Siamese

What is a Siamese?

A slender, long-lined pointed cat of 3-5kg with blue eyes, large ears and a wedge-shaped head. Native to Thailand, where they were temple and palace cats, and among the first Asian breeds brought to Britain.

They are the loudest and most interactive domestic cat, and people either love that or return the cat within a fortnight. There is not much middle ground.

History and origins

Recorded in the Thai manuscript the Tamra Maew, possibly as early as the fourteenth century. The first pair reached Britain in 1884, a gift from the British Consul-General in Bangkok, and the breed was an immediate sensation. Twentieth-century show breeding produced the extreme modern wedge head and slender body; the older, rounder type survives as the Thai or Traditional Siamese, which some breeders now prefer.

Appearance and size

30-35cm, long and fine-boned but surprisingly heavy to lift. Short close-lying coat, always pointed: a pale body with darker face, ears, legs and tail. Recognised points are seal, blue, chocolate and lilac; the GCCF classes red, cream, tabby and tortie points as Oriental or Colourpoint depending on registry. Kittens are born white; the points develop over the first months, and the coat darkens with age.

Temperament and personality

Intensely social, intensely vocal, and intensely present. A Siamese follows you around the house, sits on whatever you are reading, comments on the shopping and objects loudly to a closed door. They bond hard, often to one person.

They do not do well alone. Many breeders will only home them in pairs or to households where somebody is usually in, and they are right to.

Intelligence and trainability

Among the cleverest cats. Fetch, harness walking, clicker training and puzzle feeders all work. They open cupboards and doors. A Siamese without stimulation redirects into shredding, yowling and getting into things.

Children and other pets

Very good with children who play properly with them. They live happily with other cats, especially another Siamese or Oriental, and often with dogs. Prey drive is moderate.

Health problems

• Progressive retinal atrophy (rdAc) - DNA test, both parents. Causes blindness.
• HCM - echocardiogram screening of breeding cats; no breed-specific DNA test.
• Amyloidosis - abnormal protein deposition, usually in the liver, over-represented in Siamese and Oriental lines. There is no test; ask the breeder directly about the line's history.
• Asthma and bronchial disease occur at a raised rate.
• Dental disease, particularly gingivitis, is common.
• Also: convergent strabismus (a crossed eye) and a kinked tail, both cosmetic and both now bred against.

Otherwise long-lived: sixteen and beyond is common.

Daily care routine

Two real play sessions, a tall cat tree, and something to solve. A Siamese needs interaction the way a Border Collie does. Teeth brushed if you can manage it; the breed's dental record is poor.

Grooming and coat care

Almost nothing. A weekly stroke with a grooming glove or a chamois. They shed very little.

Exercise needs

High for a cat, and it must be interactive: wand toys, fetch, puzzle feeders, and a second cat if you are out during the day.

Feeding and diet

Measured, wet-led feeding, £25-£40 a month. They stay slim naturally and are rarely obese.

Price

£600-£1,300 from a registered breeder with the PRA DNA clear and echo-screened parents. Setup £220-£380; ongoing £40-£75 a month.

Buying advice

Ask for the rdAc PRA DNA certificates and the date of the parents' last echocardiogram. Ask directly whether there is any history of amyloidosis in the line, and take an evasive answer as an answer. Ask whether the breeder homes singly or in pairs.

Kittens leave at 13 weeks, fully vaccinated, under GCCF guidance. And go and meet an adult first: read everything you like about the voice, then hear it.