Siamese Cat Breed

Body Size - Medium
Coat Length - Short

Siamese Description

The Siamese cat has a longer, slender body, an angular, wedge-shaped face, and almond shaped eyes that slant toward the nose. This body type is the same for the Color point Shorthair and Oriental breeds, which differ from the Siamese only in coloring. All have soft, glossy, very short fur that lies closely against the body, except the longhaired variant of the Oriental. In the Siamese, the coat covering the body is a creamy golden tone and only the "points" (the ears, face, paws and tip of the tail) are colored. Accepted point colors for the Siamese include lilac, blue, seal, and chocolate. Other point colors and patterns are accepted for the Color point Shorthair, and many coat colors and variations are accepted for the Oriental. The ideal Siamese is a medium sized, svelte, refined cat with long tapering lines, very lithe but muscular. Males may be proportionately larger. A medium sized, refined and svelte cat with long tapering lines, very lithe but muscular. Males may be proportionately larger. Excellent physical condition, neither flabby nor bony. Eyes clear. Not fat. The ideal Oriental is a svelte cat with long, tapering lines, very lithe but muscular. Excellent physical condition. Eyes clear. Strong and lithe, neither bony nor flabby. Not fat. Because of the longer coat the Longhair Division appears to have softer lines and less extreme type than the Shorthair division.

Siamese History

Siamese cats are originally from Thailand, as the name implies, and are believed to have been present in that country as early as the 1300's. Legend states that these originally were temple cats and that a distant ancestor was an albino cat belonging to the King of Siam. British cat fanciers began to develop the cat we now call the Color point Shorthair in the 1940's. The Oriental arose even more recently.

Siamese Traits

Siamese cats are very human-oriented and intelligent. They are very vocal. Siamese cats are inquisitive and may become destructive if bored.

Siamese Health

Siamese cats are predisposed to mammary neoplasia when they are middle-aged to older, compared to other purebred cats. If the narrowing of the face is too extreme, they may be predisposed to nasal abnormalities and upper respiratory infections.

Siamese Summary

Siamese kittens are born white and full development of the characteristic points may not occur until they are one year of age. Temperature affects the pigmentation; cats raised in higher temperatures will have paler points than will those raised in cooler conditions. Point color also darkens with increasing age of the cat.