Siamese
Some Advantages
- highly intelligent and very social
- affectionate and loyal
- exotically beautiful
- requires little grooming
- well suited to apartment living
- generally patient and loving with family members, kids and pets
Some Challenges
- needs plenty of regular attention and companionship
- may be jealous and territorial with human rivals for your affection
- very loud and distinctive meow
Size
Medium
Coat
Shorthair
Colors
Seal Point (almost black tips), Chocolate Point (brown tips), Blue Point (slate blue tips), Lilac Point (pinkish gray tips)
This beautiful animal looks like an elegant work of art, but the Siamese really just wants to snuggle up with you and have fun together. An extremely social breed, the Siamese prefers to be with you every minute of the day. It’ll expect you to share your food, your bed and your life with it, and it wants to be at the center of everything. This cat is an outgoing extrovert and is never shy about using its famously loud and distinctive meow to make some serious noise when it really wants to make a point.
The Siamese is extremely loyal to its chosen human, and may not tolerate rivals for its affection. However, when your Siamese feels loved and secure of its place in the household, it can be very patient with younger kids (5 and up), tolerating the unsteady handling that comes with the territory.
The Siamese can’t be left alone for long periods, as it needs regular companionship and mental stimulation to thrive. If your schedule doesn’t permit constant quality time with your Siamese, then your pet will need a pet. 2 Siamese cats will keep each other content and amused when you’re not around. Toys and scratching posts should also be provided for their amusement.
History and Origin
The origin of the breed isn’t certain, but there is some evidence that the Siamese existed in Thailand(formerly Siam) beginning in 1350. Legend has it that Siamese cats were thought to be sacred, and were used to guard palaces and Buddhist temples. Theft of a Royal Cat of Siam from the Imperial Courtwas punishable by death.
The breed first came to the West in 1884, when the British Consul-General in Bangkok brought a pair of the cats back to Britain for his sister, who showed them at the Crystal Palace in 1885 and later went on to found the first Siamese Cat Club in 1901.
About those Kinky Tails
There are a number of legends that tell how the Siamese Cat got its kinked tail, all having to do with this breed’s natural sense of loyalty and devotion to its human companions. http://www.meezer.com/siamhist.html This kink is a trait not considered desirable in a show cat, but kinked tails are common and purely a cosmetic issue, requiring no medical treatment.
Grooming requirements
Grooming needs for this short haired beauty are minimal. An occasional bath, a bi-weekly brushing, and your Siamese will remain sleek and beautiful throughout the seasons.
Health Ailments
As with any purebred animal, you may encounter some genetic problems such as heart or kidney disease. From the age of 8, your Siamese should have a comprehensive annual check up to monitor liver, heart and kidney function.
This breed is prone to several distinctive genetic “faults” including crossed eyes and the abovementioned kinked tail, all of which are cosmetic and require no medical treatment. These are not desirable traits, but they’re not detrimental to the cat’s health or comfort.
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