The Colourpoint Longhair or  Himalayan (nicknamed "Himmy" by his fanciers) is a man-made cat breed, which breeding programme started simultaneously in Great Britain and North America, by two independent breeders in the 1930s. The objective was to develop a cat with the Persian coat and body type and the Siamese colour pattern. The breeding programme consisted of crossing a Persian with a Siamese to obtain the colourpoint gene and than mating back the offspring to Persians to retain the Persian stockier appearance and long coat. The result of these experiments are cats with the Persian physical conformation and the Siamese colour. In North America the breed was named after the colour pattern found on goats and rabbits native to Himalayan Mountains while in Europe they are designated as Colourpoint Longhairs. Himalayans, or Colourpoint Longhairs, are considered by some just a variety of the Persian while others recognize them as a separate breed. From their ancestry Himalayans gained the intelligence, the contrasting point colour and the dazzling blue eyes of the Siamese and the silky flowing coat and even-tempered nature of the Persian, a combination of beauty and sweet personality that makes this breed a regal pet.

The Colourpoint Longhair, or Himalayan, is a man-made cat with the Persian body type and his long, silk hair, and the beautiful blue eyes and colour pattern of the Siamese. It is a dazzling breed, graceful and elegant, with a "fluffy" appearance. The body is medium to large, heavily boned, short-coupled, with a broad and deep chest and back level. The legs are heavily boned, short and thick and the paws are large, round and firm with five toes in the forelegs and four in the hindlegs. The forelegs slant inward very slightly. The head is round and massive set on a short, thick neck and with full and proeminent cheeks and a well-developed chin. The nose is as broad as long with a break.The blue eyes are large and round in shape and set wide apart, lending the animal a sweet expression. The small, round-tipped ears, are set low and far apart but not unduly open at the base and tilt forward always maintaining the rounded contour of the head.The tail is short and straight and is carried at an angle lower than the back. The fine texture, glossy coat is long, thick and flowing, standing off from the body. The body colour ranges from almost white to pale cream with darker points on the mask, ears, legs and tail. Points come in seal, chocolate, blue, lilac, flame, cream, tortie and blue cream points (including the chocolate & lilac versions) and all colours of tabby (lynx) points.

The Colourpoint Longhair , or Himalayan,  is a gentle good-tempered and outgoing cat, very amenable to handling. Playful as kittens, Hymmies become more reserved as they mature, although they are not inactive and enjoy playing through adulthood. They have a sweet, chirpy voice and are very affectionate towards their owners, very good with children and with other pets. Himalayans adapt easily to new environments, but need to feel safe in a calm environment which makes them excellent apartment cats. Besides, due to their beauty they should be kept indoors. Their quite, docile temperament makes them an ideal companion for the elderly and children.