Siamese Cats: All About This Amazing Cat Breed

What’s better than a friend you can love unconditionally, trust, and always have fun with?

A friend that genuinely and warmly welcomes you on sight, and tries to lighten your mood whenever you’re feeling down and gloomy.

Some sure can be messy and troublesome once in a while as others are calm, and give you your peace of mind.

Yes, I know what some of our furry loving friends are thinking but this article is not going to be about our canine companions, rather our graceful eye-catching feline buddies, specifically the Siamese cat.

With their elegant stylish shaped and intense blue eyes, Siamese cats are known by many as the prince of cats thanks to their affectionate, and playful character and spirit.

These cats are also considered as one of the favorite felines of people around the world.

Beautiful, affable, and smart as a whip, a Siamese cat would check all your boxes.

If you’re looking for a faithful companion in your cat, look no further as these fashionable felines love to play, and spend time with their families, and they always have something to communicate now and then.

In this article, we are going to take a look at the Siamese cat and everything you need to know about them. We will take a look at:

• Their Origin
• Their physical Structure
• Their Personality/ Behavior
• Their Nutrition and Health
• The Cost Of Getting a Siamese Cat
• A Buying Guide
• Some Fun Facts
• If They All Have Blue Eyes
• And More…

If that sounds interesting, then let’s dive right into it:

History Of The Siamese Cat: Their Origins

Taking the path down memory lane, let’s move on to some historical facts about Siamese cats:

To begin with, although no one is quite certain when Siamese cats were first bred and domesticated however, it is common knowledge on where they believed they originated.

It’s originally believed they originated from Thailand formerly called Siam which pretty much explains their name. (1.)

There is the ancient Thai manuscript called the Tamra Mǣo which provides an early depiction of the country’s dark pointed cats around the 14th century.

This goes to show that the Siamese is one of the oldest cat breeds in the entire world, which is fascinating to think about.

Furthermore, they’re known as royal cats of Siam.

The reason is hundreds of years ago these cats were treasured by royal families in Thailand and as such, only the royals could own them.

Due to their distinctive, unusual and beautiful appearances, it was believed that when a member of the royal family in Siam died, the Siamese cat would serve as a vessel for which the souls of the departed royals were received in. (2.)

Their role was to serve as spirit guardians and when someone important in the household died, a cat was chosen to house his soul.

In turn this was what allowed the cat to spend the rest of its long life living in a temple where they would be pampered by monks and priests which does not sound too bad.

These majestic felines were said to eat their meals of fine food served on golden plates as they were also allowed to lounge on cushions made from fine fabrics.

Cats have fine taste indeed.

These luxuries however were donated to the temple by the relatives of the royal person who had died and these were offered so that the surviving relatives might be honored with blessings and good fortune as well.

It was also believed that the Siamese temple cats were endowed with special powers which enabled them to have the ability to meditate with the dead person’s soul they received.

However, these cats didn’t appear in the United States until the late 1800s.(3.)

One of the earliest known owners of a Siamese cat in the U.S was the U.S. President Rutherford Hayes’ wife, Lucy.

This goes to show that these cats have also had a history with the White House, so they really have been places.

Lucy first had the Siamese cat as a present from a US diplomat who was serving in Thailand at the time.

In 1902, the first cat fanciers Club devoted to the Siamese cat had been established in the United Kingdom and by 1906 the Cat Fanciers Association had officially recognized the breed.

You can read about all the other cool types of cats there are here if you want to.

Their Build And Appearance

When it comes to the appearance, you could say the sophisticated Siamese cat looks like some strange mixture between an elegant dancer and a waiter’s outfit, with it’s white body and contrasting black paws.

Their piercing blue eyes also seem to stare right into your very soul, but you are only going to see blue eyes in these little buddies.

It is a unique combination on it’s own.

These animals have lovely sleek fur and their movements are graceful and elegant.

Though they are born white they later develop their patterned color with time with the rare exception of some which continue to have the white color for the rest of their existence.(4.)

For their patterned colored coat counterparts, the variety in colors is a result of temperature based pigments that stay within the point gene responsible for the color on the face, legs, and tails being the darkest.

These areas are also known as the colder parts of their body leaving the central part of their body and collar with the white pattern on it.

Initially, we mentioned their temperature based pigments and this is just a heat-sensitive gene mutation that Siamese cats have.

Furthermore, the genetic part of these felines is what defines their overall color. Be it lilac, blue, white, chocolate, and so on.

The seal point was the original and the most well known color scheme in these animals, but it is when they have white based bodies with darker brown or black paws, ears face and tail.

