Siamese Cat

The Siamese is not only one of the most ancient breeds but also unique because its dark coat markings change based on its temperature. This results from a temperature-sensitive enzyme that paints the cooler parts of the cat’s body dark – a real masterpiece of Mother Nature!

Famous for its piercing eyes and striking color points, this breed is also incredibly social and intelligent. Now, let’s learn more about these unique felines.

History of Siamese Cats

It’s believed that Siamese cats first appeared in Siam's ancient Asian land (nowadays Thailand), and that’s how the breed got its name. According to The International Cat Association (TICA), manuscripts from Siam's ancient capital first mentioned the Siamese around 1350.

In Siam, the stunning cats were exclusive to the royal family and the higher class. It was a great honor to receive a Siamese kitty and the theft of one was punishable by death. It’s also said that the Siamese cats guarded the sacred Buddhist temples.

The Siamese were noted for their crossed eyes and kinked tails at the time. The legend goes that this happened because the cats of Siam - pets of the king of Siam himself – had to guard the royal goblet. The felines stared at the goblet and wrapped tails around it with such intensity that their eyes crossed and their tails bent. 

These Siamese cat characteristics were selectively bred out over time, although some Siamese still have crossed eyes and kinked tails. Unfortunately, today cats with crossed eyes and visible tail faults are disqualified at TICA shows.

The beautiful felines lived in Siam for hundreds of years before being transported to Great Britain in the late 1800s. According to the New York Times, in 1871, Siam's King Chulalongkorn sent some Siamese breed cats to Europe as emissaries presenting his kingdom. Other sources say that one of the first to take Siamese to Europe was the British consul in Bangkok, Mr. Owen Gould, who brought a pair of cats for his sister – Mrs. Veley. She later co-founded the Siamese Cat Club.

It’s also known that in 1871, the Siamese cats made their European debut at the Crystal Palace Cat Show in London. In 1879, the first Siamese arrived in the United States as a gift from a US diplomat in Bangkok to the wife of President Rutherford Hayes. In the western hemisphere, the Siamese breed was known as “The royal cats of Siam” or the “Temple cats.”

Unique coat and colors of Siamese cats

The Siamese coat is known as “pointed” because it has darker points on the ears, mask, legs and tail, in other words, on the extremities. These points may come in different colors, including seal, lilac, red, silver, chocolate and blue. Thus, chocolate-point cats are those with light brown markings on the extremities, and blue-point cats have blue-grey extremities.

These unique coloration points are temperature-sensitive and result from the mutation of the enzyme tyrosinase. This enzyme is essential to producing melanin, responsible for hair and skin color.

In Siamese cats, the mutated enzyme tyrosinase is less active when the cat’s body temperature is higher – so in the warmer parts of the body, the fur color is lighter as melanin is not produced. On the opposite, in the cooler parts of the body – the extremities such as the ears, tail and paws – the enzyme is active and melanin is produced, so the coat is dark. 

It’s interesting that Siamese kittens are cream or white at birth. They develop visible points in the colder parts of their bodies with time. Usually, when a kitten is four-weeks-old, the points are distinguishable, and a person can recognize the kitty’s color. 

Physical characteristics of Siamese

The most noted characteristics of Siamese cats are the expressive eyes (blue or emerald green) and the contrast between those eyes and the “pointed” coat.

Today, however, two kinds of Siamese exist due to years of selective breeding. The first kind is the traditional (apple-headed) Siamese and the second – is the modern (wedge-headed) Siamese.

The first one has a round head and looks like the Siamese cat originally imported from Siam. This cat has a sturdier build and eyes shaped like almonds in the top half and rounded in the bottom half. There is a slight break in the nose, the ears are medium-sized and the muzzle is blunt but not short.

The wedge-headed Siamese kitty resulted from the breeders’ intent to encourage an elongated look, which emerged in the 1950s and 1960s. The modern Siamese has a triangular or wedge-shaped head, from which the breed gets one of its nicknames – Wedgies.

The modern Siamese cats have large, triangular ears set far apart and slightly slanted blue eyes. They have a long, slender, tubular body with long legs, a graceful neck and a long, whip-like tail.

Both of these types have striking eyes and a great personality.

The personality of a Siamese cat

One of the Siamese cats' most praised characteristics is their personality—these cats are very intelligent and affectionate. They can also be described as outgoing, extroverted or energetic. They love interacting and playing with people or animals and are perfect for those who want a lively pet.

Be prepared, though—the Siamese are super smart and need to be kept amused. They will follow you around and demand to be part of your activities. They don’t like to be ignored, either, so offer lots of toys. Perches and scratching posts would be helpful, too, and the Siamese can be easily trained to use them.

This breed of cat can also learn to play fetch, walk on a leash, and do tricks. They are social and will do anything to spend time with you. They crave human companionship and can get depressed if left alone for too long.

We have to mention that Siamese are also known as demanding cats. They often voice their opinion loudly, using a wide range of meows and chirps. As the Cat Fanciers’ Association points out, The Siamese voice is legendary—this cat speaks both with voice and body.