Himalayan cats: photos, description of the breed, character, characteristics of the maintenance and care

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Thanks to the hard work of breeders today there is an opportunity to admire an unusually beautiful breed called the Himalayan cat.

Similar to a gentle fluffy cloud, this animal can weigh up to 6 kg and lives on average 12 years. Long wool and original color - the result of a cross between a Persian cat and a Siamese cat.

Breed origin

The first results of breeding experiments conducted in the United States were published in the press in 1936, but the felinological organizations did not evaluate them.

After a decade and a half, a breeder named Margarita Gofort not only repeated the experiment of crossing Persian and Siamese cats, but also did everything to achieve official recognition of the resulting breed.

But it was registered only in 1957 by the CFA Association (USA) called the Himalayan cat. This decision was not approved by all breeders.

And today there is still no consensus among associations. Some recognize the Himalayan cat as a separate independent breed, others consider it a special kind of Persian cats, which has an exotic color.

The first Himalayan cat was brought to Russia in 1986. Given that this breed is still quite rare in our country, it is recommended to acquire it only in specialized nurseries.

External description

Himalayan cats inherited from the Persians a rather massive body and unusually fluffy wool, from the Siamese they got their exotic color. In addition, signs of the breed are:

Muscular body with short limbs and large round legs.
The round head is proportional in size to the body. It prominently prominent forehead and a wide short nose.
The eyes are large, round, bright blue or blue. With their location, they give the face a good-natured and affable expression.
The small ears are set wide apart and have rounding at the ends.
The hair of the Himalayan cats is long, fluffy, silky texture, very soft to the touch.
Coloring is one of the main features of this breed, derived from Siamese ancestors. Light wool is beautifully combined with different colors of markings located strictly on certain parts of the body. Namely - on the face, on the ears, on the paws and on the tail. Points can be black, blue or red.

This color - the result of a mutation of the gene of Siamese cats. The enzyme responsible for the production of melanin is very sensitive to temperature. For this reason, the pigment is formed only in those areas where the body temperature is the lowest.

Himalayan cats inherited calm and balance from the Persians. These are pets, for them the cozy atmosphere, peace and quiet is of paramount importance.

The constitution of these cats does not allow them to jump on curtains, cabinets, tables and other furniture. They feel great on the floor or in the chair. Nevertheless, like all members of the cat family, the Himalayans are not averse to chasing a ball or having some fun with toys.

Cats of this breed are characterized by attachment to the owner. They everywhere accompany him around the apartment, following literally on the heels, and on occasion they are always ready to lie on the lap of the owner. At the same time, Himalayan cats are not intrusive.

They have quite friendly relations with their children. Even if the child begins to bother the animal too much, the cat will never let go of its claws and will not allow itself to scratch the baby. She just retire to a secluded place.

Unable to resist this pet to another cat or dog. Therefore, letting him go outside alone is extremely dangerous. The best friend for the Himalayan cat is its owner.

Content Features

This breed needs special care. Caring for a Himalayan cat is a painstaking daily work. Attentions require:

Wool. Caring for a long-haired cat comes down primarily to the care of her fluffy fur coat. In order for it to look great and luxurious, you need to carefully comb it. Do it every day with a rare tooth comb and about 2 times a week with a comb with frequent teeth. With insufficient care for wool, it very quickly rolls into mats and takes on an untidy look. Bathing the Himalayans is recommended every month. They love water and this procedure is perceived with pleasure.
Eyes. The flattened nose, inherited from the Persians, is the cause of violation of the lacrimal canal, so cats often have clear discharge from the eyes. They need to be carefully wiped with a napkin.
Claws Twice a month they need to be cut. In the house where the Himalayan cat lives, there must be a scraper. This will help protect furniture and wallpaper from cat claws.

It should be noted that representatives of this breed are very afraid of the closed space. Closing them in a small room (in the bathroom, toilet, etc.) is extremely dangerous for their psyche.

The propensity of Himalayan cats to obesity makes the owners take responsibility for the preparation of the diet of pets. When feeding them with specialized pet food from a pet store, preference is given to premium or super premium brands.

If the cat eats natural products, then in this case it is necessary to give her additional vitamin and mineral supplements. In this case, the main dishes included in the menu are meat and dairy products.

Beef is cut into small pieces and added to it butter, cereals and vegetables. In this case, the meat component in this mass takes three parts, and all other products - one. Occasionally, you can diversify the cat food beef offal or sea fish.

From fermented milk products are the main cottage cheese and kefir. Sometimes you can indulge your pet with sour cream or yogurt (without fruit fillings). Preliminary they are recommended to be diluted with boiled water. It is not necessary to give milk to adult animals - it leads to indigestion.

The caring owner will try to ensure that the cat has constant access to fresh green grass.

Possible diseases

Features of the structure, inherited from the Persians, contribute to the occurrence of diseases characteristic of this breed. The peculiar constitution of the muzzle often causes problems with breathing and tearing of the eyes.

Occasionally, polycystic kidney disease occurs, inherited from a Siamese ancestor Himalayan cat. Fortunately, genetic tests conducted today in nurseries, allow us to identify this problem in a timely manner.

The history of the breed

Himalayan cats belong to the breed, which was derived by an artificial method of felinologists. For the first time they began to talk about them in the 30s of the last century. Everyone who hears the name of the breed recalls the highest mountains in the world - the Himalayas. However, cats have nothing in common with them. The native land of furry purrs is Great Britain. It was there that felinologists first thought about the crossing of Persian and Siamese cats. The new breed should have fluffy wool, blue eyes and a rare color, like those of the Siamese.

