The Himalayan originated in the United States in the 1920's, but it did not truly achieve success until the 1950's.

The Himalayan also know as the 'Colorpoint Longhair' or 'Himalayan Persian' is like other Persians in that they are very lovable, gentle, and affectionate. They are intelligent and very playful as well as outgoing and demanding. Himalayans are often known to follow their owners around the house reporting to them their activities of the day in a series of meows. These cats are not to be confused with the Siamese. While they possess the pointed markings of a Siamese they are a Persian and maintain a Persian temperament, not the temperament of a Siamese. One might wonder why it was not named the 'Siamese Persian' since its coloring so closely resembles those cats originating in Siam. There are several types of animals with pointed coloring, such as goats and rabbits that are found in Asia near the Himalayan Mountains, thusly this coat pattern is also Himalayan and does not belong exclusively to the Siamese. Like the Siamese, the Himalayan can be a very vocal cat. The are very communicative and will let you know with a few meows that dinnertime has arrived! Don't worry, their voice is much more similar to that of a Persian than that of a Siamese. These cats adapt well to different environments and are well suited for a variety of homes. They get along well with people and other animals. Since they are of fairly quite disposition they do best in a home without too much confusion and noise.

The Himalayan has a long thick coat with a dense undercoat that requires daily brushing. If you do not intend to brush your Himalayan daily, you should choose another breed. They are very prone to matting and hairballs if not groomed daily. If groomed daily their gorgeous coats will shine. Acceptable colors for the Himalayan coat are seal, blue, lilac, cream, chocolate, choc/tortie lilac/cream, red and blue cream points. Himmies may also have all point colors in a "lynx" pattern; this is sometimes called "tabby". They have brilliant round blue eyes that sparkle with their pleasant demeanors. The Himalayan kitten, like the Siamese, is born white, with its points developing as they mature. The average Himalayan litter is about 4 to 6 kittens. This is a large densely boned cat. They are fairly short, stocky, and heavy. This is not a small cat. They have small ears, which rest atop a round broad head.

The Himalayan is prone to matting because of its thick undercoat. In order to prevent uncomfortable knots and mats the Himalayan must be brush and combed daily. In addition, their white coats may need monthly bathing.

Similar to Persians this breed is also prone to polycystic kidney disease, entropion, cherry eye, seborrhea, dental malocclusions, constricted nostrils and tear overflow.

Breeding Himalayans is not easy. They are known for having small litters and sometimes one kitten may be born unhealthy. This may be due to that fact that some Himalayans may carry a genetic disorder that prevents the bone marrow from producing enough red blood cells to carry oxygen. It is important to carefully select cats to be bred for this reason.