The Siamese BREED

​Disclaimer: Note my text. 

​​Why are Siamese cats so special?

​The Siamese is one of the oldest breeds of pedigree cat, and over the years many stories have been told, for the most part romantic fables, but perhaps there is an element of truth in some of them. Certainly, they add to the charm of this most exotic, oriental and somewhat inscrutable breed.

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History

The Siamese cat is an energetic and opinionated breed that loves human companionship. Their bright blue eyes radiate intelligence and they love learning new things and exploring their environment. While their good looks might make them appear untouchable, the Siamese cat is very playful and quite a cuddle bug. Siamese cats are truly exceptional companions, known for their life-long devotion and vibrant personalities.

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The Siamese communicates like no other and has enthralled people all over the world.  Most of the time they talk at a conversational level, and many Siamese seem to enjoy the spoken exchange with their owners.
The Siamese vocabulary can be quite extensive, much beyond meow and meow. They are renowned for their amazing voice.

They love companionship with their family and will not be ignored.
Siamese will follow you around the house, go for walks, play games, traits that they share with the family dog.  Siamese form a lasting bond of affection with their owners.

So, if the image of a sleek, graceful, blue-eyed, communicative, responsive and loving feline companion appeals to you, the Siamese is your cat. 

 

The Siamese is for all those who want a full-on relationship with a character cat.

No shrinking violet, the Siamese both demands and provides extremely stimulating companionship.
 
The Siamese originated in Siam, which is the Thailand that we know today.

This breed is thought to be the oldest or one of the oldest cat breeds in the world. They are renowned for their amazing voice. The Siamese communicates like no other and has enthralled people all over the world.

From an exotic past, the Siamese has become one of the most recognized breeds of cat in the world.

A feature of the breed is its markings, or points of colour, on the face, ears, lower legs and tail. The body colour of the Siamese can be frosty white or cream, and the “points” range from the original seal point to tabby, tortie, red, cream, blue, chocolate and lilac point.

Whatever the colour scheme of the cat, the Siamese will always have vivid blue eyes.
Siamese kittens develop early and quickly and show an individual personality.
They are very active and dislike being left alone.

They are “talkers”! One of the reasons they make such good companions is this ability to have a conversation.

Extremely intelligent and elegant, they insist on taking an active part in their owner’s lives. With such an interesting and individual personality cat you can be sure life will never be dull - they are excellent company for those wanting a loving, lively and entertaining companion....…

LEGENDS OF THE SIAMESE CAT:  

Legend has it that the Siamese were originally temple cats and received the souls of mortals upon their deaths.

 

Foremost among these must surely be the Siamese's famous kinked tail - nowadays selected against by breeders but epitomizing earlier examples - whose origin is the basis for several charming stories.

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The Princess and the Ring Stand

Once upon a time (it starts, as all good stories do) in the ancient kingdom of Siam, there was a Princess of the Royal Household who loved to swim. Each day, she would make her way to her favorite bathing pool accompanied by her faithful feline companion.

Each day, she would take off her rings, and, for safekeeping, place them over her cat's tail. (The cat would bend its tail to stop the rings from falling off). Gradually, over the course of many years, the cat's tail developed a permanent kink.

And to this very day, there are still some Siamese cats born with kinked tails!

(This is true. There are. Although not as many as there used to be.)

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Of all the pedigree varieties, the Siamese is the most instantly recognizable.
Long, lithe and elegant, with its distinctive darker 'points', it has always had great appeal.
Early Siamese tended to have eye squints and kinked tails, now regarded as serious faults, but with careful, selective breeding they have been mainly eliminated from the modern cat. Yet, these characteristics were once so prevalent that fables exist to this day 'explaining' how they were acquired.

It is said that Siamese cats were once sacred cats, guarding the Buddhist temples.
One day, a valuable goblet went missing and a pair of the cats was dispatched to find the stolen treasure. After a long journey, the goblet was discovered and the female cat stayed to guard it while her male partner went back to tell the good news. So worried was she that the goblet might go missing again, that she wound her tail tightly around its stem and it became permanently kinked.
For days and nights she sat watching over the prized goblet, never lettering her eyes wander away, and by the time her partner returned, her eyes had developed a squint.
Later she produced a litter of kittens - all of which had kinked tails and squints, because of her vigilance in guarding the lost treasure.

Another fable relates to a Siamese princess who, fearing that her rings would be stolen, entrusted her Siamese cat to guard them, placing them on its tail for safekeeping overnight.
One night the cat fell asleep, and all the rings fell off her long slender tail and were lost forever.
The princess decided to tie a knot in the tail to stop this ever happening again; and this could be another reason why Siamese have kinked tails.

Siamese kittens have always been highly prized. It was considered an honor for any foreigner to be presented with one of the Royal Cats of Siam, and it was an offence publishable by death for one of these cats to be stolen from the Royal Court, let alone be taken out of Siam.
But, westwards they eventually came, and after many generations of selective breeding are now, along with Persian Longhairs and Burmese, among the most popular of pedigree varieties.
 

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