For the first crossing, a black Persian and a Siamese cat of standard color were selected. Nevertheless, the kittens were born with a black fur. Then the experts came to the conclusion that the gene that creates the long hair and the specific Siamese color is recessive. Years later, other scientists picked up the idea of English felinologists. One of the American breeders managed for the first time to recreate the ideal representative of Himalayan breed cats. Then the UK became successful in breeding these beauties.

For many years, cats did not want to be recognized as individuals, considering that they were just a type of Persian breed. Even now, Himalayan cats have a not too long list of pedigree documents. However, many owners say that their character is clearly different from the Persian and Siamese cats. Therefore, you can be sure that the breed is unique and deserves special attention.

The appearance of cats

They have a beautiful and unusual appearance. Himalayan cats are not large and not small. They have an average weight, and their torso is no different from any other representative of the cat. The abundance of fluffy wool creates a false idea of the size of the animal. The paws of cats are strong, low set, and the fingers are round. The head is rather large. Most of the attention it attracts deep-set nose.

The look of the Himalayan cats is fascinating. This is largely due to the coloring of the eyes. They are bright blue, well pigmented and brilliantly incised. There are no Himalayan cats with a different eye color. Their tail is as fluffy as the trunk, of medium size.

Official standard color

The coloring of these cats involves only the coloring of color-point. Any other color will already be considered a deviation from the breed data. The peculiarity of the coloring of these pets is that the main colors of the body and points must have a bright contrast, which effectively combines with each other. Points - this is the darkest color of the fur of Himalayan cats. It is located in certain areas: ears, paws, muzzle and tail. According to the shade of the point, you can determine the type of color of the animal. The official breed standard implies the following types of color cats:

The description of a Himalayan cat is impossible without the presentation of its gorgeous color. The wool of these pets is voluminous and fluffy. This is the merit of a good undercoat. It is very thick and warm. The texture of the coat is soft and gentle. On the neck the fur is longer than on the whole body. It creates the appearance of a scarf or collar.

Nature of animals

Representatives of this breed have an extremely calm and kind character. These creatures are not in a hurry, they move smoothly and love to watch people. Himalayan cats lifestyle is very measured and balanced. Sometimes it seems that with their calm they add a little peace to the active life of a modern person. The nature of the Himalayan cat is very phlegmatic. She would never run and gallop around the rooms, knocking out everything that would fall under her feet. A furry beauty will slowly walk around her possessions, as befits a royal animal.

But even such a phlegmatic creation can be made to show activity. Suffice it to pick up an interesting toy. Then even the slowest cat will jump and run around the house. That is why children are often the best friends for Himalayan cats. They quickly find an approach to these furry creatures with a good-natured and trusting character.

Peculiar behavior of cats

Having decided to start a Himalayan cat, it should be remembered that they do not like the enclosed space. Therefore you should not close the door in front of the animal or lock it in the same room. Pet will plaintively ask out and try to get out of prison. Cats of this breed should know that they can always follow their master. For the same reason, it is not worth spending money on expensive houses and structures. Most likely, the master's bed will become the cat's favorite place. Reviews of Himalayan cats indicate that this is where they like to spend most of the day.

These cute creatures just love the sunshine. Good weather will undoubtedly make them settle on the windowsill. Therefore, you can lay a soft blanket or place the bed on the sunniest place in the house. A cat will gladly bask and bask in the sun.

Furry Pet Health

Himalayan cats and kittens have good health and good immunity. However, due to genetic heredity, they are prone to diseases that often appear in Persian cats. Most often, these cats suffer from problems in the oral cavity. If you do not monitor the condition of the teeth and neglect their cleaning, animals quickly form tartar. There may also be inflammation and bleeding gums.

Therefore, it is very important to care for your pet's teeth. In addition to cleaning, you need to give your little friend a special feed that prevents the appearance of a stone. Usually its granules are larger. Gnawing on them, the cat cleans its teeth from plaque, which then forms stones.

Common Cat Diseases

From the Persian Himalayan cats got the following types of diseases:

Polycystic kidney disease. This disease is very common in most pets. If you start it, it can lead to chronic kidney failure. The affected organs are not restored by treatment, and at an early stage the disease is almost impossible to determine. On cats, the symptoms are mild. It is necessary to sound the alarm if the animal lost its appetite, its weight decreased, and blood appeared in the urine. You also need to pay attention to the state of the cat. Any health problems are always reflected in the behavior. Pet becomes sluggish, drooping, sleepy and constantly tired.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Another pathology that appears in Persian and Himalayan cats. It occurs not so often, but the breed still has a tendency to it. The disease is characterized by a thickening of the heart walls, which is fatal if not treated in time. Early detection of cardiomyopathy is easy. It can be quickly diagnosed by ECG. By doing this procedure at least once every six months, you can prevent the consequences of heart disease.

To know about the state of health, a pet must be regularly checked by a veterinarian. Only in this way can you protect your little friend from any diseases.

Cat grooming

Beautiful and fluffy fur coat is the main feature of this breed. It is not surprising that she needs special care. The Himalayan cat will have to be combed daily to prevent the appearance of mats and knots in the fur. In addition, its appearance depends entirely on the state of the coat. If you neglect combing, the cat may clog the stomach from the coat. To avoid this, it is necessary to provide her diet with weed, which can be grown even on a windowsill. It is only necessary to buy germinated grains of wheat or oats. The grass will help remove hair from the cat's stomach.

