The Himalayan is the offspring of a Persian and Siamese; he portrays aesthetic traits from each heritage. His fur boasts the coloring of a Siamese and the texture of a Persian. Keeping his coat looking magnificent requires enough dedication that in cases it's easier to simply keep it short.
A Lovely Coat
Like his Persian parentage, the Himalayan boasts a flat face and long, fluffy fur coat. This coat is typically a base color of white or fawn and offers a variety of point colors thanks to his Siamese ancestry, including chocolate, lilac and red. Keeping the coat looking luxurious and beautiful requires daily combing and regular bathing to keep it clean and mat-free. His hair can mat quickly, so skipping a day or two may bite you in the rump as you try to work out a tangled mess while your Himmy squirms and voices his displeasure.
The Lion Cut
Some people can handle the daily hair needs of their Himmy, but others find the constant brushing, mat removal and shed hair frustrating and too time-consuming. Or maybe your Himmy has successfully avoided brushing time long enough to develop tight, nasty mats throughout his coat. In such cases, the ever-popular lion cut comes to the rescue. Many Himmy owners have their cats' bodies shaved so that only puffs of hair remain on the head, feet and tail. This gives the pet a regal, predator-of-the-Savannah appearance and enormously cuts down on necessary grooming. Although you can technically figure out how to shave your cat yourself, chances are Mr. Fluffernutter won't be very cooperative. One slip of the clippers could injure your cat and make him even less cooperative. Better to seek out the services of a professional groomer to shave him properly.
Color-Changing Coats
Mother Nature is a tricky one and can cause odd changes to hair as times passes. Your cream-colored Himmy may not stay as cream-colored as he once was as he gets older. Himalayans tend to darken as they get older as new coats replace the old. Shaving your Himmy tends to speed up this process, as he's replacing his coat faster than he otherwise would through natural shedding.
Pros and Cons
As with any hairstyle change, cutting your Himalayan's coat has pros and cons. One huge pro is the less-intensive grooming routine, as you need to comb only his head and tail. A con is that he may catch a chill if the temperature drops, so have a kitty-sized sweater on hand for cooler nights and mornings. Another pro is less hair coating everything in your house. Another con: Less hair means he may be more susceptible to sunburn if he likes to lie in patches of sun.
References
Writer Bio
Jane Williams began her writing career in 2000 as the writer and editor of a nationwide marketing company. Her articles have appeared on various websites. Williams briefly attended college for a degree in administration before embarking on her writing career.