Himalayan cats: characteristics, varieties, choices and rules of care

Anyone who equally appreciates the charm of the Persian cats and the splendor of the Siamese, will find a lot of pleasure if he becomes the master of the Himalayan cat. This breed combines all the advantages of Siamese and Persians. In order for the pet's life to be long, while he himself was pleased with his appearance and tender disposition, you need to take good care of him.

The Himalayan cat, despite its “geographical” affiliation, is of American origin by name. It was in the USA in the middle of the last century that Siamese cats and Persian cats were crossed. In the USA, the new breed was called Himalayan, and in the UK, color point. And one, and another name has the right to exist.

In a mixture of Siam and Persian, the corresponding hereditary material was found, as in a Himalayan rabbit, which has light hair on the body with dark spots on the ears and limbs. At the same time, the name color-point just suggests such a particular color of the cat.

In the Siamese-Persian mestizo the features of one and the other breed are harmoniously combined. Features of both ancestors are clearly visible in the mixture. From the Siamese Himalayan cat got bright blue eyes and characteristic features of color, and from the Persian - a beautiful fluffy fur and upturned nose. The weight of a representative of this amazing breed fluctuates, as a rule, within 4–6 kilograms, although some adults have a greater mass. The breed standard involves the following features:

• head shape is round;
• noticeable cheeks;
• the muzzle is wide and flat;
• ears small, set wide apart;
• blue eyes;
• nose is snub-nosed, with open nostrils;
• strong constitution and a pleasant, slightly erect stomach;
• short legs;
• fur is long with a thick undercoat;
• on the neck is a beautiful "collar";
• lush tail;
• on the face is a dark “wool mask”.

The Himalayan cat is not a creature that will calmly endure the absence of human society. Unlike many of its fellows, this animal is strongly attached to the owners, as well as to the house in which it lives. From time to time the pet in every way will attract attention in order to receive the next portion of caress. He likes to sit on his hands, showing his friendly disposition. He really likes being petted. If you need to remind the person of their needs, the cat will not only look into the eyes and rub against the legs, but also meow softly.

Himalayan cat patiently endures the fun of children, without exposing claws and not floating teeth. This happens if only she gets hurt. If the fluffy beauty does not like something, she will not take revenge, as the Siamese, and just go to a secluded place where she will not get. In order not to feel lonely, the pet can walk "tail" for the owner from room to room. But at another time he is lazy attacking, he can lie on a sofa or a window sill for 20 hours, being immersed in a deep sleep. With such behavior, the “Himalayan” strongly resembles its ancestor in the Persian line, although the representative of the “new breed” is much more active.

A cat can play with a toy for a very long time, especially if the favorite owner is near.At the same time, this animal will never be naughty, making raids on curtains and cabinets, as well as conquering other "peaks". Cats subtly feel the mood of the owners, listen with pleasure to what they say. Sometimes it seems that animals really understand human speech.

Kittens of the Himalayan breed do not have a pronounced color. Their “color” seems more uniform than that of adult cats. The final color appears only by two or three years. The spots on the paws, tail and face are of different shades. There are Himalayan cats of the following colors:

• with cream spots on the fur;
• with purple;
• with red;
• chocolate color;
• gray;
• blue color.

Given that the Himalayan cats are a relatively new breed, finding such interesting kittens on the ad will not work. And even more so you will not meet this animal on the street. The price for a purebred kitten is not less than 10 thousand rubles. So even if you get a “fluffy specimen” with blue eyes and a thoroughbred mother, this does not mean that the characteristics will be passed on to descendants. “Not purebred” genes will still “crawl out”.

Pure representative of the breed is only in the nursery or breeders. In any case, the choice should be based on the following criteria:

• the prestige of the nursery (you can learn online reviews);
• kind of animals, talking about conditions of detention (if they are full, well-fed and satisfied, all is well);
• the appearance of the kitten (how healthy it looks);
• passport and pedigree;
• age fluffy.

It is considered the norm to take a kitten into the house that has reached the age of three months. By this time, the animals have already formed immunity, carried out the necessary vaccinations. In addition, the baby, in a certain sense, is already accustomed to everyday life, and you can also be sure that moving to a new place will not be for him a lot of stress. If a kitten, for example, is only 1.5 months old, it is taken to a new home only in unforeseen situations. For example, something happened to the mother cat.

When everything is in order, the baby needs to be with her before he gets stronger. And this happens primarily due to mother's milk.

It is necessary to take into account that in the passport of the kitten, which the breeder must present, marks are made about vaccinations of the pet. A hologram is pasted into the document confirming the fact of vaccination, and the veterinary clinic is stamped and signed by the doctor. There may also be a mark on sterilization or castration.

For a furry tenant you need to purchase items such as:

• couch or cat house;
• bowls;
• restroom;
• toys

A bed or a house is installed in a secluded corner (at least for a start), which will allow the mustache to avoid excessive nervousness while he gets used to the house and its residents. It is advisable to choose a small tray for the baby so that it is not difficult for him to climb into it. (When he grows up, you will need to buy another, more suitable size). Grid on the tray for a start, you can leave. If the pet does not like it, it is not difficult to remove it.

