What makes Siamese Cats special? The answer will vary depending on who you talk to.
The Siamese is one of the oldest and most popular feline breeds worldwide. They are known for being chatty, intelligent, and somewhat dog-like, following their humans from room to room.
They are also very loving cats who become extremely attached to their owners, but unlike many breeds that chose one favorite family member, they tend to share their affections with the entire family.
Why are Siamese Cats so vocal?
Siamese cats are more social than most cats, making them pine for attention. Their intense vocals are a form of communication.
As they are more interactive with their owners, they require more care than other cats. This is one reason they do not fare well in shelters. They want their humans to pay attention and interact with them. But like any cat, Siamese can be both affectionate and aloof on any given day.
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Many types of Siamese Cats
The Siamese’s crystal-blue eyes are one of their most distinct features. The breed is also known for:
- Its unusually large, pointy ears
- Sleek tails and bodies
- And color points that may be seen on their face, ears, paws, and tail.
Additionally, the Siamese is a natural breed, which means their coat pattern was the result of a genetic mutation. However, they have been used to kick-start other cat breeds. More on that later.
Although many Siamese cats are a silver-gray color with blue eyes, their coats can also be:
- Orange
- Brown
- Cream
- And even blue or lilac-colored
- As well as other coat variations
Many argue there are only two types of Siamese breeds – Show and Traditional. While many others say, there are six to eight variations of the breed.
Some have giant heads and little ears while other Siamese cats have tiny heads and Dumbo ears.
Another strange difference is that in certain Asian countries, the breed has crossed-eyes. This is a Thai variation of the breed and not usually seen in American shelters or breeders.
Legend lends to Siamese Cats being so special
A couple of legends tell how the Siamese became cross eyed with kinked tails (not a health issue but considered a show fault which breeders try to eradicate).
The story goes that two Siamese were sent to find a goblet belonging to a King. When they found it, one was left to look after it while the other returned to tell the king of its whereabouts.
The one who was left was so scared of losing the goblet it stared at it and wrapped its tail around the base tightly. This caused the cat to become cross-eyed and have a permanent tail kink and is passed on through its descendants.
Other stories tell of the tails of Siamese cats being used as ring holders by the Royal Princesses and that is how the kinks arrived.
Types of Siamese Cats
There has also been some division within the breed as far as the type of Siamese.
There are now two distinct types of Siamese cats:
- The traditional Siamese with a more rounded head and stocky body shape.
- And the modern Siamese with a wedge shaped head and a much sleeker body shape.
Because of the diversity of the Siamese cat many breeders prefer to specialize in a particular type or color of cat. Traditional Siamese are rarely shown with GCCF (Governing Council of the Cat Fancy) anymore due to the vast difference between modern and traditional type and the fact that the GCCF judges them against each other makes it very difficult for a traditional to compete. However traditional Siamese can be shown under TICA and are judged separately from the modern Siamese as the Thai Cat.
How long will a Siamese cat live?
How long will a Siamese cat live is another common question?
Siamese cats are a healthy breed with a long-life span for a cat of between 15 and 20 years.
This breed even courts the list of many ‘Healthiest Cat Breed,’ lists.
They are attractive options if you are considering getting a dog but are allergic or busy and need a slightly less involved commitment.
Why are Siamese Cats called Meezers
Commonly referred to as a Meezer or Meze, they earned the nickname for their overly vocal tendencies. They have a loud, low-pitched voice that could be compared to the cries of a human baby.
Siamese Cats can be melodramtic
What is the personality of a Siamese Cat? Typically, the Siamese cat personality can easily be described as outgoing, almost melodramatic, so it shouldn’t come to anyone’s surprise that these cats can be very talkative and crave attention.
Some Siamese enjoy fetching, running agility courses, and walking on a leash. Siamese are also known to get along well with dogs and other cats.
If you are thinking of getting a Siamese and already have other pets, you probably will not have to worry about your new furry family member getting along with the others. Siamese cats generally get along well with other cats, dogs, and children.
The points make Siamese Cats so special
Siamese are recognizable for their point coloration — a light-colored body paired with darker extremities, such as their dark paws and ears.
