Understanding what having a longhaired cat will mean is the most important step to picking a breed. If you or anyone in the house suffers with allergies then these breeds are most likely to aggravate these allergies and may not be suitable. If you also find having cat hair on the furniture irritating, then again these breeds may not be for you.
The other main thing to understand about most of the longhair breeds is that they do need grooming. This can be as much as every day for breeds such as the Persian to once a week but without extra care, their coats will become knotted and snarled. So remember when selecting one of the breeds that you will need time to care for them more so than for shorthair breeds.
Persian
The Persian is probably the cat that comes to mind when someone mentioned longhaired cats. These beautiful cats have the longest hair and need the most grooming to keep their coats in good condition. Persians also need a little extra care as they are prone to problems such as weeping eyes and most breeders learn their cats to have a bath from a young age to help maintain their coats. On the turn side, Persians are one of the calmest breeds of cat, highly affectionate and adoring of their owners. They like to be with people and are not well suited to being left all day alone.
Maine Coon
The Maine Coon is the largest breed of domestic cat and one of the oldest natural breeds. It was introduced to the US, despite its name, possibly on the ships that carried European settlers across the Atlantic Ocean, where it worked as ships cats. These cats are longhaired but don't need the level of grooming that the Persian does. They are described as gentle giants - very intelligent, easy to train, loyal to their family, and watchful of strange people. They aren't lap cats but love to play and retain a kittenish personality through their lives.
Balinese
The Balinese is also known as the longhaired Siamese as it is a longhaired cat that has the pointed coat pattern associated with the Siamese breed. This means their coat is largely a light colour with dark points at the feet, face and ears and tail. Despite their name, they don't come from Bali but were imported to the US and UK from Thailand. Their personality is much like the Siamese to whom they are so closely related. They are social and playful cats that vocalise their feelings a lot though are quieter than the Siamese is. They are very acrobatic in their play and are very affectionate with their owners, enjoying a lot of close contact.
Himalayan
The Himalayan is also called the Colorpoint Persian and is across of the Persian with the Siamese that results in a very longhaired cat with the Siamese pointed markings. They have the cobby body and short legs of the Persian with the coat markings of the Siamese. Their temperament favours the Persian side of their heritage, being very sociable and making excellent companions. They are more active than Persians are and like to play, fetching balls of paper or playing with toys. They need human companionship and aren't well suited to being left along for long periods of time.
Conclusion
If you have the time and patience to offer a longhaired breed the care and attention they need, these breeds will lavish their love and attention on you in return. While Persians and their sub-breeds do have some health issues associated with them, work by dedicated breeds is also greatly reducing these problems and are becoming ever less frequent.