Pet Hygiene

The content of the Himalayan cats will not bring complexity to the owners. It is necessary only to care for the hair, eyes, ears and teeth of the pet. The eyes of these cats require daily care not less than wool. They must be cleaned at least 2 times a day. This is done due to the fact that their lacrimal canals work much less than that of ordinary cats. A special shape of the face is to blame. Persian cats need the same eye care. For rubbing suitable water at room temperature. You can also use herbal tea brewing.

Cats from childhood need to be taught to brush your teeth. Procedures should be carried out at least 3-4 times a week. Thus, it is possible to prevent the appearance of tartar and inflammatory processes in the gums. Pet ears also need to be cleaned. Too often it is impossible. It is enough to clean the auricle only once a week from dust and other impurities.

How to feed a Himalayan cat

All veterinarians are inclined to believe that cats of this breed will feel great when feeding ready-made food. There is only one main rule - food should not be cheap. Saving on food of Himalayan cats is strictly prohibited. Feed must be obtained after consulting a veterinarian. He will give recommendations on feeding and will tell you what should be the daily portion of cat food.

How did the Himalayan cat

The Himalayan cat is a breed of long-haired cats with color-point color. These cats combine the features of the Siamese and Persian breeds. Homeland Himalayan cats are immediately two states: the United States and the United Kingdom. Breeders of the Himalayan cats are also called point cats or coloring.

Himalayan cat is an artificially bred breed

At the beginning of the XX century, the Anglo-American breeders first tried to cross the Siamese cat and the black code of the Persian breed. From mating kittens were born black with a length of hair, like her mother. But this did not stop the breeders and they continued their attempts. In 1950, the American Margarita Gofort received a new offspring. Only one kitten was born, but he inspired both breeders and felinologists. He had blue eyes, long hair and a Siamese cat color. However, the name of the breed received only after 5 years. The British and Americans "christened" the breed in different ways. In the US - the Himalayan cat, in the UK - the Persian color-point. This is due to the fact that NCFA agreed to recognize the breed as new, but CFA did not.

Many ask the question "why the Himalayan," because the cat's birthplace is not the Himalayas. The answer is quite simple. У кошек обнаружен гималайский геном. Кстати, есть такой вид животных, как гималайский кролик. У него тоже светлая шерсть, а уши, лапы и хвост — тёмные.

Breed description

Люди, которые не имеют опыта в распознавании пород, могут назвать пойнтовую кошку персом. Действительно, у кошек обеих пород приплюснутый нос, длинная шерсть и круглые глаза. Но породы совершенно разные. There are differences in appearance and character. That is why the breed is popular.

some confuse himalayan cats with Persian

The appearance of the Himalayan cat

Himalayan cats have a large body (large, dense), but the middle-sized skeleton has a small belly. The limbs are full, short, like the tail. The head is large, proportional to the body. This cat is distinguished by a massive lower jaw, the nose is visually uplifted, and the nostrils are slightly open. The cheeks of an animal are full. The ears are small, rounded, slightly directed to the sides, but far apart and shaggy. One of the beautiful features of the appearance of this cat - large and bulging eyes. They must be blue (from the tender heaven to saturated turquoise).

Point cats have a rich coat. The undercoat is thick and the guard hair is silky, but not less thick (fur). Especially long hair on the chest, shoulders, tail and around the head.

Between felinologists for a long time there was a dispute about the color of the cat. The characteristic color of Himalayan cats is a color point (acromelanic). This is a bright body and dark paws, tail and muzzle. There is a reservation: the dark places of cats may be with stripes or spots (but these are more rare colors). In the most common variant of color, the main background is light beige, and the markings can be of almost any color:

blue,
dark brown (chocolate)
all shades of red,
cream,
red,
gray-blue (lilac),
all shades of gray.

Traits

The nature of the Himalayan cat has the following main features:

These are very gentle pets who love affection on the part of the owner and adore attention. They gladly sit down on their knees and enjoy the scratching and stroking. In this case, obsessive such cats can not be named.
Favorite attached to people, but is able to endure loneliness, so that the animal is suitable for a busy person.
Himalayan cats are friendly, non-aggressive, get along well on the same territory with other pets and condescendingly treat strangers and children if they do not overstep the line. But the pet will not scratch, he will simply try to retreat and hide.
The pets have a well-developed intellect, they are curious, they detect changes in the mood of the owner and react to them.
From the Siamese breed the Himalayan cat inherited activity and playfulness, but it contains the degree and dimension of the Persians. This is a real golden mean, so the pet will not constantly run and jump, but it will support an interesting fun game with pleasure.
A pet can be called quiet and undemanding: he is not used to making sounds without reason, and even if he wants to receive something, he will not achieve what he wants with a drawn loud meow. This intelligent animal will remind of itself and show what it wants, for example, attract the attention of the owner and sit near the bowl waiting for a portion of food.

Health status

If we study the detailed description of the Himalayan breed, we can conclude that it has good enough health. Sometimes there is a congenital disorder inherited from Persian cats - polycystic kidney disease. But the years of selection allowed to reduce the incidence rate. In addition, proper nutrition will help reduce exacerbations and achieve a good quality of life.

Himalayans lick the fur and often swallow it, and this can cause intestinal obstruction. To avoid this trouble you need to regularly comb your pet.

Another problem is overweight. If the pet is lazy, inactive and not moving enough, and also has constant access to food, it will begin to rapidly gain mass, which is harmful for the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. The owner needs to carefully monitor the diet.

How to care?

