Siamese Cat
Origin
The Siamese is one of the most popular breeds of pedigree cat and also one of the most easily recognisable. The Siamese originated in what is now Thailand and has been in existence for hundreds of years. Legend says that Siamese cats were sacred cats and guarded Buddhist temples. Siamese kittens were highly prized and it was considered a great honour to be given one. Theft of one of the Royal Cats of Siam from the Royal Court was punishable by death. They were finally imported into Britain in the 1880’s and arrived in America shortly afterwards. The original Siamese colour was the classic seal brown points with a warm cream coloured body but breeders in the west developed more colours by introducing other breeds of cat into the breeding schedule. The original Siamese had eye squints and tail kinks which are now considered serious faults but once these ‘faults’ were so common there are fables so tell of their origin. One story tells of a valuable missing goblet and two Siamese cats who were despatched to look for it. When they found the goblet one cat stayed to look after it while the other went back with the good news. The guard cat was so worried that the goblet might go missing again that she wound her tail tightly around the goblet and held it so tight that the tail became permanently kinked. All the time she was waiting for the other cat to return she stared at the goblet lest it disappear and her eyes developed a squint. Another story tells of a princess who was so scared her rings would be stolen she entrusted them to her Siamese cat to look after. The rings were placed on the cat’s tail but when the cat fell asleep the rings fell off. So the princess tied a knot in the tail of the cat so that the same thing could never happen again.
Description
The Siamese is a medium sized cat with a long, lithe body that is graceful and elegant but still has a muscular feel. They should feel much heavier than they appear. The body is well balanced and athletic. The hind legs are higher than the front. The legs are slender and the paws are small and oval. The head viewed face on resembles a triangle tapering in straight lines to a fine muzzle. The profile should be straight with no breaks or stops and the chin is deep and strong. The head is carried on an elegant neck. The ears are large and pricked and are set so that they follow the lines of the triangle. The eyes are oriental in shape and slant towards the nose. There should be width between the eyes and they should not be deep set. The tail is long and tapering and free from kinks.
| Colour | The coat is short, fine and close lying. The main body colour is pale with darker intensely coloured points. The coloured points only extend to the mask area of the face, ears, legs and tail which are the cooler parts of the body. Temperature can affect the colour of the points. A cat that has an operation often has temporary darkening of the points and cats that live in warmer climates tend to have paler points. The Siamese is bred in an incredible combination of thirty-two colours and patterns. |
| Coat Length | Short |
| Age Expectancy | Siamese often live well into their late teens and it is not unheard of for them to live into their twenties. |
| Weight/Height Range | Scottish Folds weigh between 3 - 7kgs |
| Ailments | Siamese cats have no specific health problems and are capable of living well into their teens. From the age of about eight years it is advisable for them to have an annual health check to check teeth and liver and kidney function. |
Personality
The Siamese is probably as well known for its loud vocal personality as for its classic looks. They are outgoing extrovert and can be extremely noisy. They demand attention and to be part of the family. A Siamese is not an ideal cat for someone out at work all day as they do not like to be left on their own but this can be overcome by having two Siamese. They are highly intelligent and need to be kept amused. Toys and scratching posts should be provided for their amusement and they can be taught to retrieve toys. Siamese are immensely loyal to their chosen human and they may not tolerate rivals for their affection. They tend to settle best with cats of their own type such as Burmese or Orientals but being territorial tend to bully less domineering breeds such as the longhairs.
| Energy | High |
| Noise | High |
| Compatibility with Cat | Medium |
| Other Animal Compatibility | Medium |
Feeding & Grooming
| Feeding | The Siamese is an active cat and will require 80 Kcals of food per kg bodyweight per day. This type of cat rarely overeats and will soon tell you how much he requires each day. It must be noted that Siamese should not be fat. |
| Upkeep | The Siamese’ short glossy coat does not require excessive grooming but the cat will enjoy the attention gained from being groomed. As with most shorthair breeds the cats look after their coat very well. |
| Shedding | Little |
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