Now there are around 34 different known colors and shades which can all look amazing and spectacular!

Types Of Siamese Cats

There are two main types of Siamese cats which are the Siamese show(modern) and the traditional.

The two main groups can then be broken further down into nine smaller categories.

The traditional type is defined and split up into different variations of apple head.

Apple head, Old-style, and Classic, 3 types to be precise.

The Modern Siamese is split into Wedgies, Light-colored points, and also dark-colored points depending.

The smaller sub categories under the two main groups are also recognized by their different color patterns and variations, that the Cat Fanciers Association has acknowledged.

Modern Siamese

The show breed is a work of art with defining angles to it as well.

It is a long-bodied cat and also has a triangular wedge-shaped head as well as pointed ears that complement the already described head shape.

They are very skinny and slender looking in comparison.

They are more thin looking, but still all Siamese cats will weigh between 5-15 pounds on average.

They have a long and straight nose with long slender legs and a long tail that tapers to a point at the end.

Their eyes are almond-shaped and bright blue.

The Modern ones are the current show cats of our times and they tend to be lighter colored or more white which the people in Siam wrote about preferring.

White was considered to be a pure and holy color in the cats.

Wedge Siamese Cats

These ones are known for having the most dramatic and extreme body type, being very slender and long looking.

They have a very triangular head shape which is wedge shaped even which kind of explains their peculiar name.

The Wedge type has a loud meowing sound and lower tone of voice than other ones, and these are a standard in many national cat shows especially.

The ears on these cats are more forward facing on their heads and placed lower than on the traditional cat breed, which has their ears placed more towards the back of their head.

Health Issues in Modern Wedge Cats

It is a sad fact that these animals suffer from some health problems which probably have something to do with their exaggerated traits and breeding.

Pure bred cats more vulnerable and more likely to suffer from some nasty genetic problems as a result of having a less diverse gene pool.(5.)

Mixed cat breeds are generally more fit and healthy for this very same reason.

The Siamese Cat breed was once much more weaker and frail, but thanks to the efforts of responsible breeders the animals have gotten much stronger overall.

These cats are known to often have some problems with anesthesia in comparison to other normal felines and it can make it a bit difficult to do any procedures on them.

They can also have some issues with their teeth at times, which is believed to be a direct result of their narrow head shape.(6.)

Their teeth simply don’t have enough room to grow properly in their mouths which can’t be comfortable.

They also carry the gene within them to be cross eyed or having a bent tail which many even associate with Siamese cats.

They also unfortunately are vulnerable to some respiratory health issues.

Since these cats are so social and smart they can in some cases start to obsessively lick or groom themselves, similar to how an “OCD” human would act under extreme stress.

It is important to keep their special needs in mind and they don’t thrive well in crowded and chaotic places such as shelters.

Traditional Siamese

On the other hand, the traditional Siamese who is also known as the apple headed Siamese has a rounded head and chunky body with blue eyes.

Traditional Siamese cats are believed to be the original ones imported from Thailand and they were pretty common in the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s.

Traditional Apple Head Siamese Cats

It is believed that these cats look the closest to how the original cats imported from Asia looked which is fun to think about.

They have a more sturdy muscular look to them and aren’t as skinny as the other types are known to be.

Their eyes are also more round, as is their head which does not have the very sculpted triangle look that the Wedge cats are known for having.

The male Siamese usually weigh from 11 to 15 pounds whereas females weigh 8 to 12 pounds.

The average lifespan of this feline is between 15 to 20 years.

Talking about their personalities, Siamese cats are very self-assured, playful, determined, friendly, curious, and highly active animals.

At times due to their sense of wanting to be loved, they tend to be dominant about that.

How they show the love and passion for their human companions can be categorized as affectionate and loyal.

They sometimes can be a nuisance by their destructive ways but regarded by some of their admirers as the most intelligent of domestic cats ever.

Also, they like to challenge their intelligence with puzzle toys.

Behavioral Patterns, Compatibility, And Needs

As stated early on we know how Siamese cats like to communicate a lot, and this is evident when they vocalize their opinions on their food observations they make, when they come across them for example.

Not just that though, but anything they encountered throughout the day and night really as they are such expressive and social beings.

If you thought dogs were the only pets who liked to keep their owner’s company if not all times then most times, then think again because the Siamese also like to be helpful and they’ll follow you around and supervise your every move even when you are sitting down.

You could find a Siamese in your lap and later that night he or she’ll be in your bed probably under the covers with its head on the pillow resting peacefully, which can be adorable to look at.

Just like every living, breathing being that has a happy side and sad side this cat is no exception.

