Siamese have fascinated people around the world since
they were first officially exported from Thailand, or, as it
was known them, Siam, in the late 1800s. Their sleek lines,
striking color contrast, finely chiseled aristocratic heads, deep
blue almond eyes, and short silky coats make them living
art. Combine this beauty with acute intelligence, inquisitive
personality, and a loving nature, and you have the essence of
the Siamese cat.
This ancient breed is able to communicate like no other. The
Siamese voice is legendary. They speak both with their voice
and with their body. They are the quintessential “people” cat,
for they love to be in your lap, on your bed, at your table –
and in your heart!
Seal points, still the best known of the four CFA Siamese
colors, were the first to be recognized. With their seal
brown, almost black extremities and their pale fawn bodies,
they were sensational. While chocolate points, with creamy
white bodies and milk chocolate legs, tail, mask, and ears
did appear from time to time, it was the blue point that
gained CFA recognition in 1934. The blue point has a
bluish-white body with slate blue points. The chocolate
point was recognized next. In 1955 the lilac point followed
and completed the breed. The lilac point has pinkish grey
points with a white body, which makes it most ethereal and
delicate in color. While color is a prominent feature in this
breed, structure is also important. The Siamese is a study
in length. From the start, the breed standard has called for
a long, wedge-shaped head and elongated body lines. The
muscular, tubular body is supported by long legs and graced
by a long neck and tail. The short, silky, close lying coat
accentuates the long lines perfectly.
The long Siamese head is delineated by an absolutely straight
profile and well aligned chin. From the front, the outline
of the face presents a smooth wedge with large ears that
complete the wedge. The outstanding feature of the head is
the pair of deep blue almond eyes which are set at a slant.
If you have been able to resist all the other attributes of this
breed, the eyes will captivate you. They radiate intelligence
and emotion.
It is believed that Siamese are descended from the sacred
temple cats in Siam, now called Thailand. They made their
appearance in the United States in 1878 when the American
President received “Siam” as a gift from the American Consul
in Bangkok. In 1884 a breeding pair of Siamese cats was
brought to the UK by the British Consul-General in Bangkok
as a gift for his sister. The breed soon spread to other parts of
Europe and Asia and were appearing in English cat shows
almost immediately and in American shows by the early
twentieth century. Officially recognized by CFA in 1906,
they are one of the original breeds of pedigreed cats.
When selecting a Siamese kitten, bear in mind that breeders
usually make kittens available between twelve and sixteen
weeks of age. After twelve weeks, kittens have had their
basic inoculations and developed the physical and social
stability needed for a new environment, showing, or being
transported by air. Keeping such a rare treasure indoors,
neutering or spaying, and providing acceptable surfaces
(e.g. scratching posts) for the natural behavior of scratching
(CFA disapproves of declawing or tendonectomy surgery) are
essential elements for maintaining a healthy, long, and joyful
life. Pricing on Siamese usually depends on type, applicable
markings, and bloodlines distinguished by Grand Champion
(GC), National or Regional winning parentage (NW or RW),
or Distinguished Merit parentage (DM). For more information, please send
inquiries to CFA at cfa@cfa.org.