

Wool

Thick and long hair must be combed regularly, otherwise tangles cannot be avoided (it is better to cut the hair around the anus short so that feces do not stick to it). In spring and autumn, during molting - 4-5 times a week, in winter and autumn - 3 times. Brush the cat according to the hair growth, without touching the face and neck, first with a comb, then with a slicker brush, and finally with a brush with natural bristles. Himalayan cats love this procedure very much. As is swimming, by the way. Soaking in warm water is a real pleasure for them. But don’t bathe them too often: once every 3 months is enough.

Claws

The claws on the front paws are cut 2 times a month, on the hind paws - once. Don't forget to buy your pet a scratching post.

Eyes

The eyes are wiped every 2 days with a special lotion.

Teeth

The teeth of the “Himalayans” should be given special attention: since the jaw bones are deformed due to mutations, tartar often grows on them, the gums become inflamed, and the teeth begin to loosen and rot.

Therefore, it is necessary to clean the oral cavity once a week, using a special silicone brush and therapeutic and prophylactic paste (Shot.Caller, Hartz, Orozyme, Cliny, Beaphar, TropiClean and Zubastik gels). If you don't have the paste on hand: moisten a piece of gauze with chlorhexidine and wipe your pet's gums.

Ears

There is no need to be overzealous in cleaning your ears. It is enough to do this once every 30-40 days, or as it gets dirty. Apply a little chamomile infusion to a cotton sponge and wipe the sink. You can’t bury anything inside! Don't ignore grooming: excess fur in the ears can cause otitis media.

Expert opinion

Dusheba Vera Ivanovna

In 2010, she graduated from the Moscow State Academy of Veterinary Medicine named after K.I. Scriabin with honors, specializing in veterinary medicine. I regularly attend veterinary conferences, congresses, and webinars.

Since shedding is natural, and cats swallow a lot of their fur, give your pet a special paste to remove excess hair from the stomach. This product is cheap, but will bring a lot of benefits.

Health and Diseases of Himalayan Cats

With good care and qualified medical support, the Himalayan cat lives up to 14-16 years. The breed's health is good, there are no problems with immunity, but it is important to remember a number of physiological nuances. This, for example, difficulty breathing is a common occurrence for all animals with a brachycephalic muzzle structure. In addition, the breed often has uncontrollable lacrimation. Another scourge of the Himalayas is obesity, aggravated by reduced physical activity, so the issue of nutrition will have to be given maximum attention.

Among the genetically determined diseases, polycystic kidney disease was identified in the breed. Animals may also experience hyperesthesia syndrome, eye diseases (glaucoma, entropy, retinal atrophy), von Willebrand disease, urolithiasis, and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Predisposition to fungal infections, dermatosparaxis and primary seborrhea occurs in a limited number of individuals.

Keeping a Himalayan cat at home

The breed is suitable for home keeping. A calm disposition and playful character will make you a great friend. Suitable for families who spend a lot of time at home, as they do not like being alone. It must be taken into account that the animal is afraid of closed spaces, so you should not lock it in a small room.

The disadvantages include the presence of long hair, but with proper care it will not cause problems.

Care and hygiene

The pet requires certain care:

1. Thorough brushing 2-3 times a week (the breed is characterized by constant shedding).
2. Daily eye washing (like Persians, Himalayans often “cry”).

Himalayan cat
needs to be bathed at least once every six months. An important part of care is proper nutrition. For especially long-haired representatives of the breed, it is necessary to periodically give special medications that remove accumulated hair from the stomach.

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Diet of the Himalayan cat

Himalayan cats and male cats that are prone to obesity should not be overfed. It is necessary to control the amount of food eaten per day, especially if you already have problems with excess weight. Feeding should be done twice a day. Basic food: meat (beef, occasionally sea fish) and fermented milk dishes (cottage cheese, kefir).

It is preferable to give ready-made dry/wet food, preferably premium food. Proper nutrition will also help prevent breed-specific health problems.

Diseases and breed defects

Himalayan cat
The Himalayan cat is in good health, but there are hereditary predispositions and the risk of acquiring congenital diseases. The most common hereditary disease is polycystic kidney disease.

Like Persians, Himalayans are particularly susceptible to respiratory diseases, often having difficulty breathing due to their flattened nose. Problems with the eyes, skin, and liver may occur.