And due to its lively nature, a change in mood, that is, it being dull, lazy and showing little or no playfulness is a sign there’s something not quite right.

They could be signs of depression and pain even.

Despite how much they grow they continue to have that zeal and activeness they’ve always had as it is a part of their personality.

Also read: How to understand your cat.

If the need is that the Siamese cat should coexist with other cats, they should be kept with other cats that can be on the same wavelength as them.

They do well in groups of other Siamese cats or related breeds that are also as active as they are.

And as pet owners, we might not be always available to keep them company so if they have a fellow feline buddy that shares that same level of energy with them it can go a long way to increase their level of happiness and care.

When they are kept as solitary cats especially or have a sense of being neglected by their owners can have a very significant change in their mood because of how sensitive they can be.

It could lead to behavioral issues such as:

• depression
• aggression
• complete lack of motivation
• moody or grumpy behavior
• being overly spooky
• destroying things
• a lot of whining
• relieving itself outside of it’s litter box
• picking fights with other pets in the household
• scratching or biting
• or even self harm in some cases…

All these come about when the Siamese cat begins to feel unhappiness but as long it is kept happy all these problems can be avoided with relative ease.

Due to its extreme sensitivity, it is quite hard to leave it at home for the holidays.

A day with another cat or a nice babysitter, fine but if it goes on long enough problems could arise leading to it getting depressed as said earlier, and sometimes to the point where they decide not to eat till their reunion with their owners.

So this point should be taken seriously.

The best thing a Siamese cat owner could do is train them such that it would be easy taking them along on vacations and so on.

In general if one wants to own a Siamese, you should be aware that such a cat needs a lot of time to play as well, as a lot more mental and physical exercise than most of the other cat breeds.

Playtime of about 15 minutes a day with walks every second day off or on a leash, trick training multiple times a week would also be of help.

Getting those little cat obstacle courses would help them have their fun at home and make good use of your backyard so they don’t feel trapped in the home to prevent any behavioral troubles.

Lifespan Of Siamese Cats

If you are taking a Siamese cat home you can expect it to live for around 15-20 years years.

It can depend greatly on each individual cat of course and it’s overall health and genetics. (7.)

Things like if it is an outdoors or an indoor cat, and diet also have a huge effect on this.

Though, this breed of cats has been known for some health issues in the past related to their blood line, and if you are dealing with a pure bred that has inherited any health problems they will live much shorter sadly.

The majority of Siamese are relatively healthy these days though which is great.

Because these cats are so intelligent they can be trained to do certain cool things like walking on a leash and do some simple tricks as well.

If you throw a small ball for example they just might bring it back to you again.

Nutrition And Health Facts

With our imaginative minds and lots of cartoons we have watched over the years it will be of no surprise to find out most of us think all cats are compatible with milk whereas that isn’t the case with this breed of cat at all.

The Siamese are lactose intolerant and should never be given milk to drink or products such as butter or cheese to eat as they all act as an intolerant that cannot digest lactose. (8.)

So don’t give your Siamese cat any milk, it is not good for them.

These recipes for disaster, that is, the lactose and the dairy products will give them diarrhea.

When not certain of this condition for your Siamese, a little experiment with a tiny amount of milk can be conducted to see if diarrhea occurs, but it is best to just avoid it if you can.

Unfortunately, many Siamese will crave milk when they smell it but provided there are no intestinal issues then an occasional treat with a tiny amount of milk may be just fine.

It’s also a fact that Siamese cats are prone to suffering from a variety of health problems with the most common ones being progressive retinal atrophy, gastrointestinal and neoplastic problems.

Urinary tract disease and gum diseases are also common health issues for this breed unfortunately.

They might as well suffer from malnourishment due to their picky attitude towards food.

They are also prone to suffering from obesity in some cases.

They have such a delicate small frame that it is easy for them to put on extra weight.

The Siamese has long slender legs that are not made to withstand much weight and as such, it’s vital to make sure you don’t overfeed your Siamese to prevent it from becoming obese.

Mixing wet and dry cat food is a better choice than relying on only one of the two food types.

Going through a taste test with your cat is the easiest way to find out which cat foods are preferred by your pet.

Taking proper care of your Siamese and making sure it is at it’s best should always be your priority when it comes to your cat and any health issues.

Remember that overfeeding or malnourishment is also common for this breed, so keep it in mind as well.

If you’re uncertain about your pet’s health state immediately schedule an appointment with your vet.

It is always better safe than sorry.

Are Siamese Cats and Kittens Expensive?

Now for the part most of you have been waiting for, that is, the cost price analysis and buying guide.

