Himalayan Cat Food, Names, Personality, and Hypoallergenic

Himalayan Cat Breed Introduction

The Himalayan Cat or Hummy is a breed or sub-breed of long-haired cat which is similar in type to the Persian. It is attained by crossbreeding the Persians with the Siamese. They have long, silk coats originating from the Persian side and pointed colors on the ears, tail, face, and paws from the Siamese side. Hummies are known to be playful and adore the attention they get from their owners.

Origin

The Hummies first arrived in Europe in the 1900s this was after Virginia Cobb and Clyde Keeler founded an experimental breeding program in 1931. The two produced a Himalayan kitten named Newton’s Debutante. The Colorpoint long-haired emerged in the 1950s. Later Marguerita Goforth, who was an American breeder crossbred a Siamese and a Persian. The Hummies were later recognized by the American Cat Fanciers’ Association (ACFA) and the Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA) in 1957.

The CFA dropped their recognition as a truly separate breed. Their unique aspects enabled them to become famous gaining their way to England and participating in the first cat show. The extreme style became famous in the 1960s. Additionally, the first Hummy earned a CFA grand championship title in 1966.

Himalayan Cat Lifespan

The Hummies have a lifespan of 9 to 15 years.

Grooming

The Hummies have a long, silk coats that often tangle and mat easily. Brush the Hummies with a wire slicker brush and be gentle on the tummy, chest, and tail. If there are knots, use the stainless-steel greyhound comb to break them up. Hummies require bathing once a month to keep their oil under control.

Before bathing, brush their coat and bathe the Hummies in lukewarm water with mild vet-approved shampoo and conditioner. Wipe their face with a damp washcloth to prevent eye tear staining. After bathing dry their coat using a towel and brush it to avoid matting and keep the coat neat. Use a cat toothpaste and soft toothbrush to clean their teeth twice a week to prevent dental problems.

Using an ear cleanser and a damp cotton ball, clean the Hummies ears to remove wax and loose debris once a week. Every two weeks, trim their nails to prevent cracking and overgrowth.

Caring For Himalayan Cats

• Groom them after one month or two.
• Entertain the cats mostly with toys.
• Exercise the Hummies.
• Ensure the pet is healthy by having regular check-ups with the vet.

Haircut

Most of the Hummies like other cats cope very well with hot summer temperatures without needing a haircut. However, their long coats can get mats thus, the owners will shave the matted areas. Hummies with long hair can have a lion cut haircut, a Tiger cut, and an Asian Lion cut to avoid matting mostly on its body. In addition, Hummies that have fleas infestation, or have skin conditions can have a haircut.

Shedding

Hummies shed their coat moderately and highly during the shedding cycle.

Coat

They are known for having a long thick, silk coat.

Himalayan Cat Hypoallergenic

Hummies are not hypoallergenic cats due to their moulting coat. As they shed, they leave loose hair which contains dander around the house. The hair and dander contain the Fel-D1 protein which causes inflammation and asthma in allergic people. Their urine and saliva also contain the protein. Thus, Hummies are not cats for people with allergic reactions.

Training

They are easily trainable cats due to their intelligence and ability to retain information. Training provides both physical and mental stimulation. Hummies are excellent companions for elderly owners. Early socialization is required to prevent them from being shy. It is done mostly after three weeks when they are taken to parks, new places, new people, and new animals.

Have engaging training sessions to avoid distractions or boredom for the cats. Ensure to praise or cuddle and reward the cat after a correct behavior and do not punish the cat for bad behavior. Let the Hummies learn obedience skills and also command words like “high five”, “sit”, “come” or “no”.

Their owners can use a clicker to train them and also learn new tricks. Hummies can also be trained to walk on leashes. In addition, provide effective housebreaking rules, such as early crate training, litter training, and feeding schedules.

Himalayan Cat Personality

• Affectionate.
• Gentle.
• Friendly.
• Intelligent.
• Cuddly.
• Polite.
• Devoted.

