Himalayan Persian Cat Colors

While the Himalayan is considered a separate breed by some cat registries, in the United States, the Cat Fancier's Association categorizes the Himalayan as a part of the Persian breed. It is the only Persian to exhibit points (pale body coat with darker extremities) like Siamese cats. The point patterns of Himalayan Persians consist of the ears, legs, feet, tail and mask. Each point pattern has a preferred corresponding color for nose leather and paw pads. For purists, the breed standard for Himalayan Persians disqualifies white toes and any eye color other than blue.

There are 21 point color patterns in the Himalayan and Himalayan lynx divisions of the Persian cat breed. The Himalayan point pattern is defined by a clear-colored body and points, while the lynx point pattern exhibits a clear-colored body with tabby stripes in the points. The lynx point pattern is rather rare, featuring a mask with vertical stripes that form an "M" on the forehead and light rings encircling each eye. The legs are barred in equally-spaced bracelets, and lynx-like ticking is noticeable on the outer ear. Both the Himalayan and the lynx point patterns must produce a distinct contrast between body color and point color.

Chocolate points feature rich, milk-chocolate points with cinnamon-pink nose leather and paw pads. Seal points have deep, seal-brown points and a warm-toned pale cream to fawn body color that gradually blends into a lighter color on the chest and stomach. The nose leather and paw pads are seal brown. Cream points have creamy white bodies with buff-cream points and flesh to coral-pink nose leather and paw pads.

Lilac points have glacial-white body color with frosty, pinkish-gray points and lavender-pink nose leather and paw pads. Blue points have a cool, bluish-white body color, silvery-blue points and slate-blue nose leather and paw pads.

Chocolate points feature rich, milk-chocolate points with cinnamon-pink nose leather and paw pads. Seal points have deep, seal-brown points and a warm-toned pale cream to fawn body color that gradually blends into a lighter color on the chest and stomach. The nose leather and paw pads are seal brown. Cream points have creamy white bodies with buff-cream points and flesh to coral-pink nose leather and paw pads.

Lilac points have glacial-white body color with frosty, pinkish-gray points and lavender-pink nose leather and paw pads. Blue points have a cool, bluish-white body color, silvery-blue points and slate-blue nose leather and paw pads.

Flame or red points feature creamy white bodies and deep orangey-red to deep red points with flesh to coral-pink nose leather and paw pads. Tortie points are creamy white to pale fawn with patches of red or cream. Their paw pads and nose leather can be either seal-brown or coral-pink.

Chocolate-tortie points have an ivory body with chocolate points and unbrindled patches of red or cream. Their nose leather and paw pads are cinnamon-pink or coral-pink. Lilac-cream points feature a glacial-white body, lilac points with patches of cream, and pink or lavender-pink nose leather and paw pads. Blue-cream points have a bluish-white or creamy white body and blue points with patches of cream. Nose leather and paw pads are slate-blue or pink.

Himalayan lynx point color patterns are much the same as the Himalayan point, with a clear-colored body color and respective color points, but include tabby stripes in darker hues of the points. So, for example, chocolate lynx points have dark chocolate tabby markings, cream lynx points have dark cream tabby markings and lilac lynx points have dark lilac tabby markings.