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If they've never
seen one before, people always want to know what our cats are - Siamese?
Persians? Breed History: The breed was started in 1930 by Dr. Clyde Keller, Harvard Medical School, and Virginia Cobb of Newton Cattery. They started out by breeding Siamese cats with Persian cats, trying to develop a long-haired, Persian-bodied cat with the color-points of the Siamese. They bred and crossbred until "Newton's Debutante" was born. This cat was the first cat recognized as beginning the Himalayan Breed. The breed was accepted by CFA in 1957. In the 1980's it was merged with the Persian breed, listing them as a color variation of a Persian instead of a totally different breed. Now in order to breed CFA registered Himalayans, you must have a CFA Registered Persian and/or Himalayan for both the sire and the dam. No Siamese are allowed in the breeding line. Why is the breed called Himalayan? The name HIMALAYAN was selected for the new breed because the color development of Himalayan kittens coincided with the color pattern found on rabbits and goats living in the Himalayan Mountains in Asia. In other words, they have light bodies and dark extremities, although they are born with almost white coats and develop their color points over several weeks. The darker colored ears, nose, paws and tail is attributed to the cooler body temperature in their extremities.
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