The Siamese is one of the oldest and best known breeds of cat in the world today. Originating from Southeast Asia, they are believed to have descended from temple cats of Siam (now Thailand) in the 1800s.
As well as having a personality distinctly different to other breeds, they are striking cats, with stunning blue eyes and a distinctive meow.
These cats suit many owners as they are very loving, friendly and social animals.
They love to be part of a family and mix well with children and dogs but take note – if you are looking for a quiet ‘knee-sitter’ you may find them overpowering, noisy, bossy and demanding.
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Siamese Cat Breed History
The Siamese cat, with its distinctive coloration, brilliant blue eyes, inquisitive nature and social personality, is one of the more popular cat breeds.
As the name indicates,these cats arrived from Thailand (Siam), Kept as regal pets by the King of Siam, they lived in the confinement of the palace, which allowed for the development of a new breed of Colorpoint blue eyed cats.
This types of cat is a very social cat, they are intelligent and curious and will explore every nook and cranny of their homes and surroundings, they are also very vocal with probably the loudest voices in the cat world, making noises which often sound very much like a human baby crying, owners often claim that they have conversations with their cats who often make very long speeches!
Siamese Cats Care And Needs
Siamese cats are very low maintenance, easy cats to care for, their close lying coats need little grooming, a gentle brush every few days or stroking with damp hands will remove dead hair.
Siamese Cats Genetic Information
Genetic faults which are sometimes seen are a squint in the eye or a kinked tail. These are purely cosmetic and require no medical treatment.
Faults such as these are occurring less these days as selective breeding programs further improve the Siamese lines.
Characteristics of Siamese Cats
- Siamese cats are very affectionate
Siamese enjoy being around people in general, and are in constant search for attention. They are very loyal friends, and will please your time without wanting something back other then your company.
A Siamese will sit on your lap when you sit down to rest, he will lie down beside you when you go to sleep, and will even make a good companion to you while you eat.
- Siamese cats are very intelligent
Siamese do not like being ignored or isolated, and have a very high level of communication with their owners.
- Siamese cats are very extrovert
Siamese can make a lot of noise and can become extremely vocal. They sometimes make a noise that is quite similar to a human baby cry, and that’s why their nickname is “Meezer”.
- Siamese cats are not outdoor cats
Siamese cats like to sleep in worm places. If you own a Siamese, you may find him sleeping on the television, on the computer and on top of any devise that radiates heat.
The Siamese body temperature is 1°C higher then other cats.
Types of Siamese Cats
Siamese can be ‘wedge-heads’ (otherwise known as ’show-style’) or ‘apple-heads’ (also known as ‘traditional’ Siamese).
The body, tail and legs of a wedge-head Siamese are long and graceful, with large ears on a wedge shaped head.
The apple-heads are bigger-boned, with a more compact body and an apple shaped head.
The traditional Apple head Siamese
The original Siamese was imported Siam (also known as Thailand). His face and body are round, his bones are big and he is heavy.
The traditional Siamese was given the nickname “Apple-head” because his head resembles the shape of an apple.
The traditional Siamese also have a dip in the nose that can be seen in profile.
The Classic Siamese
The classic Siamese was the second Siamese that was imported from Siam.
He is a medium-size Siamese, his head is wedge-shaped with a little bit more elongated body, tail and legs then the traditional Siamese.
The classic Siamese also has a dip on the nose, but unlike the traditional Siamese, it can hardly be noticed in profile.
The Extreme-Wedge Siamese
The Wedge Siamese is much elongated and its appearance is far more extreme than traditional and classic Siamese.
Its head is a wedge shaped, extremely sharp and pointed, almost every part of the body is slender and long: the head, neck, tail and legs.
His ears are very large and sharp, and his eyes are in the form of almonds. This Siamese is the only species people genetically modified.
Siamese Cat Colors
The coat of Siamese cat is based on the cream color and can have one of four colors: lilac point, seal point, blue point or chocolate point, and these are the 4 colors that are accepted in all associations around the world.
The color appears on the Siamese cat’s nose, ears, paws and tail.
