Getting to Know the Siamese Cat

The Siamese is among the most popular cats today. He is a foreign cat, slender and graceful, having slim legs, oval feet, and a long tail. Opposed to his name, he is not common in Siam; actually, in that country he is called the Chinese Cat, perhaps because of his slanted eyes. He is instantly recognizable not just by his sleek body build, but by his strange and distinctive markings—dark shadings on the muzzle, ears, tail, and feet, known as points. Natural genetics have created the Blue Point, Seal Point, Chocolate Point, Lilac or Lavender Point. Breeders have artificially made the Tabby Point (or Lynx Point), by crossing the Siamese using the Tabby, Red Point, Tortie Point, and Cream Point. The bodies of these cats are light-colored, ranging from virtually white to the creamy beige of the Seal Point, with points of attractively shaded brown, blue or lavender. Their almond-shaped eyes are bright blue and sometimes crossed. The adult color of a Siamese might be hard to decide since they are solid white at birth and the points might not show up for a few months. If you are mulling over a Siamese kitten, or would like to establish the color points that the adult cat will have, this can be seen by looking at the pads on the bottom of its paws. The Blue Point will have gray pads, the Chocolate Point will have pale brown pads, and the Lilac Point will have frosty gray or pink pads.

Anything any other cat has, the Siamese would have more of. They deal in surplus. They are greedier, sexier, noisier, and more demanding. They are also more intelligent, more curious, more sensitive, and more loving than other cats. They are gregarious, naughty, and entertaining. Basically, they're "cattier" than other cats.

The Siamese hungers for companionship. Because of this, they are oftentimes owned in pairs. They are highly social and don't enjoy long hours alone. They are more extrovert than other cats. When you try to take a nap, your Siamese would jump on your stomach, walk up your body, and place himself around your neck. You do not own him—he owns you. If you're sitting in a chair reading the newspaper, he'll leap onto your lap and you'll find your nose buried in print. If he can not be on top of you, he'll look for the softest, warmest thing in the house— a mink coat, an afghan, or a basket of laundry— and sleep on it.

Due to his great love for warmth and comfort the Siamese will map the "sunshine route" in the house where he dwells. He knows just where the sun will be and when, and he would follow it all day. There will be less variation in his route.

The Siamese bears longer hind legs than front legs and is a quick jumper. They're fond of high places. He could sit on top of a cabinet nearby and watch you while you're having dinner.

A Siamese could not resist an open door and is apt to be closed into cabinets, closets, and boxes. He would sleep in a drawer if it is open. They are curious, but nimble cats.

Most cats don't like noise, and the Siamese is highly put off by it. They would hide when they see a vacuum cleaner. Some may run from a roll of foil the second it is removed from the shelf. The antics of a Siamese are funny, even in their old age. They're "on" every moment of their lives.

Although a neutered male Siamese would generally come home at night, the protective tendency still survives when property lines are breached. Meaning, they don't stop fighting only because they're indifferent to female Siamese. They no longer fight over them, but they would find other reasons just as valid.