They come only truly come in four colors:
- Seal Point
- Chocolate Point
- Blue Point
- And Lilac point
Their point color is a very dark (seal) brown, which is almost black (they are genetically black cats), and it is not unusual to see a black Siamese cat. Paws had a black Siamese cat and his brother (from the same litter) was a Traditional Siamese – also known as an Applehead.
This coloring will be seen on the face, ears, tail, and paws (legs) – known as the points.
Other Siamese Cat facts
- A seal point Siamese may have a pale fawn to cream-colored body with seal-brown (dark brown) color points on their face that spread out from their nose, ears, paws, and tail. Their paw pads and nose leather are also dark brown.
- Chocolate point Siamese cats have ivory bodies with milk chocolate color points on their nose, ears, paws, and tail. Their nose leather and paw pads are cinnamon pink.
- The blue point Siamese has a bluish-white body with deep-blue points. Their nose and paw pads are slate-colored. This type of Siamese cat has a white body with pinkish-gray points, a cinnamon-pink nose, and cinnamon-pink paw pads to match.
- Not on this list is the rarest Siamese, The Flame Point Siamese Cat (also known as Red Point Siamese). This is a rare type of Siamese cat bred to exhibit a red colorpoint pattern. It is called many different names worldwide, and some cat registries do not register it at all, choosing instead to label it a red colorpoint shorthair.
- Traditional Siamese are particularly recognizable for their triangular heads (more modern variations have rounder heads) and deep blue almond-shaped eyes.
- The original Siamese cats featured a light-colored coat with darker seal points on the ears, mask, legs, and tail. Eventually lilac, chocolate, and blue points appeared as well.
- Today, cat fanciers accept other point colors, including tabby, red, cream, silver, and smoke. Fawn, cinnamon, caramel, lynx, tortie, red, white, apricot, and tabby are some of the other point colors that have come from breeding programs.
- Siamese cats have been used to form many other cat breeds, including the Himalayan, Burmese, Tonkinese, and Ocicat.
Not All Color Point Cats are Siamese.
There are 32 colors of pointed cats that are essentially Siamese in body type and style. But every registry has its own standard of what they call “Siamese.” Different colors and patterns are accepted for the show in each registry.
Why Siamese Cats Change Color
Siamese cats do change color with seasonal changes. All Siamese kittens are born white and they change color after few weeks and develop certain points in their body
The temperature of a Siamese cat’s skin has a direct impact on the color of its coat. Its coat becomes paler as the temperature rises.
- Siamese kittens develop points when they are a few weeks old. All are born with completely white fur.
- Siamese kittens are born white because they spent nine weeks developing in a warm womb with an average temperature of 1010 degrees Fahrenheit. A Siamese cat’s fur remains white at this temperature.
- The kittens will start to change color as young as one week old as they start to develop darker points in some parts of their body.
- A Siamese cat’s points darken as the temperature rises. The color that emerges is determined by genetic coding.
- Some will say a Siamese cat will darken as it gets older. My Linus was very light with chocolate points as a young cat. He was a very dark brown with chocolate points in the last few years of his life.
The History of Siamese Cats
Siamese cats originated from Thailand. The breed’s name was actually derived from the word “Siam,” the former name of Thailand. In ancient times, Siamese cats were a favorite of royal families due to their appearance.
Buddhist monks welcomed cats in their temples. In fact, it was believed that the Siamese cat would receive a royal family member’s soul after death. The cat was then moved to a temple, where she lived the rest of her life in luxury.
The Siamese monks loved the temple cats (who wouldn’t?). They even went so far as to write and illustrate manuscripts (estimated to have been written between the 14th and 18th centuries) called Tamra Maew, translated as The Cat-Book Poems.
The Siamese cat makes several appearances in the Tamra Maew as a pale-coated feline with a black mask, tail, feet, and ears.
Pure poetry: Siamese cats go by a particularly evocative name in their native Thailand – wichien-maat, which translates to “moon diamond.”
Siamese Cats in Pop Culture
- Celebrities who reportedly owned Siamese cats: Andy Warhol, Marilyn Monroe, Michael Landon, Elizabeth Taylor and John Lennon.
- Siamese have long been featured in movies, including.
- The Wizard of Oz (1939) The cat.
