Siamese Cat Breed

Siamese cats are one of the most popular cat breeds in the world. It is believed that they have their origin in Thailand, where they were treated as sacred temple cats. At that time, Thailand was known by the name of 'Siam' and these cats were one of the native breeds called Wichien-maat, which means 'moon diamond'. The name 'Siamese' is derived from the place of their origin - Siam.

History of Siamese Cats

The history of Siamese cats can be traced back to the seventeenth century, as there is mention of this breed in the 'Cat-Book' poems (believed to be written in the 1700s) of Thailand. There is no information regarding the origin of these cats. Till the 1800s, this cat breed was confined to the country of Thailand, but in 1884, the British Consul-General in Bangkok, Edward Blencowe Gould brought a breeding pair of Siamese cats to the United Kingdom, as a gift for his sister. After a gap of six years, the American Consul in Bangkok gifted a Siamese cat to the then U.S. President Rutherford B. Hayes in 1878, and this cat is believed to be the first of its kind in America. These cats fetched many admirers in both countries, which resulted in the import of this breed in large numbers to the United States and the United Kingdom. These cats formed the base breeding pool for the further generations of Siamese cats. Over the years, many people across the world, adopted these cats and selective breeding resulted in two types of Siamese cats - the modern 'show-style' Siamese, and the 'traditional' Siamese.

Physical Features

A modern Siamese cat has a sleek muscular body with long slender legs and triangular-shaped head. Their deep blue eyes are almond-shaped and slanted. They have a thin snout, a long and thin neck and large pointed ears. The hair of these cats are short and soft and they are characterized by the pointed color scheme. This color scheme is due to the mutation in an enzyme called tyrosinase, which results in darker colors in the cooler parts of the body. The Siamese cats have dark color in the face, ears, toes and tail. Even though, the kittens of these cats are cream or white-colored at birth, they develop dark points within few months from the date of their birth. They become darker as they grow and those living in cold climates are much more darker than their counterparts living in warmer climates.

Originally, the color of their coat included dark brown with black points (seal point), cool gray points (blue point), chocolate points and lilac points. Later, many color combinations and patterns were introduced with the help of breeding programs. The original breed of Siamese cats were cross-eyed and had kinked tails. These features were eliminated through selective breeding and most of the present day Siamese cats lack these traits.

The traditional Siamese, also known as classic or old style, is said to have the looks of the original breed, which was imported from Siam, during the last half of the nineteenth century. These cats have round head, muscular and compact body, round cheeks, short snout and high ears. They have brilliant blue eyes, which are almond-shaped and are medium to large in size. The most characteristic feature of these cats is the striking contrast between the points and the body color.

Behavior and Lifespan

Siamese cats are said to be the most intelligent among cat breeds. They are loved for their playful and affectionate nature. These cats are very sociable, need human company and demand attention. They are attached to their owners and cannot easily get adapted to new environment and strangers. They have a loud voice, which is similar to the cries of a human baby. These cats have a good lifespan, as compared to other cat breeds. They have a life expectancy of up to 20 years.

A Siamese cat is a perfect choice for any cat lover. You too can become the proud owner of this loyal and affectionate cat.