As for the filler, it is desirable to choose a material of a large fraction, for example, wood filler or from artificial stone. The advantage of woody is that it holds the smell perfectly, although it turns soaking into sawdust that stick to the cat's fur. With a stone this does not happen.

How the cat eats depends on its appearance and health. You can use as a ready store feed, and natural. Shopping is easier to use, because they already have all the substances needed by the cat body. The Himalayans give both dry food and wet canned food. It is important to choose the right product series. Information about whether a particular product is suitable for a pet can be found on the packaging. It indicates the composition, storage rules, shelf life and so on.

If ordinary products are used, the cat owner will have to independently calculate their caloric content and assess the availability of the necessary substances. It is impossible to feed an animal with the same products all the time - it is very difficult to include all the necessary micro and mark elements and vitamins in one dish. Moreover, if the cat gets bored with the food, it will rest and wait for something new. Himalayan cats are fed such foods as:

• poultry and beef;
• cereals (rice, buckwheat, oatmeal, and so on);
• vegetables and fruits;
• fish (remove bones);
• eggs;
• dairy products.

It is better to cook the meat before feeding, and if it is given raw, then the product is pre-frozen, and then the reverse is carried out. This prevents the cat from becoming infected with parasites and harmful microbes. Do not give your pet meat in large pieces. If you do not chop it finely, the animal may choke. Fruits and vegetables give raw or cooked. Fish and dairy products should appear in the diet infrequently, so that there is no busting with the content of calcium and phosphorus in the body.

An adult kosha should have two meals a day in the strictly time allotted. If she was fed in fragments, giving food from the table, she would learn to beg. To the pet did not feel offended, it is advisable to give him food during their own breakfast or dinner. It’s not pleasant for a furry friend to watch his host’s food when it’s empty in his own bowl. It should be remembered that in the case of handouts from the table, becoming a supplement to the main meal, the cat can gain excess weight. It comes to obesity. Therefore, such pampering should not be allowed.

Given that the cat has a long coat, and instead of the usual undercoat a downy coat, such a fur coat requires constant attention. If you do not engage in it, it will “overgrow” with mats, since the hairs on it quickly become tangled, becoming covered in fat exuded from the skin. It is ugly, and uncomfortable for the pet. If you do not comb the coat at least 3 times a week, instead of fluffy in the house there will be a sociable walking boot.

For combing useful Poucher. You can buy it at the pet store. An alternative is a comb with frequent teeth. Some owners acquire a whole set of tools to bring wool in order, including the following tools:

• pukhoderka;
• comb with frequent teeth;
• comb with rare teeth.

To make the cat's coat always look beautiful, fluffy needs to be bathed from time to time. Water removes secretions of the sebaceous glands from the skin, preventing the formation of tangles quickly. With the Himalayans, water procedures are carried out 1 time per month, although if the pet has time to dirty light clothes, it can be done more often. In the case of this breed of cats there are no problems in contact with water. Himalayan calmly perceive the immersion in the liquid.

For washing you need to use special shampoos, and not those that people keep for themselves. After water procedures, the pet is wrapped in a towel so that moisture is absorbed into the fabric. Do not rub the wool to dry. It is enough to let the liquid penetrate the towel.Then you can wrap the cat in another - a dry towel. And when there is very little moisture on the wool, you can dry it with a hairdryer.

Attention requires not only wool, but also the organs of vision of the Himalayan cat. Her eyes are big and her hair is long. At the same time, due to the flattening of the muzzle, the lacrimal canal is broken. In contact with the surface of the eyes, the coat causes lacrimation, in the corners of the "cat's eyes" pollution is formed. They need to be cleaned once a day with a wet cotton swab. This will avoid inflammation. As for the ears, they are cleaned 1 time in 7 days with the use of petroleum jelly or special oil.

The content of the Himalayan cats is accompanied by some problems. In addition to watery eyes, it can be snoring. But just such oddities cannot be fully attributed to diseases. What seems to be a breathing problem to a person is the norm for such a cat, since snoring is associated with features of the breathing system. (Although it does not negate the fact that the flat nose constantly attracts respiratory diseases).

Concerning the health of Himalayan cats, symptoms such as:

• weight loss;
• appetite disturbance;
• the cat can hardly breathe;
• lethargy;
• aggression;
• skin problems such as peeling or swelling;
• strong discharge from the eyes, nose;
• painful change in eyes such as dilated pupils or puffiness;
• urination with pain in the pet;
• diarrhea and vomiting.

Any of the suspicious manifestations is an occasion to immediately contact a specialist. And also it is necessary to take into account that “Persian heredity” is manifested in susceptibility to renal diseases, in particular, to polycystic disease.

Attitude to the breed of Himalayan cats from their owners are often the opposite. Some are completely delighted with their pets, do not rejoice at their high intelligence and beauty, while others find in them a constant source of problems associated with the characteristics of their physiology and character. In particular, many are unhappy with the rapid weight gain and the fact that cats sleep too long. Others are forced to deal with the problems of wet eyes and noses.

According to the observations of the owners of the Fuzzies, they are very clever. Some learn to walk on the toilet, get along well with other animals in the house, very mobile.

On the characteristics of the Himalayan breed of cats, see below.