Education and training

It is believed that the breed is difficult to train, but purebred kittens quickly learn the rules of behavior. Training is also possible, but only if the animal shows interest and ability in it. So, it will be difficult to make a cat with small paws jump high, but they will be able to ask for food while sitting on their hind legs.

The sooner you start training, the better the result will be.

Castration and sterilization

If there is no goal of getting offspring from a cat, it is better to sterilize the animal. With regular estrus and avoidance of mating, the cat can get sick (even oncology). Males are castrated to prevent them from marking territory.

The difference between castration and sterilization: in the first case, the cat's testicles / ovaries are surgically cut off (with or without the uterus), in the second, the seminal ducts / fallopian tubes are ligated. Sterilization is a more gentle procedure and is optimal for the pet.

How to choose a kitten

• Himalayan cats of chocolate and lilac-point colors are born extremely rarely, so be prepared to pay much more for the owner of such a color.
• The most common color type of the breed is seal point, which is also the least valued. Accordingly, if you want to save a little, choose an animal with such a “fur coat”.
• Himalayan kittens are born very light-colored, often without a mask on the face and with uncolored ears. The pigment on the head, paws, ears and face forms gradually and is completely stabilized only in one and a half year old cats.
• Buy a pet from a seller who is willing to provide the cat with vaccination records, as well as a certificate of the animal’s health.
• Before purchasing, visit the cattery several times to see the conditions in which the cat family lives, what they are fed, and how the babies are treated.
• Find out how many births a Himalayan cat has had in the last 12 months. Remember that felinological associations allow the registration of no more than two litters per year. The best option is if the interval between the previous and last births is at least 8 months.
• Try to get reliable information about the age of the producers. In nurseries registered by felinological systems, cats are removed from breeding upon reaching 5 years of age.

Himalayan cats - "Himalayans" is the American name for Persian cats with Siamese coloring. Himalayans were developed in the 1950s in the United States (and independently as color-point cats in England) by crossing Persian cats with Siamese cats, then selecting for a “Persian” appearance. As a result, long-haired, Persian-type cats were obtained, carrying the Siamese color gene. The scientific name of the gene is Himalayan, since it was first studied on the so-called Himalayan breed of rabbits, which are characterized by dark color of the protruding parts of the body (“ends”) - muzzle, ears, tail, paws - and light color of the rest of the body. Already by the beginning of the 60s, the main associations of cat lovers in the United States recognized Himalayan cats as an independent breed, separate from the Persian. In 1984, due to the complete convergence of the exterior types of Himalayan and Persian cats, the largest association in the USA - Cat Fanciers Association (CFA) - united the Himalayan breed with the Persian, giving the Himalayan the status of a group, or “subbreed” (Himalayan division): from this time in pedigrees in the column “breed” it is written “Himalayan Persian” (Himalayan-persian). The show standard for the Himalayan is the same as for other Persian cats (see Appendix - CFA Standard for Persian Cats). In Europe, color points have never been identified as a separate breed.

— What is the Himalayan gene and what is the mechanism for the development of such a characteristic “Siamese” color in its carriers? In cats, like other mammals, the color of their fur, skin, and eyes is determined by a polymer pigment called melanin. Exactly the same pigment is formed when our skin tans and gives the dark brown or black color to the skin of blacks, as well as the dark color to our hair. Melanin is formed in animal cells from the amino acid tyrosine under the action of the enzyme tyrosinase. This enzyme is controlled by a gene, which in cats is designated as Color ("color"), or abbreviated C. If this gene is damaged (mutated), active tyrosinase does not appear in the animal's cells, therefore, the medzain pigment is not formed, which means the animal will be "colorless" ", i.e. albino. Such a damaged, inactive gene is designated, respectively, as c- or ee.

The Himalayan gene, designated cs or ch, is also obtained as a result of a change (mutation) in the original c gene, but in this case, tyrosinase does not disappear completely, but becomes heat-sensitive: it is active and produces melanin at low temperatures, but is not active at high temperatures. This is where the “Siamese” effect comes from: pigment is formed on the protruding areas of the body, where its temperature is lower, but almost none on the rest of the body.