Care for a beautiful Himalayan cat includes several important points:

Himalayans are incredibly clean, so regularly change the filler in the tray and keep the bed and other accessories clean.
Regular combing allows you to remove fallen hairs and dead skin particles, as well as provide the pet with a pleasant massage. Combing a cat with a special comb should be done two or three times a week, with moulting daily.
Due to the peculiarities of the structure of the face, secretions may accumulate in the eyes, and they must be carefully removed daily, wiping the problem areas with a damp cotton pad.
If you are planning to cut the claws, then start training for the procedure from an early age. Trimming is done every two to three weeks. But the scraper is required anyway.
Contaminants from the ears are removed as they appear with a cotton swab dipped in water.
Needs regular bathing. They are carried out as the wool is contaminated - every 1-2 months. Use specialized shampoos that improve the quality of wool.

What and how to feed?

A cat's nutrition must be balanced, and the necessary nutrients are contained in an industrial specialized feed: wet or dry, but of high quality, belonging to the premium or superpremium class. Natural food is allowed, but healthy. The menu should not be fried, spicy, semi-finished, flour, fat, sweets.

The frequency of feeding kittens and waiting for the offspring of cats - four times a day. After reaching the age of six months, the number of meals is reduced to three times. Adult cats over one and a half years recommended two meals. Since there is a tendency to be overweight, the task of the owner is to control the volumes of the portions and to prevent overeating.

Recommendations to present and future owners

Finally, recommendations to the owners of Himalayan cats and those who are just going to find a fluffy four-legged friend:

Immediately make shown vaccinations and to combat parasites, use anthelmintic agents.
If you are planning to arrange a pet walk, then use a harness with a leash and choose clean places. And in this case, give the anthelmintic drugs to the animal more often. Also, make sure that he does not pick up anything from the ground.
Schooling to the tray start from an early age. But the animal is smart, so problems should not arise. You can use a cloth moistened with urine or a specialized spray so that the pet understands where it needs to fulfill its natural need.
Provide your pet a few toys with which he will have fun and frolic in your absence.

If you decide to have a fluffy and affectionate Himalayan cat, then now you will definitely get the content if you follow the above tips. Good luck and understanding with your pet!

The history of the origin of the Himalayan breed

Himalayan cats, repeating the color of the Siamese and almost surpassing the Persian in the beauty of the fur coats, at the same time they tried to pull out on two continents at once, at about the same time. In the mid-thirties of the last century, felinologists Clyde Keller and Virginia Cobb were engaged in the crossing of a Siamese cat and a Persian with black coat color. The process was monitored, and the result was as follows: all kittens were born black, but with short hair. Therefore, the genes of Siamese color-point and long hair are recessive.

The next few years there have been further attempts to breed a new breed. Already in the beginning of 1950, the American Margarita Gofort, who was purposeful in her desire, finally achieved success in this work: kittens with long hair, Siamese-colored and Persian-like were born. The breed, where the furry coat looked like a Himalayan rabbit, managed to register a little later. At the same time, the long-haired color point was also bred in the UK.

To consolidate the manifestation of genes and more complete similarity with the Persians, the Himalayan cat and the Persian were crossed. But they didn’t register a new breed for quite a long time due to the fact that cats born from such a cross did not fit into the standard for Persians.

And yet the organization CFA did not leave without attention the new representatives of the cat, and in 1984 the Himalayan and Persian branches merged. However, some breeders were against such a merger and founded a new organization, NCFA, which recognized for breeds the right to a separate existence.

At the moment, despite the differences in the views of feline organizations, the Himalayan cat is one of the most popular and expensive in the world.

Description of the himalayan cat

Today, many cat organizations have come to a common opinion about the standard. The difference between the breeds of the Persian and Himalayan cats is mainly in the length of wool and its color variant.

According to TICA, the Himalayan beauty should look like this:

Head rounded and somewhat massive, smooth in shape. With overall proportionality to body size, the head is either large or medium sized. Jaws wide, strong with a clear right bite. The chin looks strong and blends in well with full, cheeks that stand out. Muzzle himalayan cat flattened in the front and very wide, short,

Ears the animal is small and planted very widely, the tips of the ears are rounded,

Eyes very large and rounded, set wide apart and somewhat convex. The color must be in strict accordance with the standard - any variations of blue,

Nose same in length and width, nostrils strongly open. If you look at the cat in profile, the nose will be flush with the forehead and chin,

Body uniquely recognized type cobby. The musculature is well developed. The belly is round from all sides, usually of a large size. The neck is short, massive, the chest is understated,

Paws of a himalayan cat look short and even. The bone is large. The pads are round and impressive,

Tail straight and is in perfect harmony with body length. It is characterized by a very soft fluffy necessarily pigmented tail,

Himalayan Cat Wool very voluminous. Large volume is created due to thick undercoat. Another characteristic feature of the breed is a fluffy collar. Wool is long on all parts of the body,

Color reminds siamese. The pigment for which the "Himalayan" gene is responsible is manifested on the muzzle, paws, ears and tail. In such protruding parts of the body, variations in the color of the points appear due to the mutation of other genes. The most common coloring of Himalayan cats - seal point. The most rare points of chocolate and lilac shades.

The appearance of the imposing darling is very impressive thanks to the combination of long fluffy wool and a somewhat arrogant expression of the muzzle, resembling Persians.

Character traits of Himalayan cats

The nature of this pet can only enjoy. A fluffy cloud, slowly moving around the master's chambers, will gladly settle in the hands of its patron. With no less pleasure, the pet will voice its gratitude in response to the caress shown to her. Himalayan beauties do not need attention all the time, but if the pet loves to communicate, she will simply inform about it with a short and quiet meow.

