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The Siamese cat is one of the first clearly recognized breeds of Oriental cat. The stories about their origins are diverse, complex, and fanciful, but they are believed to derive originally from Southeast Asia, specifically from Thailand, formerly known as "Siam. In Thailand, they are called "Wichian Mat, which translates to "Moon Diamond. They have become the third most popular breed of cat in Europe and North America, following the Persian (#1), and the Maine Coon cat (#2), and are the most popular of all the short-haired breeds. They are much loved by their fanciers, for their intelligence, playfulness, ability to hold (loud) conversations, loyalty, stylishness, and beauty. According to an owner I spoke with, they have "a classy look about them that commands attention, and a personality to match!

The pointed cat known as the Siamese is one of several breeds that were described and illustrated in manuscripts entitled the "Tamra Maew-"Cat Poems-believed to have been written between the 14th and 18th centuries. Legend has it that they kept away evil spirits and brought good luck to their owners and they were often seen around temples and Royal households. The Siamese cat first appeared outside of Thailand in 1878, when "Siam was given to U.S President Rutherford B. Hayes by the American consul in Bangkok. Next, a breeding pair was brought to Britain by the British Consul-General in Bangkok as a special gift for his sister.

In 1885, the first British pair, "Pho and "Mia, produced three kittens. The kittens and their parents were shown that year at London's Crystal Palace Show, and their unique appearance and distinctive, unusual behavior made a huge impression. Another breeding pair, with kittens, was imported to Britain in 1886. Britons were familiar by that time with the British Shorthair and the Persian cat, and these Siamese imports were longer and leaner in body type, with heads that were less rounded, wedge-shaped muzzles, and noticeably larger ears. These cats produced varied reactions amongst their viewers-one described them as "an unnatural nightmare of a cat, (Wikipedia.com) while others took a great fancy to their unusual shape and "pointed coat pattern, which led to the importing of a small number of additional Siamese cats.

These cats formed the base breeding pool for the entire breed in the UK. Most Siamese in Britain today are believed to be descended from eleven of these original imported cats. In the early days in Britain, they were called the "Royal Cat of Siam, although later research revealed no organized royal breeding program in Siam. The first cats in Britain were medium-sized, long-bodied, muscular, and graceful, with moderately wedge-shaped heads and relatively large ears, still in proportion to the head-size. Some were quite slender, and others rather substantial in appearance, but neither size to an extreme.

As the Siamese increased greatly in popularity in the 1950s and 60s, many breeders and cat-show judges began to show a preference for the more slender look. Selective breeding for generations produced increasingly long, fine-boned, narrow-headed cats. The modern show Siamese were bred to be extremely long, with lean bodies, long slender legs, long, wedge-shaped heads with large wide-set ears, and very long and thin tails that taper to a point. The small number of breeders who remained loyal to the original conformation of cat found that their cats were no longer acceptable in the show ring.

Eventually, two distinct types of Siamese developed: the "modern show-style cat, and the "traditional cat. Both are descended from the same original ancestors, but have few or no recent ancestors in common. Several different breeders organizations have developed, with differing breed standards and requirements. Because of disagreement amongst the breeders, several different names are used for the cats, including "Traditional Siamese, "Old Style Siamese, "Classic Siamese, and "Appleheads, used to describe the Siamese that have the less extreme wedge-shaped heads. The International Cat Association, or TICA, now accepts both the modern, show-style Siamese, as well as the breed called "Thai, which are the cats with the less extreme body type. The Thai is also recognized now by the World Cat Federation.

The Thai, or "traditional Siamese differs from the Modern Siamese in head and body type, but shares some features such as the color pattern and the short coat. It has a graceful but substantial body with medium-sized bones, is elongated and high on the legs, and has a modified wedge-shaped head with rounded cheeks and a wedge-shaped muzzle. Its ears are comparatively large but not huge, and are placed higher on the head than "Modern Siamese ears are. The vivid blue eyes are large with a full almond shape.

The Modern Siamese features an elegant, slim, flexible, and muscular body. Its bright blue eyes are almond-shaped and oblique, with large wide-based ears positioned towards the sides of the triangular-shaped head with a thin snout, ideally forming a perfect triangle from the tips of each ear to the tip of the nose. The fur is short, glossy, fine-textured, soft, and adheres to the body with no undercoat.

The Siamese is most distinguishable by its "pointed color scheme. All Siamese kittens are born pure white or cream-colored, and develop points in the first few months of their lives, in the colder parts of their bodies. This is because the "point feature develops in response to heat-sensitivity and melanin production. By four weeks of age, the points should be distinguishable enough to be able to recognize which coloration they will take on. Siamese coats tend to darken with age, and because of the complex enzyme activity in the body, adult Siamese living in warm climates will develop paler coats than those living in cold climates.