The coat color on prominent areas of the body may vary depending on mutations in other genes. The “wild” type, with the original color genes not changed, is the “brindle” (tabby) color. Accordingly, a cat of this “wild” type, carrying the Himalayan cs gene (more precisely, a pair of cs genes - one from the father, the other from the mother), will be tabby point, i.e. have a tiger pattern on the protruding parts of the body. The striping disappears when the Agouti gene (Agouti, abbreviated as A) is mutated into an inactive non-agouti (abbreviated as a) gene: if the animal carries a pair of a, it becomes solid and simply black. A black cat with a couple of Himalayan genes is a sealpoint color, i.e. the fur on the protruding parts of the body is dark brown (“walrus”) in color. Why not black? (Why not black point?) Because the enzyme tyrosinase in the Himalayans, although it works on the protruding parts of the body, is not as active as in non-Himalayans, and the melanin pigment is formed in reduced quantities and not with the same degree of polymerization, which gives brown tint.

Animals carrying the Orange (O) gene produce a related orange pigment, pheomelanin, instead of true melanin. The hair color turns out to be red. The presence of an orange gene and a pair of Himalayan genes leads to a color that is designated as flame point (aka red point): the protruding parts of the animal are fiery red. In males, the orange gene (O) is always unpaired and determines the red color of all hair on the walking areas of the body, being in the singular. However, females have two different situations: animals with a pair of orange genes (OO - one from the father, the other from the mother) have only red hair on the prominent areas of the body, and females with one orange gene (Oo) carry the so-called tortoiseshell color (tortoiseshell). point), when areas of red fur alternate with areas of walrus color.

The most common color is seal point. The next most common colors are lynx point (tabby point), flame point and tortie point. Rarer and therefore more refined and valuable colors are blue point, cream point, blue cream point and, especially, chocolate point.

The appearance of these colors is due to mutations of two other genes - B and D. With a mutation of the D (Density) gene, the normal, more or less uniform distribution of the black melanin pigment throughout the hair is disrupted, and it turns out to be collected (aggregated) into granules; this gives the effect of diluting the black color and at the same time reflecting light from the granules. The result is a so-called blue color. A similar phenomenon occurs in the case of the orange pigment pheomelanin; if an animal carries a pair of himalayan genes (cscs) and a pair of blue dilution genes (fid), it will be bluepoint; if the orange O gene is still present, the color will be cream point or blue cream point in the case of females with only one O (Oo).

Particular attention should be paid to the B gene (black) and its mutations (b - brown). The original, normal B gene is the black pigment melanin. Its mutation b is a change in the color of melanin to brown or chocolate. Therefore, carriers of a pair of Himalayan genes (cscs) and a pair of chocolate genes (bb) will have a chocolate point color - protruding chocolate-colored parts. This color, firstly, is rare, and secondly, in appearance it differs little from the sealpoint color, and special breeding work is required to maintain this rare genotype.

The rarest and most exquisite combination, especially valued by connoisseurs, is the Himalayan with the lilac point color - with a delicate bluish-pinkish (purple) coat color on the protruding parts of the body. This requires the simultaneous presence of a pair of Himalayan genes (cscs), a pair of Chocolate genes (bb), and a pair of non-agouti blue genes (aa). Maintaining such a combination of mutant paired genes over generations is extremely difficult and, generally speaking, requires the nursery to specialize in chocolate and lilac cats. (The widespread belief that the lilac color is associated with a long nose is fundamentally wrong: the color itself has nothing to do with the length of the nose. These are completely independent signs; the only thing is the exceptional rarity of the combination of four recessive color traits with the recessive traits of extreme conformation) . The names of the colors are given according to the American CFA nomenclature.

It is often of interest to breeders to have the maximum variety of colors in their litters. From this point of view, the Himalayan cats with tortoiseshell colors - tortie point and blue cream point - deserve special attention. Indeed, they combine two colors at once in one animal - part of their fur is colored by melanin, and part by pheomelanin. It's like two different colored cats in one! Therefore, for example, from a tortoiseshell cat with the aaB-cscsDdOo genotype and a seal-point cat with the aaB-cscsDdo genotype, seal-point, blue-point, flame-point (males), cream-point (males), cake-point kittens will be born (cats) and blue-cream-poit (cats).