So because Siamese cats have become one of the most common domestic kitties all over the world, it should be no surprise that they, together with their kittens, are quite affordable.

They are of remarkable beauty and their vibrant personality is something to behold.

They are just really fun and wonderful animals that are really expressive as well.

If you want to find a cheaper Siamese cat, then it is a great idea to look around in some shelters, but if you are hoping to get a pure bred show cat that maybe shows unique potential and talents you are definitely going to have to pay much more.

In the pursuit to own one or as many of these majestic pets, one would ask the question of how much they cost.

Well, there are some pointers interested persons would have to keep in mind. Siamese kittens can be found for around $400 to $600.

Kittens and young cats from top-notch breeders can go up to over $1000.

However, to acquire a pure Siamese cat the cost is above $800 and that’s even if they don’t come with a show worthy pedigree.

The prices of Siamese cats around the world are similar so a European Siamese typically won’t cost you less than an American one.

Pro Buying Guides For Owning A Siamese Cat

In the United Kingdom, the prices of these cats are not really influenced by the variety of colors in their coats.

The Cat Fanciers’ Association however accepts and recognizes only four colors as official.

They are Seal Point, Lilac Point, Chocolate Point, and Blue Point, which are all beautiful.

This kind of gives us a hint as to how much more they would cost in the United States although the difference in the prices of these cats may not be so significant.

In comparing the lifespan of Siamese cats to other domestic breeds it can be said that, that of the Siamese is shorter in some cases but that aside, their beauty, temperament, and intelligence are so worth investing in.

So if you are interested in buying a Siamese cat these feline fur balls are worth your every second of time and money.

So from all that we have gathered, we now have the common knowledge of where they originated and when they got to the Western part of the world.

There was the awareness of their physique and mutations that brought about their various colored patterns as well as their unique blue colored eyes.

Also, there was the different types of the particular breeds and their different body alignments.

Other Interesting Facts About The Siamese Cat

For someone being newly introduced to this cat or any other for that matter of fact, wouldn’t possibly ever imagine a cat could be cross-eyed.

Well, there was once a time where Siamese had crossed eyes and a hooked tail although with time these genetic defects have mostly been eliminated by selective breeding.

It was once common for Siamese cats to have crossed eyes and hooked tails.

The cause of their cross-eyed condition is also attributed to the enzyme that causes their point coloration.

We know now of course that these traits were a result of some genetic mutation but they also come with a more colorful and interesting explanation, or legend that holds that a Siamese cat was once charged with the task of guarding a valuable vase.

The cat is supposed to have been so dedicated to it’s job that it wrapped its tail around the vase and with so much intensity and concentration, it stared at it for hours rendering it with a permanently hooked tail and crossed eyes.

Do All Siamese Cats Have Blue Eyes?

Yes!

This is actually true as all Siamese cats do have blue eyes.

Their eyes can be different shades of blue, a deep intense blue color or a very light lovely blue hue as well.

But they are always blue.

Their eyes are always this cute color because they have a special genetic trait that causes a unique form of albinism in them, plus that they were bred to have them.

Now, they aren’t actually albinos, but it is related to their temperature sensitive albinism that controls the color of their fur for example, as mentioned earlier.

These cats have been bred meticulously for centuries to have these special intense bright blue eyes, being bred with them in mind and intended to have these traits if possible.

Blue eyes are recessive features to have, so both of the cats parents have to have that special blue eyed gene for their kitten to turn out blue eyed.

Pretty interesting, huh?

The Big Screen Celebrities

Another fact you might not have been paying attention to is that they are film stars.

It seems these creatures have no boundaries in what they can and cannot do.

Siamese cats have been featured in popular films in the filming industries over a long period with the likes of the 1970’s Aristocrats.

The other titles for which they graced the silver screen are the Incredible journey 1963, Bell Book and Candle in 1958, The 1939 Wizard of Oz, Bells Are Ringing in 1960, Charmed in 1998, Morgiana(1972) and have also appeared in an animated form which was the Lady and the Tramp in 1955.

The entire plot of the movie, The Darn cat, which entails a Siamese cat that helps in stopping a kidnapping is based on a similar true story that happened in the 1960s.

There were also a couple of Siamese cats that went by the name Koko and Yum Yum from Lillian Jackson Braun’s mystery novel series “The Cat Who” which consists of a total of twenty-nine books.

These feline hairballs help the main protagonist to solve a vast variety of mysteries throughout the series.

Foiling Espionage/A.K.A “Spying”

An interesting fact to add to the list is how a couple of Siamese cats took part in foiling espionage or some unwanted spying.