Attitude

They are calm, affectionate cats, who are moderately active. They are not overly vocal but speak in a melodious tone rather than a demanding meow. Hummies co-exist with other cats and dogs if properly socialized. They do not climb on high places or leap but rather spend most of their time on the floor.

Himalay Cat Attacks Family

Hummies are generally known for their polite and gentle nature. However, in certain circumstances, they may become aggressive, particularly if they feel their personal space is being invaded or if they are unwell. If a Himalayan cat does become unusually aggressive, it is recommended that their owner seek the advice of a cat specialist.

One incident that gained media attention occurred in Portland, Oregon in March 2014. A family’s 22-pound Himalayan cat named Lux attacked them after their 7-month-old baby, Jesse, pulled Lux’s tail. Lux scratched the baby on the forehead in response, and the family’s father kicked the cat. Lux then became extremely agitated and aggressive. The cat was taken to an Oregon shelter, where it received treatment from a special veterinarian.

Weight

Female Hummies weigh between 7 to 10 pounds ( approx. 3 to 4.5 kg ) while the males weigh between 10 to 12 pounds ( approx. 4.5 to 5.4 kg ).

Male

They are more vocal than female cats and may exhibit aggressive behavior towards kittens, often by spraying.

Apart from Himalayan Cats, other cat breeds include:

Burmese.

Balinese Cat.

Ragamuffin.

Himalayan Cat Names

Hummy owners typically give their cats names either before or after adopting them. These names often draw inspiration from a variety of sources, such as the cat’s place of origin, songs, books, physical features, movies, or the cat’s unique coat. Additionally, it is important, however, to ensure that the chosen name is distinct from any commands the cat may be taught during training.

Names Female

• Chloe.
• Cora.
• Aria.
• Smooth.
• Whisper.
• Manali.
• Devi.
• Gigi.
• Akira.
• Lola.

Names Male

• Asher.
• Danny.
• Graham.
• Innis.
• Evin.
• Gadi.
• Bing.
• Amos.
• Ronan.
• Hachi.

Himalayan Cat Food

Hummies require a healthy balanced diet formulated for felines depending on their age, metabolism, and health state. Hummies that have pre-existing medical conditions will require a special diet. When feeding them ensure to watch their weight as they are not known to be active thus, they can become overweight easily. Moreover, the Hummies can feed on high-quality, dry, or wet commercial diets. Owners should feed the cat with cat food formulated to help control hairballs as they are prone to them.

Always incorporate treats during the day. The Hummies kitten can have four meals a day until they are six months old and then three meals until they turn one year old. Always provide multivitamins to boost their energy, vitality, and health. Additionally, provide them with fresh and clean water.

Favorite Food

Himalayan Cat Colors

They come in a wide range of colors including White to fawn body with color points that include cream tortie, chocolate, lilac-cream, , seal, and red. The Lynx color is available in seal lynx, blue lynx, red lynx, cream lynx, tortie lynx, blue-cream lynx, chocolate lynx, and lilac lynx.

Brown

Hummies that have a chocolate color are an ivory shade with milk chocolate-colored points. These cats contain bright blue eyes that are a contrast to their legs and face.

Himalayan Cat White

The Hummies are not white but they have a cream color. Their coats are white like frothed milk and point only a touch darker in a buff or custard shade. They also have cloral or flesh noses, paw pads, and vibrant blue eyes.

Black

Hummies do not have an all-black cat. However, their fur can have 20 different color combinations. They are known to have light-colored bodies and dark extremities called points on ears, legs, feet, tails, and faces.

Himalay Cat Tortie Point

A Tortie Point Hummies is a cat that has pale fawn to creamy white and seal brown points. These points also contain cream or red patches. Furthermore, they can have their noses and paw pads either coral pink or seal brown and deep blue eyes.

Grey

Hummies are available in grey color on their bodies. They also have greyish paw pads and noses.

Himalay Cat Seal Point

Hummies with the Seal Point coat mostly attain it from their breeding parents Siamese. They have cream-colored or pale beige base color, with dark brown, almost black points. Also, their nose and paw pads are dark brown.