A few words about eye color. Himalayans should only have blue eyes, the bluer the better. The blue color of the eyes is due to the low level of melanin formation in the cells of the iris of the eye when the animal has a pair of Himalayan genes. Therefore, when crossing Himalayans with Persians of other colors, the eye color of the offspring will be determined only by the dominant color, i.e. will depend only on the non-Himalayan parent. There is no need to be afraid of spoiling the eye color of the Persian offspring by crossing Persians with Himalayans. Just as one should not hope to improve the blue eye color of the offspring of, for example, a white cat, by crossing with a Himalayan. The question often arises about crossing Himalayans with Persians of other colors. Since this is an intrabreed crossing, it is always permissible, and in some cases it is simply necessary. For example, it is advisable to use a Himalayan stud cat with an excellent exterior to improve the exterior of any color group of Persian cats. If, on the contrary, the intention is to improve offspring with the Himalayan color by crossing with Persians of other colors, then animals with the S (spotting, white spotting) and I (inhibitor, white base of the hair, i.e. smoky colors) genes should not be allowed for breeding , shaded, chinchilla and cameo), including those pure white cats (epistatic gene W, white) that are carriers of the S and I genes.

Of course, the main thing for breeding work with Himalayans is the high quality of stud cats and cats. In this case, it is necessary to pay attention not only to the external, exhibition indicators of the animal, but also to its pedigree. There is a concept of a strong pedigree - this is when high quality can be traced in several generations and, therefore, the necessary characteristics are well fixed in the genotype. Only such animals with fixed characteristics will naturally produce good kittens.

In this regard, the origin of the animal - which nursery it comes from - is of great importance. Among the best large nurseries in the USA, which produce the highest quality lines of Himalayans, we can note the nurseries “Demiara”, “Cocoa”, “Pranspos”, “Rainyday”, “Whisperhood”, “Fulmoon”. We should also mention the classic American nurseries that gave rise to high-quality Himalayans - “Madame Nu”, “West Point”, “Tesores”, “Twinshire”, “T-Renne”, “Cactusway”. There are many small nurseries that use the best Grand Champion Himalayan lines from large nurseries and farms.

In conclusion, I would like to add the following. Recently, beautiful specimens of Himalayan cats have appeared in Russia due to the import of animals. Of course that's good. But the main goal and interest of nurseries and fanciers is to breed their own, Russian lines of first-class Himalayan cats. There are already certain prerequisites for this. However, the availability of good animals from individual breeders is not everything for breeding stable domestic lines. Cooperation between breeders is absolutely necessary. Unfortunately, I have the impression that we are still in the childhood phase of being proud of the acquired animal and are not solving the problem of how to come to the creation of a sufficient genetic base for breeding elite animals on our own land. I repeat: this will not work without cooperation. More precisely, it will be possible for those breeders who will arrange cross-breeding of their animals, exchange elite animals and generally treat each other kindly.

The genotypes of the main (in particular, those recognized by CFA) colors of Himalayan cats can be summarized as follows (the dash indicates that paired with a given gene there can be both the original and the mutant; for example, A means both AA and Aa):

aaB-cscsD-o(o) - seal point; aabbcscsD-o(o) - chocolate point; aaB-cscsddo(o) - blue point; aabbcscsddo(o) - lilac point; B-cscsD-O in cats - flame (ed) - point ipi flame (ed) links-point; B-cscsD-OO in cats - flame (ed) - point or flame (ed) lynx point, B-cscsddO in cats - cream point or cream lynx point; B-cscsddOO in cats - cream point and cream lynx point; aaB-cscsD-Oo in cats - tortie point; aabbcscsD-Oo in cats - chocolate-torty-point; aaB-cscsddOo in cats - blue cream point; aabbcscsddOo in cats - lilac cream point; AB-cscsD-o(o) - seal-links-point; AB-cscsddo(o) blue-links-point; AB-cscsD-Oo in cats - tortie-lynx point; AB-cscsddOo in cats - blue cream lynx point; A-bbcscsD-o(o) - chocolate-links-point; A-bbcscsddo(o) - lilac-links-point; A-bbcscsD-Oo in cats - chocolate-torty-linx-point; A-bbcscsddOo in cats - lilac-cream-links-point.

Himalayan cat price

A club Himalayan kitten with a good pedigree and no exterior defects costs around 25,000 - 30,000 rubles. The price for show animals of rare colors usually increases by one and a half to two times and reaches 50,000 - 60,000 rubles. If you want to buy an animal cheaper, choose representatives of the pet class and kittens with appearance defects that do not affect health. The average cost of such Himalayans is 8,000 – 10,000 rubles. It is also recommended to pay attention to the fact that in Russian nurseries they prefer to breed the Peking type of breed, so in most cases be prepared to get a brachycephalic pet.