This appearance of part creamy and part pointed is a result of a mutation of an enzyme that is involved in the melanin production, and this enzyme can not work at a normal body temperature, only in cool temperature.
The Siamese cat is pointed in his face and legs only because these parts are being cooled by the passage of air through the Siamese cat’s sinuses.
Because of his special traits, the Siamese cat actually has dark points for camouflage on his coat.
He is much less active at night then most cats, his hearing ability gets reduced in time (although most Siamese are not deaf) and because blue eyes are in lack of structure which increases blurry light in other cat breeds.
Tyndall phenomenon
The Siamese cat’s eyes are blue due to the partial albinism gene.
The Siamese has very little pigment in the eyes, sometimes no pigment at all, and the color blue is actually a reflection of white light from the Retina.
The strength of the blue color in the Siamese cat’s eyes can range from pale-blue to deep blue-violet.
Seal Point Siamese Cat:
Seal point was the first Siamese that was brought to United States. His original name was “Royal and he was not considered a real Siamese because his colors were not strong at that time.
Colors: Fawn to cream, on the belly and chest the colors are lighter. The eyes are deep blue.
Points: Deep brown almost black, nose leather and paws pads are at the same color as the points.
Lilac Point Siamese Cat:
Lilac point Siamese was accepted by the CFA in 1950, but is still quite rare.
Colors: Glacial white with no shedding, the eyes are bright blue. As a lilac point Siamese ages, his body still remains in very light colors. They are actually the lightest Siamese of all 4 colors.
Points: The coloring is very light, nose leather and paws pads are lavender-pink.
Chocolate Point Siamese Cat:
Chocolate point Siamese was also accepted by the CFA in 1950, although they exist almost as long as the seal point Siamese.
Colors: White to ivory with no shedding. As the chocolate point Siamese ages, the contrast between the body and the points gets noticeable. The eyes are deep blue.
Points: Milk chocolate brawn, his nose leather and paws pads are cinnamon-pink.
Blue Point Siamese Cat:
Blue point Siamese was accepted by the CFA in 1930 and became the second recognized point color Siamese.
Colors: Bluish-white. The eyes are bright blue. As the blue point Siamese ages, the contrast between the body and the points gets noticeable.
Points: Gray, nose leather and paw pads are slate gray.
Siamese kittens:
When the Siamese is still a kitten, his coat is pure white or cream.
In the first few months of his life he starts to develop some bright points, which become very clear when the kitten is four weeks old, then, you can know for sure what color your Siamese have.
If you are living in a country with very warm climate, your Siamese points will be brighter (again, because of the enzyme that is sensitive to heat).
Siamese Cat Behavior
The behavior characteristics of the Siamese are similar throughout the breed, regardless of which body shape they have.
Their meow, intelligence, and ability to be trained make them one of the most unique types of cats. And so should their name be. If you are brainstorming for a unique name, you can find really cool names for Siamese cats on cat names portals, such as the CatNamesUnique portal.
They are typically loyal, affectionate and can be trained, and in some ways bridge the gap between cats and dogs.
These cats sometimes get themselves in trouble if left alone for long periods of time.
Being highly intelligent and inquisitive, they can learn how to open doors or cupboards, and with their love of heights, they think nothing of climbing up curtains to see what is at the top.
Perhaps the most fascinating thing about the Siamese is their seemingly endless ability to learn new tricks and behaviors, which means life with a Siamese is always surprising and rewarding.
Just as with humans, a Siamese can be extroverted or introverted, and this aspect of their personality should also be considered when choosing from a number of Siamese cats for sale.
Look for whether a cat or kitten seems interested in human attention, or if they try to run and hide.
Struggling when being picked up can indicate that a kitten hasn’t been socialised well with humans, and may grow into a cat that is fearful of strangers.
And what a pity it would be if you couldn’t show visitors your beautiful, unique Siamese!
The average life expectancy of the Siamese is around 10 to 12.5 years.
These numbers imply a considerably lengthier probable life expectancy when compared with lots of other breeds, and without a doubt a lot of Siamese cats typically reach their late teens and early 20s.