Blue Point

Blue Point Hummies are cats with a bluish-grey body coat color. These cats have darker shades of blue and their nose, eyes, and paw pads are blue. They also have sapphire blue eyes.

Flame Point

Red or Flame-colored Hummies have a creamy base color with orange or red points. This color will vary in various cats as it may be darker or lighter. They will have a coral pink nose and paw pads. Moreover, they have penetrating blue eyes and soft, light coats.

Lynx Point

Lynx Point for Hummies is known to be a unique colored cat that has a purple-white color with grey-pink points. They contain a distinction between their body color and their point color. However, they contain lavender-pink color nose and paw pads. The Lynx color is available in seal lynx, blue lynx, red lynx, cream lynx, tortie lynx, blue-cream lynx, chocolate lynx, and lilac lynx.

Lilac Point

Lilac Hummies have an icy white body and points of pale but warm gray. They are known to be the rarest colors of all the Persian coats. Moreover, they have blue eyes and delicate lavender pink nose and paw pads.

Himalayan Cat Types

The Hummies are available in Long Haired Coat type.

Short Hair

The have long hair on the body.

Long Hair

The Hummies that have long-haired coats inherited the coat from their breeding parents the Persian cats. Their bodies including the tail, ear, and toe tufts have long hairs. These cats are almost identical to Persians except that they have brilliant blue eyes and the colorpoint markings of a Siamese. Moreover, some registries can classify the Hummies as a long-haired sub-breed of Siamese, or a colorpoint sub-breed of Persian.

Persian Himalayan Cat

Blue Eyes

The Pointed Hummies have Blues Eyes.

White Cat With Blue Eyes

A white Hummy will have brilliant blue eyes and pinkish nose and paw pads.

Tail

Hummies have a short tail that is fluffy and proportion to its body length.

Himalayan Cat Doll Face

Doll Face is a type of Hummie that has a cat-shaped head with a rounded shape. They come in two types – “Doll Face” and “Peke Face”. While both types have a rounded head, the “Peke Face” has more squished facial features compared to the “Doll Face”

Siamese Himalayan Cat

Siamese Cats are crossbred with Persians to come up with Himalayan Cats. The Siamese cats originated from Thailand and were a popular breed in Europe and North America in the 19th century. Moreover, they are known for having a distinctive colorpoint coat, resulting from a temperature-sensitive type of albinism.

Ragdoll Himalayan Cat

These are two different cat breeds with Ragdolls been purebred while Hummies are hybrid cats. The Ragdoll is a large breed of cat known for its distinct colorpoint coat and blue eyes. It also contains a semi-long and silky soft coat. The two can be crossbred to produce highly social cats but will also need high coat maintenance.

Kitten

Himalayan Cat Price

Frequently Asked Questions:

How Long Do Himalayan Cats Live

Hummies have a lifespan of 9 to 15 years.

What Is Himalayan Cat

Himalayan Cats or Hummies are hybrid cats that are created by crossbreeding a Persian with the Siamese. These cats have a lifespan of nine to 15 years and have long, silk coats originating from the Persian side and pointed colors on the ears, tail, face, and paws from the Siamese side. Hummies are selective and will enjoy lying on owners’ laps but will act reserved around guests.

Are Himalayan Cats Friendly

Yes, they are friendly cats with everyone and children who can respect their boundaries if they are socialized and trained early.

How To Groom A Himalayan Cat

• Brush their coat three times a week with a wire slicker brush.
• Bathe the Hummies once a month with lukewarm water with mild vet-approved shampoo and conditioner.
• Wipe their face with a damp washcloth.
• Brush their teeth twice a week using a cat-formulated toothpaste and toothbrush.
• Clean their ears with cotton balls and ear cleanser once a week.
• Trim their nails after every two weeks.

Do Himalayan Cats Shed

Yes. They have a long dense, long, silk coat that they mostly shed during seasonal changes.