Today we will continue with cats and cover the Siamese cat, of course in the past I have seen this handsome breed very often in my consulting room.
I would imagine it is one of the most well known cat breeds and probably the pedigree cat most people will think of first because of the breed’s exposure in popular songs and films. We know for sure that the Siamese cat was the Royal Cat of Siam a country which of course now is referred to as Thailand but the breeds actual origins within Thailand are not that well documented but it seems they were kept in association with royalty and priests.
As is often the case with animals with this sort of background the cat was so highly regarded within Thailand that over the centuries very few ever arrived in the outside world. They first reached the public attention in London at an exhibition at the Crystal Palace in 1871. Following this publicity there was there public demand for the breed and it became established in the UK. Twenty years later the breed arrived in America and again gained great favour with the cat owning public and today of course it can be found all over the world.
So what sets this breed apart from other cats? Well from a vet’s point of view if you have one hospitalised it is it’s voice. If anxious they can make the most awful sound and keep it up for long periods of time without appearing to draw breath. When you have one as a pet and it has your trust it will vocalise much more than the average ” moggie ” cat and will constantly chatter to try and get your attention and express their needs and emotions.
I have yet to meet a cat breeder who is not under the impression that their breed is in some way special, with many breeds this is just not the case. Siamese breeders will tell you that their cats are more intelligent than other breeds and I am inclined to agree with them in this case. Siamese can often be taught tricks such as recovering a ball or catching things in the air, I have know some adapt to walking on a lead, a most uncat like trait. They are usually ” people cats ” and will bond well with their owners and return their affection.
Having a good character and being able to easily get along with others is important with cats as it is with people, certainly more important than just physical appearance. That said there is no doubt the Siamese is an elegant breed, they have long sleek bodies, long legs, and a long elegant tail. But the most striking feature to my mind is their oriental looking large eyes, they take you in and then just look straight through you! The come in four main colours: seal, chocolate, blue and lilac. There is also one pattern called colourpoint, this conformation is when the points of the body such as the ears, face, legs, and tail are more darkly than the rest of the cat. There should be a strong contrast between the body colour and the points. Of course for showing the colour at all the points must be one and the same.
So there we have it, The Siamese, a true Aristocat, elegant, intelligent and a loyal and loving companion and family pet.
Scott Nimmo BVMS MRCVS
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