These cats are more energetic than the Persians, and yet more emotional than the Siamese. The cat will surely establish contact with the beloved owner, and her energy reserves will be enough for uninterrupted play for a couple of hours. Such activity is obviously to the liking of small children. Himalayan kittens Perfectly fit into the nursery, these pets are allies in all children's games. With pleasure they will run after the ball, the sun bunny.

The peculiarity of the Himalayan breed is the dislike for closed rooms. It is better to keep the doors open or just not firmly covering them. Do not appreciate this kitty and purchased small houses. Rather, she would like the master bedroom. Probably one of the favorite places in the house will be a wide sunny windowsill. Although the fur coat of Himalayan cats is thick, but the pet will definitely respond positively to the heat source.

The mind and intelligence of the pet usually delight the owners. The kitty will show herself as a capable student: she easily gets used to a certain daily routine and is trained.

In any case, the nature of the Himalayan pet is a sample of feline tenderness, attention and patience to the rapid attention of children.

Care and maintenance of the Himalayan cat breed

Unlike other himalayan cat requires greater attention. First of all, the thick and long hair of the animal needs to be cared for. The process of combing is carried out daily in two stages. First, comb the coat with a rare comb, and then carefully comb it out with a special brush or puhokerka.

The kitten loves to swim very much, and with pleasure will indulge in washing in the master's hands. Bathing is necessary to perform regularly, not allowing salinization of the hair or its pollution.

You also can not overlook the eyes of a pet - due to the structure of the muzzle, the lacrimal tubules are less developed than in other breeds of cats. Eyes should be rinsed daily with a clean, damp cloth.

The rest of the care of the Himalayan pet is carried out, as well as for other cats - a properly chosen diet and full care of the owners.

Diseases of Himalayan cats

Breed is not considered completely trouble-free in terms of health. Himalayan cat can cause skin asthenia - a hereditary disease of the connective tissue, the skin becomes very elastic, breaks. Not cured. Sometimes there is a cataract, but it does not progress.

It is necessary to take into account how many times a day a cat goes to the toilet, since you can skip the manifestations of polycystic kidney disease.

Despite the rather long life expectancy - 15-17 years, the owner should be aware of the health of their pet and not neglect the visits to the vet.

Conclusions about the breed

External gloss and imposing gait himalayan cat It is perfectly combined with its positive qualities of character. Undoubtedly, the kitty is affectionate, loving and will be happy to receive attention from their owners, and give it back. Small children will not be offended, because one type of Himalayan kittens can give a good mood. Energetic pets like active people.

In terms of health, the Himalayan pet needs close attention and observation.

Caring for an animal is needed daily, which can be appreciated by those people who are pleased to take care of their loved ones. The breed can be appreciated by people for whom the cat is the personification of the softness of thick fur and spiritual warmth.

Photo gallery: different colors of Himalayan cats

The most expensive colors are chocolate and purple. To achieve these colors, breeders have to work hard, so these kittens are the most expensive. The color is fixed in animals at about 3 years. By this time they already have time to become adults. Cats can weigh up to 6-7 kilograms, and cats - a little easier. However, this is the norm, sometimes cats weigh more (for example, males after castration).

Animal character

The Himalayan cat is a balanced and calm animal, but this does not prevent it from being playful and sociable. With the help of its quiet and pleasant voice, cats will try to attract the attention of the owner. These animals adore their owners. And the love extends to other family members, and even to the house itself. Such a pet will be asked to hand. Sometimes the animal becomes lazy, then it goes to the windowsill or sofa.

Thanks to its sociability, the Himalayan cat will be a great friend and entertainment for children. With it, you can do anything, the cat does not scratch and hurt. Such animals usually do not release their claws, even if the child tries to tear off the tail. It will be easier for a pet to hide in a closet than to show aggression. This quality is very different from the Himalayan Siamese fellow.

Himalayan cat gets along well with children

I immediately saw that he was calm and gentle, very fond of attention and affection from people, he cannot, without his masters, he misses them when they are not at home.

Spidermen2000, forum user

https://otzovik.com/review_4354274.html

Buying a Himalayan Kitten

If you have studied the breed enough or your friends recommended it to you, you can make a choice. Many people who have decided to purchase a pedigree kitten, believe that any cat can be found on the ad, but it is not. Himalayan cats are a relatively new breed, which means such animals have not yet managed to go to the category of annoying domestic cats. Himalayan kitten can not be picked up on the street. EIf you are very lucky, you can find a kitten for those whose Himalayan cat has already lambed. But even if the baby will have Persian fluffiness and color-point color, it does not mean that he will give it to his children. Indeed, in the blood of a cat may be genes of the purebred father. Therefore, if you need a purebred kitten, it is best to contact the nursery or private breeders.

My friends had this situation. The woman was looking for a purebred kitten, but purebreds were too expensive, and the owners of the sofa with fluffy kids did not want to give in to the kids. Then she just waited. Every week she bought newspapers with ads and went to the indicated addresses. At one of the addresses they gave her a pedigree baby. He was 2-3 months old, but he already knew the tray and was vaccinated. Бывшие владельцы попросили за него всего 50 рублей, мол они просто не справляются с многочисленным помётом. Прошли годы, и когда моя знакомая как-то раз повезла кота в клинику, ей там сказали, что он не породистый, а просто пушистый. Разумеется, она его всё равно не бросила. Он и сейчас живёт со своей доброй и экономной хозяйкой.

because of the Persian appearance of the Himalayan cats when choosing a kitten, you can easily be mistaken

Criterias of choice

When choosing a kitten you need to pay attention to the following factors:

reputation of the nursery (you can find customer reviews on the Internet),
conditions of animals (in a good nursery, all animals are well-groomed, well-fed and satisfied),
the appearance of the kitten you like (it should look healthy)
documentation,
baby age

At your request, the breeder (the owner of the nursery) must provide documents for the kitten (passport and pedigree). Vaccinations must be indicated on the passport. A small hologram, a veterinarian's signature and a seal must be affixed to the vaccination mark. This is the only way to make sure that the kitten is really vaccinated. It also indicates in the passport whether the kitten has been sterilized / neutered. In addition, the breeder can be asked to show the pedigree of the kitten and his parents. Even if both his parents are purebred, their parents should also have a qualitative phenotype. If you take a kitten, the passport and pedigree must give you.

