Siamese Cat Breed: Understanding Their Vocal Nature

The Siamese breed is one of the best known cat breeds. It is said to originate from Siam (present-day Thailand), and in Europe and the Americas it arrived rather late. A pair of Siamese cats was given by the Emperor of Siam to the British consul in 1880, but it has a long history, being jealously guarded as companions in royal households and by religious leaders for generations and serving as guardians for precious objects and documents kept in Buddhist temples.

There is even a legend about the temple of the God of Siam. The legend tells of these cats that were used in the temple as guardians of the king. They were able to climb the very tall columns that surrounded the royal throne and if anyone dared to threaten the king, they would leap down the columns and scratch the unfortunate person.

Other legends concern the appearance of this feline. In one it is said that one of these cats was charged with watching over a valuable vase and to do so the animal twisted its tail around the vase and stared at it with such intensity that its eyes remained crossed forever.

In another it is told of a cat that was charged with watching over valuable rings, and to do this the cat held the rings on its tail, creating a fold so that the rings would not slip off. It was, however, not a well-known breed until the Second World War, after which it quickly became the most widespread in terms of registrations.

Initially it did not have much luck, at the first feline exhibition where it appeared it was described by a journalist as a nightmare cat, instead it quickly became popular with fanciers in Great Britain, in spite of its crossed eyes and its fold in the tail.

Character of the cat Siamese

It is a very exuberant and affectionate cat, and character-wise it is the feline that most resembles the dog. It can in fact almost always be trained and used to going out on a leash. He has a very outgoing and lively character, very communicative and with a particular meow that makes him stand out from other cats, with which he communicates his wishes and ideas.

He is a cat suitable for families with older children, he needs attention and a little play with him every day. It is not a cat suitable for people who want peace and quiet. It attaches itself to all family members, but chooses one in particular and establishes a very possessive relationship with that person. It is not a cat that likes to be alone, nor in the company of other animals, nor does it like strangers who may come into the house; on the contrary, it is rather wary of those it does not know well.

Not everyone is suited to living with a Siamese, as it has a ‘temper’ and is not the right cat for nervous or impatient people. If he does not have available scratching posts or toys to stimulate his curiosity when he is alone for some time, he sometimes tends to make mischief by trying to relieve the frustration caused by lack of social interaction.

Physical characteristics of Siamese

It is a very beautiful cat, it has a slender and supple body, agile and very elegant. It is of medium size, the male weighs between 3 and 5 kilograms while the female weighs no more than 3 kilograms. The head is elongated triangular in shape with the ears representing a long extension, being large and pointed.

The muzzle is thin and wedge-shaped. The eyes are almond-shaped and vivid and deep blue in colour. The legs are long and slender, the tips of the paws are thin, delicate and small. The tail is also very long and thin. The hair is short and does not tend to shed much, even during moulting periods.

It is very thin, short, shiny and adherent to the body. The characteristic of this cat's coat is that the colour of the fur on the head, tail and feet is darker than that of the fur on the body. While generally the colour of the body ranges from white to cream, there are many darker coloured spots on the muzzle and extremities, ranging from red to blue to chocolate.

Health and nutrition of Siamese

The Siamese cat does not require any special care. A weekly brushing with a cloth or buckskin is sufficient for its coat to give it its distinctive shine. Nutrition and diet are basic for this breed, as these felines must not put on weight, given the long, thin legs they have and which are not suited to supporting a heavy body.

They eat practically anything, but the diet must be dosed, as they have a good appetite. Visits to the vet must be frequent as he is a bit of a health nut. They may occasionally suffer from cross-eye problems, otitis and kidney stones.