Originally, the majority of cats had "seal points (extremely dark brown, almost black points), but some were born with "blue points (a cool gray), "chocolate points (lighter brown), or "lilac points (pale warm gray). At first these colors were considered to be "inferior, but eventually, all of these shades were accepted by the breeder associations, and became more common through intentional breeding. Later, other colors were developed through cross-breeding with other breeds, including the red and cream point, the lynx point, and the tortoise-shell point.

In the UK, all pointed Siamese cats are considered part of the breed, but in the U.S., only the four original colors are accepted by the major cat registry, the Cat Fanciers' Association: the seal point, blue point, chocolate point, and lilac point. Additionally, many Siamese cats from Thailand had a kink in their tails, and this persists among street cats in Thailand, but the feature is considered to be a flaw and has largely been eliminated by professional breeders. Crossed eyes also existed in early Siamese, but this feature has mostly been bred out of contemporary Siamese.

Some cats consider mewing to be an adequate way to convey their needs and desires, but not the Siamese! These cats are extremely vocal, with a very loud, low-pitched voice that is music to the ears of Siamese fanciers, and like chalk on a blackboard to those who don't have a taste for the raspy sound. They are very persistent in demanding attention, and will talk until they get it, one way or another! They are renowned for their social nature, are usually very affectionate and loving, and are extremely intelligent and loyal to their person or people.

Siamese are very active and playful, and are considered to be more dog-like in their behavior than most other cats. (Interestingly, in doing this research on the five most popular breeds of cat, I found that two other breeds are similarly described: the Bengal and the Maine Coon cats, and I can attest to the truth of this, as a Bengal owner myself.) Siamese are very extroverted cats with strong, often demanding, personalities.

Siamese cats are strangely curious and get easily bored, and should not be left alone for long periods of time because they will likely snoop around the house in search of something-anything!-to play with. Pamper them with affection and lots of attention and they will be very pleased with your company. Their constant need for attention and admiration makes them great pets for households with multiple people or with children.

Based on Swedish research, the Siamese has a higher rate of mortality than many other breeds. Their median lifespan is between 10 and 12.5 years, although some large cats have been known to live as long as 15 or even 20 years with proper care. Many deaths are caused by mammary tumors, known as "neoplasms. They also have a higher risk of other neoplastic diseases and gastrointestinal problems, but a lower risk of lower urinary tract disease than other cats. No particular grooming care is needed for these cats, though they love to be brushed and the short coat should be brushed at regular intervals. One article I read suggested monthly bathing as well.

I spoke with two professional breeders for this article: Carol Maxey of Katko, and Linda Yamamoto of To-Lyn Traditional Siamese. Both have been breeding Siamese for many, many years. (Carol also breeds Burmese, and Linda, Balinese.) Carol said that she really prefers the look of the traditional, which she described a big, strong, heathy cat. She also breeds the "Classic Siamese, which is a blend of the traditional and the modern.

Carol emphasized that Siamese cats are very curious and active, and get into everything. She said that they are "in your face, wanting to know what you are doing at all times, and called them "nosy cats. She said that some Siamese bond very closely to just one person in the household, become very possessive of that person, and will follow their person around all the time, from room to room. Other Siamese are more accepting of multiple household members. She also said that they generally do just fine with dogs and cats, particularly if introduced to their new homes at a young age.

Some Siamese are very affectionate, and some are more aloof and independent. Carol recommended that potential cat-owners do a lot of research into the various breeds before making a choice, and also recommended one particular book that she has found to be very helpful: "Purebred Kittens-the Buyer's Guide, written by Michelle Lowell and published in 1995.

Linda Yamamoto loves the breed too, and characterized them as very intelligent and very elegant and beautiful. She emphasized that they are almost human-like, in that they love to carry on conversations, but always have to get in the last word. They are rambunctious and very active, learn their names easily, and come when called.

Linda Yamamoto says that the Balinese has a softer voice than the Siamese, but that in almost every other aspect, have the same temperament as the Siamese. Some are said to have Persian-like dispositions, and love to sit in your lap, and others do not-it seems to be the luck of the draw.

Both breeders adore their cats, take extraordinarily good care of them, taking special care to socialize their kittens at an early age. Either one would be great choice when looking to purchase a Siamese kitten (or a Burmese, from Carol, or a Balinese, from Linda.)

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