As far as I know from my experience, if the kitten is purebred, and you liked the breeder, he will offer all the documents. I got into such a situation, when in the nursery I was approached not by the owner, but by a volunteer caring for animals. I persuaded this employee to show the necessary documents for a long time, but he resisted. At some point I began to doubt, it even seemed to me that they wanted to deceive me. After some time, the owner of the nursery came and brought all the documents. So if you are refused, then call the owner or ask to explain the reason.

The age of the kitten, in which it is better to take it

The smaller the Himalayan kitten, the more it looks like a "cloud". But the smallest kittens can not be taken. Both veterinarians and breeders declare one thing: furry pets can be taken no less than three months old. And there are a number of good reasons for this:

immunity,
vaccination,
social education
psychological reason.

Feeding the mother is very important for the health of the kittens. Only a nursing cat can give your baby primary immunity. This is especially important until the kitten reaches two months of age. In the third month, the cat is immunized. In addition, while the kitten is absolutely small, the cat can teach him to play, talk and walk in a tray. The Himalayan kitten must receive these skills from the nurse, otherwise he will never learn to care for his fur coat. If the kitten is torn off from the cat too soon, then in addition to health problems there will be behavioral patterns. And also when moving to a new home, in which the mother is gone, the baby may be under severe stress. Sooner or later it will necessarily manifest itself in the character and habits of the animal.

you can not take a kitten immediately after birth

You can take the smallest kitten only if the cat is gone. Or if the cat was taken away, so she still can not raise her cub.

Himalayan pet content

Before you bring a new pet to the house, take care of the organization of its place. The cat will need a house (it can be a complex), or just a cot. Such a place to stay should be installed in a quiet, peaceful place (at least for the first time). The animal will be afraid of everyone and everything, so its shelter should seem like a safe haven. Also, furry pet will need toys, bowls and toilet. Toys and other objects for entertainment should be made of safe materials. Small parts must be firmly attached. Bowls need at least three (1 for water, 2 interchangeable for food). When buying, you need to be sure that the bowl is stable, comfortable, slightly big, but not small.

For a small kitten you need a small tray, and an adult animal is better to buy a bigger toilet. If you bought a tray with a grid, then first try to leave it. If the cat behaves suspiciously (try to remove, etc.), then it can be removed. The filler needs a large fraction. In general, on the packaging of the filler they write which cats are suitable for a particular look. Put a pet toilet in a secluded place (you can in the bathroom). And, you can also purchase a scratching post separately.

When I had a fluffy cat, I first bought a filler with the appropriate inscription. Several times she bought wood for long-haired animals. It consisted of wood pellets, each 2–3 cm in length, about 0.5–0.6 mm in diameter. The filler is very well absorbed and held the smell for a long time, but when wet, the granules crumbled into fine sawdust. All this was taken away throughout the apartment. Then I switched to artificial stone filler. His granules were heavier, so they always remained in the tray, nothing stuck to the wool.

What to feed a pet

The health of the pet and its appearance depend on proper nutrition. After all, if a cat has long hair, then it should look healthy and well-groomed, and this can be achieved only with obtaining a balanced diet. All necessary trace elements and vitamins are contained in ready-made feeds. Himalayan cats can both dry food and special canned food. However, it is important to understand that any selected feed (regardless of its value) must meet the stated requirements. Acquire food only by carefully reading the inscription on the package (expiration date, content, storage conditions, etc.).

Himalayan cats can be fed both ready-made feeds and natural food.

A little harder to feed your pet with natural food. After all, the owner will have to take into account the calorie content, the balance of trace elements and the freshness of food. In addition, the cat's menu should be varied. If you give the point cat the same thing every day, he may refuse to eat. And even monotonous food can enhance the effect of a lack of some vitamin, if it was not included in the dish. The following products are suitable for feeding the Himalayan cat:

lean meats (lean beef or poultry),
vegetables (carrots, potatoes, beets, etc.),
cereals (rice, buckwheat, oats, etc.),
eggs,
fish (boneless),
dairy products.

If you decide to feed the pet meat, then let it be boiled meat. If you want to give it raw meat, then it needs to be promoted. To do this, the product is frozen, and then allowed to thaw. In this way, pathogenic microbes are destroyed. By the way, the meat can be ground or chopped. A big piece of cat can choke. Vegetables (and, if desired, also fruits) can be given both boiled and raw. Cats and dairy products are better for cats to eat occasionally. Otherwise, the balance of phosphorus and calcium may be disturbed.

Himalayan cats can use the same foods that other cats eat.

An adult Himalayan cat is fed twice a day (kittens a little more often). It is advisable to carry out feeding at the same time, so the cat will get used and will not beg for food from the table. This is especially important in cases where the pet is fed natural food. No need to scold the cat when she asks you to have a fried fish, if she ate oatmeal. Combine less high-calorie and tasty foods with meat or fish. So the cat will be full.

Some owners feed the cat during their dinner. This is true, as if you make the cat wait and watch the owners' meal, it can become sad.

