The First

48 HOURS

The First Few Days – Make the transition easy for your new kitten with these helpful tips;

·       The first thing to do when you bring you kitten home is to show it where the litter box, food, water dish, bed and scratching post are in your home.

·       IF there are children in the home, especially small children, introduce your kitten to them gradually, for short periods of time.

·       Teach your children the correct way to handle the kitten.

·       If there are other pets in the home, introduce them to your kitten with care and caution. Do not leave them alone together until you are sure they are friends.

·       You may want to keep your kitten in the bathroom or in another secure room for the first few nights.  This will become a safe place for your kitten.

 Feeding Tips – Kittens have different nutritional needs from an adult cat.

·       Consistency – Feed your kitten the same food everyday.

·       Choose a quiet place for feeding that is in an area away from foot traffic, noise and the litter box.

·       Fresh drinking water should be available at all times of the day.

Litter Training Tips – You may find that your kitten’s mother has already trained him to use a litter box. If not, it’s a relatively easy task.

·       Make sure the kitten has immediate access to his litter box and that he can climb in and out without assistance.

·       Place him in the litter box when he wakes up, after meals or any other time he shows signs of needing you use the litter box.

·       When he uses the litter box successfully, praise your kitten to reinforce his behavior.

Kitten proofing your home- Create a safe and friendly environment for your new kitten.

·       Be sure that all cords are put up and not dangling so that the kitten is not tempted to use them as a toy.

·       Keep toilet lids down. The kitten may play in the water and the lid could close trapping the kitten inside.

·       Check before starting the car engine. Kittens love to crawl up under the hood of a car to keep warm, especially during the cooler months.

·       Remove poisonous house plants, or keep them out of reach. A list of poisonous plants can be obtained from the CFA website (www.cfa.org).

·       Make sure all hazardous household items are securely stored away.

Supplies you will need – To properly care for your kitten you will need certain basic supplies.

·       Food & water bowls

·       Litter box & filler (litter)

·       Scratching post

·       Bed

·       Collar w/ your name and telephone number on it in case your kitten escapes.

·       Grooming brush & comb

·       Carrier

·       Safe and appropriate toys

 ** The above has been adapted from the Purina and the Cat Fanciers Association.

BREED INFORMATION

Description (From the CFA website)

The Himalayan has the stocky body type, long hair, and placid temperament of the Persian, but has the pointed pattern of the Siamese. The breed started in the 1930s when breeders wanted to blend the body type of the Persian cat with the striking color point markings of the Siamese.

Himalayans are docile, gentle cats, though they do enjoy play. "Docile" does not mean "inactive"! Their coats are long, luxuriant, and mat easily. Daily grooming is required to keep their coats free of painful mats.

COLORS AND PATTERNS

Himalayan cats come in many different colors ranging from seal, blue, chocolate, lilac, flame, tortie, blue-cream, cream and lynx point.

Chocolate is a recessive and in its homozygous state produces chocolate and lilac. In other words, both parents must carry the recessive gene for chocolate in order for any of their progeny to show the color. If the recessive color factor is inherited from both parents, the cat will show chocolate. If the recessive color factor is inherited from only one parent, the cat will be heterozygous for chocolate, carrying the chocolate factor invisibly and showing the colors of the dominant genes. These cats are known as chocolate "carriers."

The flame points and the tortie points have always been the darlings of the Himalayan world. With the contrast between the blue eyes and stark white coat of the flame point and the wonderful mottled patterns that can be presented in the tortie point, these are VERY striking colors. In addition, the tortie and flame points are known for their "special" personalities which we blame on the "red" factor in their genetic makeup.

The cream points and the blue-cream points are the dilute versions of the flames and torties. The cream points and the blue-cream points can be very striking with their softness of color, and often have a much clearer coat than their dominant relatives.

Last, but not least, come the lynx points, which are currently the most sought-after colors. The lynx points have striped or tabby points which separate them from other colorpoints. These colors are the result of the combination of the dominant agouti (tabby) gene and the recessive melanin-inhibiting gene of the Himalayan color pattern.

PERSONALITY

For the most part the Himalayan is not a hyperactive cat; that is to say, they are not moving all the time. They like to play and they are active, but they like their lap time and prefer to be doing whatever you are doing! The best way to describe colorpoint Persians is to say they are "people oriented." They like their people! Himalayans will often attempt to "help" you do whatever it is that you are doing, whether it is reading the paper, making the bed or typing on the computer. They ARE in the middle of all of your activities, and they express themselves with a wonderful melodious voice. All they ask of us is our complete devotion!

CARE AND MAINTENANCE

As with any longhair cat, the Himalayan requires grooming maintenance. The Himmy should be groomed on a daily basis, and weekly baths are not uncommon in many catteries. For the most part Himalayans have been groomed and bathed since they were young kittens so they agree to the process without too much complaining.

 ** The above was adapted from the CFA website.