Siamese

Coat length	Shorthair
Weight	Male: Ø 4-5 kg Female: Ø 3-4 kg
Coat colours:	Black series B- Brown series bb, blbl Red series O- Dilution dd Silver I- Epistatic white W- Dilution modifier dmdm Always with the colourpoint factor cs − White spotting S-
Coat patterns:	All
Activity / playfulness
Grooming needs

The Siamese is a pedigree cat breed. Its semi-longhaired relative, the Balinese, developed from longer-haired kittens that occasionally appeared in Siamese litters; American breeders established a separate breed during the twentieth century. Siamese cats probably originated in what is now Thailand, formerly Siam. The original profile also mentions possible ancestry from the African wildcat. The first Siamese arrived in Britain as gifts or souvenirs from Siam in the late nineteenth century.

Siamese are slender, long-legged and elegant, with elongated, supple bodies. Their colourpoint pattern is a form of partial albinism: the ears, facial mask, feet and tail carry the darker colour, and the eyes are blue. A long, tubular torso and long tail are characteristic. The head should be proportionate to the body. The cat should appear slim but never bony.

Selective breeding has made the modern Siamese visibly different from the related Thai. The Thai is sometimes mistaken for a Siamese or called an old-style Siamese, but is recognised as a separate breed by associations that distinguish the two. Both share an origin, while differing ideals have produced distinct appearances: the Thai is less slender and has a rounder head.

Archives of the Siamese Cat Society of America and Britain's Siamese Cat Association show that Siamese have historically belonged to the slender-bodied group of cats.

Temperament

Previous experience with cats can be helpful because Siamese are highly sensitive and intelligent, yet can be strong-willed and dominant. They are curious, active, spirited and talkative, with a particularly loud voice. Kitten-like behaviour may persist until around two years of age.

Siamese are notably devoted to their people and are sometimes called “dog-cats”. They are very playful and need occupation. Many can quickly learn to retrieve.

Grooming

The very short coat is easy to care for. Stroking with a damp hand and weekly brushing with a soft baby brush can remove dead hairs without elaborate grooming.

Colours

Siamese kittens are born with pale coats. Their characteristic points develop over the first weeks as cooler areas—the mask, ears, tail and legs—become darker than the rest of the body. Cooler conditions can lead to stronger darkening than a warmer environment.

The book Kennst du diese Katzen, cited in the original profile, describes the cream-bodied seal point as the first recognised and probably best-known Siamese colour. The source also lists chocolate, amber, blue, lilac, red, cream, tortie and tabby points, distinguished by the colour or pattern of their markings. Recognition varies between associations.

White Siamese are called Foreign White by some associations. Their blue eyes are associated with colourpoint ancestry. This does not guarantee normal hearing in every individual. White cats intended for breeding should have the hearing assessment required by their association.

After some associations recognised bicolour Oriental Shorthairs, Siamese-type cats with white spotting also became known as Seychellois.

Diseases and inherited abnormalities

Conditions and abnormalities discussed in connection with the breed include the following; this does not mean that every Siamese will develop them:

• Prominent or abnormal sternum, including a projecting breastbone.
• Chest malformations, including flat-chested kitten syndrome.
• Cardiomyopathy.
• Cleft palate.
• Abdominal-wall defects and umbilical hernias.
• Limb malformations.
• Congenital vestibular syndrome, an inner-ear disorder associated with balance problems and sometimes deafness.
• Rolled-in eyelids (entropion) and protrusion of the third eyelid, which are separate findings.
• Behavioural problems such as marked fearfulness, anxiety, excessive aggression and hair pulling.
• Liver and intestinal cancers.
• Congenital kidney disease, described in the original particularly in males.
• Amyloidosis affecting organs such as the kidneys and liver.
• Kinked tail.
• Pica: chewing or eating indigestible materials such as wool or curtains.

Responsible breeding should take inherited disease and structural abnormalities into account; no breeding programme can guarantee the absence of every illness.

Crossed eyes and kinked tails are also discussed as breed faults. Legend has it that Siamese princesses hung their rings on the cats' kinked tails while bathing. Breeders have selected against these features.