Himalayan Cat Looks

Special problems associated with the care of the Himalayan cat, the owner should not arise. However, there are some rules to follow. The eyes of a Himalayan cat are bulging, and the hair is long, because of this, the eyes may water. It is necessary to wipe the corners of the eye every day with a moistened cotton swab. About once a week you need to clean and ears (for this you need a special oil or petroleum jelly).

Himalayan cat hair needs regular combing

Combing and bathing

Combing pet will have quite often (2-3 times a week). In the summer, when the cat sheds, you need to comb the undercoat almost every day. But in general, it all depends on the state of wool. Regular combing out is necessary in order that the extinct wool does not fall down into mats. To care for the hair of long-haired cats you need several scabs at once:

brush (for frequent combing),
comb with sparse teeth (to smooth out the guard hair),
comb with frequent teeth (with its help it is easy to detect fleas),
pouhoderka (undercoat combed out as it accumulates).

If you skip a couple of procedures during the molting period, the mats are formed. They can be untangled by hands, but this is long, and the cat may not like it. There is an easier way to disentangle. For this, the koltun needs to be cut lengthwise, and only then unravel each half with the help of a comb (with rare teeth). But there is a reservation: after removal of the mats, a bald spot can remain. This is unacceptable for the cat that they plan to bid.

For the busiest owners of Himalayan cats, there is another solution - a furminator (comb-trimmer). It will cost more than any of the usual comb. But the procedure of combing, even during the molting period, will take about half an hour.

Himalayan cat may need frequent bathing procedures

Light long hair can often get dirty quite often, therefore, in addition to combing, a pet may also need water procedures. Usually, Himalayan cats are bathed once a month, but the frequency of the procedures may depend on the cleanliness of the cat (some get dirty more often). Point pets calmly react to water, so they can not be persuaded. Therefore, some owners bathe their cat more than once a month.

We, for example, bathe him once every 10–15 days, daily combing and clipping claws from a veterinarian. This, of course, delivers a lot of trouble, because it is scratched during these procedures, escapes from the hands, but such a small miracle in your home is worth it.

alinashutkina, forum user

https://otzovik.com/review_4518670.html

It is important to remember that you can bathe cats only with the help of special shampoos and conditioners. You can not wash the cat shampoo intended for humans. After bathing the animal can be wiped with a towel. And you can not rub it, you need to gently wet the wool. Some dry their Himalayan cat with a hairdryer. So much faster and more convenient, but you do not need to turn on the most powerful hair dryer the first time (the pet may get scared). You can first get wet wet hair, and then wrap the cat in a dry towel. And when almost all wool is dry, turn on the hairdryer for 2-3 minutes. The cat will remember that a hairdryer is pleasant, fast and warm. The next time the operation time of the device can be increased.

Walking the Himalayan cat is possible, but not recommended. Bright coat can get dirty on the street. In addition, outside the house a cat can “pick up” parasites, for example, fleas. In a dense head of hair such a small insect will be difficult to detect.

Himalayan Cat Vices

Himalayan cats may have the same problems as Persians. In addition to watery eyes, there may be snoring. Do not be afraid if your cat snares at night - this is normal for cats with the structure of the respiratory system. In general, Himalayan cats have quite good health and strong nerves. Of course, if you care for animals incorrectly, there may be unpleasant consequences that are characteristic of cats of any breed (kidney problems, infections, gastrointestinal upset, etc.). Usually in such cases, the host does not know what to do and starts to panic. The main thing is to find out in time that the pet is sick. One of the following symptoms may indicate a disease:

loss of appetite, weight loss,
labored breathing,
behavioral changes (aggression, lethargy, etc.),
skin problems (redness, peeling, ulcers, swelling, etc.),
heavy discharge from the nose or eyes
eyelid edema, pupil dilation, clouding of the lens,
difficulty urinating (or with blood),
vomiting, diarrhea,
Yellowness, enlarged liver at palpation.

many cat breeds have nuances in health, and the Himalayan cat is no exception

In the presence of at least one of these symptoms, an urgent need to contact a veterinarian. In addition, you need to remember that the Himalayan cats are prone to corpulence (especially cats after castration). Excess weight can also lead to poor health, so it is very important to control the diet of the animal. In general, if properly care for the cat, then it will not get sick. The average lifespan of these Fuzzies is 12 years.

Malformations

Since the breed is young, there is no genetic predisposition to the deformities in these cats. However, Himalayan fur seals may show the same defects as other cats. Moreover, some defects in point cats are more common than in other breeds. Felinologists have long been studying the genetics of these animals, but they have not found any links between defects and animal genetics. Often, due to the appearance indicators cat is denied an exhibition assessment. A cat may be disqualified if one of the following defects is present:

cryptorchidism - complete or one-sided (undescended testicles into the scrotum),
hernia (in color-point cats, it appears more often than others, although no genes are found responsible for this),
deafness,
blindness,
oligodactyly, syndactyly and polydactyly (wrong number of fingers),
"Split foot" or Split-foot (extreme fingers grow together, and the foot is split in the middle line), is common in Himalayan and Persian cats, the reason is not found,
cranial and facial asymmetry,
cavities and protrusions ("bumps") of the skull,
flat (sunken) chest, protruding xiphoid process of the sternum,
cross bite ("twist"), undershot or undershot mouth more than 2 mm,
missing or sawed teeth, constantly protruding from the mouth tip of the tongue.

a cat of any breed can be disqualified from the championship

For violations in the structure of the skull (skull, bite) is not disqualified, but can deprive the title (this is indicated by the new rules of the WCF). A controversial issue in the evaluation of strabismus. The fact is that squint for Himalayan cats is almost the norm, but it is difficult to distinguish between normal “squinting” and constant squint, therefore the judges pay more attention to this moment. In the worst case, the cat will be deprived of the title, but it will not be able to disqualify it for a squint.