- Lady and the Tramp (1955) Si and Am.
- Bell, Book and Candle (1958) Pyewacket.
- Stop Me Before I Kill! ( 1960)
- Bells Are Ringing (1960)
- The Incredible Journey (1963)
- Bewitched (1964)
- That Darn Cat! (1965)
Why Siamese Cats are so special – from their humans
Siamese cats have fan clubs and Facebook Groups and huge followings online. Paws reached out to members of the Siamese Internet Cat Club Facebook Group, and here’s what they say makes their Siamese Cats so special.
I had two Lynx/tabby points, Samantha and Prince. Samantha was a talker, while Prince was more quiet. Samantha lived to be 20 years old. I have been the proud Meowmy to Siamese cats since 1979.
The love of my life, my soulmate kitty was a seal point wedgie purebred I adopted from VASCR (Virginia Siamese Cat Rescue). He was dog like in that he never failed to come when called, always wanted to sit & snuggle. He would leap up into my arms to be held. He loved being held like a baby. We had long conversations & he would give that distinctive Siamese yowl if I was out of sight. He blessed my life for 12 years & has been gone almost 7. We battled CRF for his last 3 years. I think of him daily and miss him terribly.
I‘ve had several ‘meezers in my life. Wildfire (seal point) was my “gateway cat” LOL. My mom was thinking of getting a Siamese and the breeder asked her to care for a pregnant cat since there was a sick cat in the breeder’s house. Wildfire was from that litter. She was my shadow and when she had her only litter of 2 kittens, I had to sleep next to her box so because she kept bringing the kittens to my bed. We kept the girl kitten, Winnie, and when I moved out I took Wildfire and Winnie with me. Wildfire was the stereotypical Siamese, talkative, opinionated, got her way. Winnie was so shy we called her “ghost” because nobody really saw her.
Salome was a lilac point, also very chatty, smart, and had a very loud purr. She helped me with a lot of costume projects. She had a “trick” where she’d climb her tree and if you tapped your chest, she’d jump into your arms. Well, I went away for a week and had a former roommate check on her while I was gone. He brought his girlfriend and had her tap her chest (he didn’t tell her what was about to happen LOL). Suffice to say, she was VERY surprised when this cat came flying at her.
Lexi is my current love and we call her a defective meezer. She came from SCRC VA from a hoarder situation. She’s a lynx point, but doesn’t really talk (a little chirrup not the strident tones with which I was acquainted) and where most meezers are long and lean, she looks like she was crossed with a corgi – short legs on a barrel body. She loves to meet people, which can be off-putting for people who aren’t used to cats. She is also very smart, I wonder if she was some sort of scientist in a past life (she understands spatial geometry better than most people).
I think I’ve blathered enough, I now return you to your regularly scheduled post!
First off, I have to say as much as I love cats, I swore I’d never own a Siamese. I thought they were temperamental and mean. Then we acquired Gus. He was homeless and sick and my husband fell in love with him. He was homeless and sick. We took him in and nursed him back to health. We had him for six years and he was the sweetest little soul that ever walked the face of this earth. We were heartbroken when he passed away. Every cat we’ve had since then has been a Siamese.
What I like most about Siamese is how interactive they are.
My current Siamese is not real chatty but our second one talks a lot.
My current one is most definitely a Velcro kitty. He is a chocolate point and he is a purebred. He’s also 18 and a half years old.
I’d like to add that our first Siamese was Gus a lilac point. He was very lack back we would have very in depth conversations. The next one was Loki also a lilac point. He was definitely a talker. A few months after adopting Loki, we adopted Cassie, a lynx point. She was not real talkative but super sweet and a lap cat. The current one is Milo a chocolate point. Loki, Cazzie and Milo were all adored from VASCRC (Virginia Siamese Cat Rescue Center).
If you enjoyed this article, you might want to read some other posts about Siamese cats.
- Siamese Cat Rescue, The Right Match for person and cat
- Siamese Cats Have Handsome Blue Eyes
- Siam Was The First Presidential Siamese Cat
Paws loves Siamese Cats, and we hope to add another Siamese into our cat family in the future. We love Siamese Cats so much, we are even featuring them in our upcoming book, Who Needs Men, I’ve Got Cats.
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