The two real-life Siamese cats helped in foiling some espionage back in the 1960’s which really only adds up to the aura of mystery these cats tend to have.

These two Siamese kitties which were in the Dutch embassy in Moscow, Russia started to behave unusually and reacted as though they could sense something within the halls of the building. (9.)

Their owner also picked up on the suspicious manner in which they were reacting and realized maybe they caught on to some form of noise that couldn’t be detected by the human ear.

Sure enough, after investigations took place 30 small microphones had been discovered behind the wall which had been planted by Russian spies.

How Siamese Cats Show Affection

These cats have a lot of energy when they are young especially and are very loyal and affectionate to their human.

They an follow you around the house meowing loudly when they want your attention lavished on them and it can be quite difficult at times to figure out what they want.

They can be demanding and may just want you to sit down and show them some affection or even play a game or two with them.

These are the ways that they show affection:

• They will follow you around to show affection and “do” what you are doing as well.

• They constantly try to “talk” and this can be annoying for some people, but you do get used to the meowing and if you converse back with them it can stop. This behavior can be quite demanding and often it means they want you to pat them and pet.

• They like to play so buy them a few cat toys. The mouse is very popular as they love to throw it in the air and treat it like a real mouse which is so much fun to watch.

• They like to cuddle up to their owners and because they do not have a huge amount of fur they may be cold and want you to warm them up a bit.

• These cats like to lick one another and they will probably try to lick you as well. This is their way of transferring their scent to you making you smell more like a cat to them. Licking in cats is a very affectionate thing to do as they do it to members of their own family when young.

• They are extremely loyal to their humans and family members, but they may want to go into another room when you have visitors or strangers in the house, as they do not like to be around people they don’t know. Also, cats seem to know when people don’t like them and instinctively they will keep away from those people, maybe the cat doesn’t like them either.

Showing Your Cat in Cat Shows

Many people decide to breed and show their Siamese cats and this has become highly competitive.

In order to show your cat they have to meet certain criteria.

Years of selective breeding has refined the look of the cat and the show cats have to be the best.

Male Siamese cats for breeding purposes can become quite aggressive with other cats which they perceive to be a threat.

So, it is important to keep them inside as they cannot have any scars and wounds if you are showing them.

If your cat wins a category in the cat show it now attracts large sums of prize money and the winner is often retired for breeding purposes as their kittens attract big prizes when sold.

For those who earn a living from breeding and showing cats, it can pay quite well if it is done properly.

Kittens can sell for more than 3000 dollars each,

Breeders require registration and issue pedigree papers showing your kittens genetic line and it is a good idea to file these papers just in case you want to show your cat later in the future.

Children and Siamese Cats

If you have children, Siamese Cats are an ideal pet for them.

However, wait until your children are over four years as young children do not pick up cats appropriately and tend to squeeze them.

The cat will get some peace when the children are at school.

From the beginning the child should be taught how to look after their pet, and it helps them to become responsible in pet care and to be kind to animals.

If you have two children you could get two Siamese cats from the same litter, which is great as the cats will be friends with one another and play together when they are out.

Difficulty Seeing In The Dark or At Night

They also have difficulty seeing in the dark.

“But wait, all cats are masters of the night and darkness that is just how it is! Right?!”

Well, not quite when it comes to these particular felines.

Cats are known for having excellent night vision but the Siamese can have troubles telling apart details at night and in the dark.

The very same genes that cause these felines to have their stunning blue eyes are the ones at fault for their bad night vision.

This cat breed lacks the very same “tapetum lucidum”, layer in their eyes but it is the secret weapon these nocturnal animals use to see better than us in the dark.

It is a special layer in cat’s eyes which allows more light to pass through their retinas, allowing them to have stronger vision and such.

I wouldn’t complain if I had super vision like that…

But basically, unlike the majority of their feline relatives, Siamese cats have problems distinguishing details in the dark.

Main Points:

The pigment that is responsible for their striking blue eye color is also the one behind their weaker eyesight.

The breed also lacks a layer of tissue in the eye called the “tapetum lucidum” that reflects light through the retina.

Also read: Can cats see in the dark?

Final Words

As stated above the Siamese cat proves to be an animal capable of understanding and acquiring new skills quickly.

They have personalities that qualify them as one of the safest and family-friendly pets to own at home and I definitely recommend checking them out.

Also having been in the film industry for several decades complements how talented these graceful and majestic creatures are.

Like everything else that has both positive and negative sides, the positive aspects of the Siamese cat outweigh that of the negative.

Price-wise I would say they are worth it.

This wraps it up for our piece on Siamese cats.

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