I saw a little Himalayan kitten. His eyes looked "in different directions", but he was still very nice. The owner of the kitten said that this is the norm of the breed and that the look will “correct” with age.

Breeding himalayan cats

The Himalayan cat is a breed that is very difficult to breed independently, like most other relatively young breeds that are artificially bred. Therefore, inexperienced owners of such cats are turning to the nursery for breeding. If you need kittens with the same appearance as their mother, then you need to associate her with a related cat. This method runs up inbreeding (mating within a single related line). This is how the features characteristic of this family are fixed. A suitable relative can be in the same cattery where they took the cat. Often the breeder and the new owner of the animal agree with each other about this possibility in advance. Usually, owners of point cats really want to get offspring from their cat, so they think about finding a partner in advance.

Our kitten of the Himalayan children is small, she is a monopoly. And I really want to get her kittens from her, at least once more.

alex, frequent guest of the forum

http://pro-cats.ru/forum/19–715–2

any owner of a Himalayan cat wants offspring from his cat

Wherever you find a partner for your cat, you need to make sure that it meets the required criteria:

the cat must be completely healthy (it must have a passport with vaccinations),
male is purebred (should be pedigree),
the cat must be balanced and non-aggressive.

Inspect the cat visually. The owner (breeder) of the animal will not be offended if you look at the claws and eyes of the cat. You can inspect the wool (there may be traces of fleas or lice on it). Externally, the animal should look neat and well-groomed. After all, if a cat has a manicure and a freshly laid-up head of hair, then it is properly looked after (that means it shouldn’t get sick). If everything suits you, you can agree on a date and conditions. Usually mating takes place on the territory of the male. A cat is brought in for a day or two (depending on the circumstances). Typically, the owner of the cat can choose any kitten from the resulting litter or ask for the amount equivalent to the cost of the kitten.

At what age to give a pet to the first mating

Cats can be knitted after they reach puberty (approximately 8–9 months). If the cat was not sterilized in childhood, then it can ask the cat to reach this age. This process is called estrus. This is a biological cycle when the amount of sex hormones responsible for reproductive function increases in the blood of an animal.

The flow of the Himalayan cat is easy to identify by the quality of wool. Long-haired cats are “covered” with mats, as during heat, a cat can scream, heart-rending or meowing or rolling on the floor. During these "skating" wool especially quickly falls into clumps. My neighbors had a Persian cat that was combed almost every day, but sometimes it looked like a crazy ball of wool. These were periods of heat.

если кошку связать с котом раньше, чем рекомендуется, то она может не выносить потомство

Если во время течки не организовать вязку, то кошка успокоится на несколько дней. В таких случаях либо наступает ложная беременность, либо течка возобновляется. But an unborn woman suffers, so many owners sterilize their pet (if not planned kittens). By the way, this is recommended by professional breeders.

How often can give birth to the Himalayan cat

A cat can give birth in its life to more than 100 kittens. But this is if twice a year the cat will give birth to 3-4 kittens during a long life. Bred cats can give birth to 3 (or more) times a year, but it is recommended to do this once a year. The fact is that between births the cat's body must have time to recover. Otherwise, the animal will weaken, lose vitality. Tired females can be emaciated, weakened, thinner. The pet's appearance also suffers from this (painful eyes, dull hair, etc.).

The cat's body must be ready to bear healthy, full-fledged offspring. A tired cat can not cope with this task. But kittens can be several. In addition, pathological births often occur. Kittens can get stuck in the birth canal, suffocate or die inside the womb. Therefore, there is another rule: if the cat can not give birth during the day, call the vet or take a square veterinarian.

Childbirth is a normal physiological process, there is nothing extreme, nothing wrong with that. Cats have given birth for millions of years and for millions more will give birth. The first thing to do is simply not to interfere with it. Allow a cat to give birth in a normal way, even if she gives birth for the first time in her life. That is, to provide her with peace, some dark place where she will normally give birth, periodically to encourage her, to give her, perhaps, something to drink sweetie, as a rule.

Alexander Konstantinovsky, veterinarian surgeon

https://www.vrn.kp.ru/daily/25858/2826259/

Castration and sterilization Himalayan pet

if you do not want kittens, then your pet is better to neutered / spayed

If the cat is not expected to have offspring, it is recommended to sterilize it. In cases where a cat has a regular heat, but it does not knit, it can get sick. This will affect the female health of the animal. Diseases can be very different (up to cancer). Cats are sterilized so that they do not mark the territory. Males secrete strongly smelling substances that fall with urine on the floor, walls and sometimes things.

Castration is surgical, in which there is a complete removal of the organs that are responsible for the reproduction of animals. Thus, during the castration of cats, the ovaries are removed along with the uterus or just the ovaries alone (in cats, respectively, the testicles). Sterilization of cats is limited to tubal ligation, and for cats it is fraught with ligation of the seminal ducts. This operation can be performed under local anesthesia (this method is optimal).

Sterilizing / castrating a pet is possible when its internal organs are fully formed (a year and a half). Terms may vary depending on the development of the animal, so you can consult a veterinarian. In some cases (for example, if there are medical indications), the operation is performed earlier. This is usually practiced in nurseries. If the breeder believes that the kitten should not continue to produce offspring, then its castrated. However, this can lead to health problems. Due to early castration / sterilization, a reproductive system may form incorrectly.