SiameseArticle Free Pass
Siamese, popular short-haired breed of domestic cat originally from Siam (Thailand). Its origin as a breed is unknown. The Siamese is a lithe, long-bodied cat with slim legs and a long, slim tail. It has a long, wedge-shaped head and slightly slanted blue eyes that give it an “Oriental” expression. Some Siamese have crossed eyes or kinked tails, but these features are discouraged by breeders of show animals. The breed is a partial albino; kittens are born white or cream coloured and later develop the dark points (ears, face, legs, and tail) characteristic of the breed. The points may be dark brown (seal point), blue gray (blue point), milk-chocolate brown (chocolate point), pinkish gray (lilac point), or reddish orange (red point). The colour and coat pattern are genetically recessive characteristics; that is, neither feature is apparent in the immediate offspring of a Siamese that is mated with some other breed.
Despite its graceful build and relatively small size, the Siamese is a muscular, agile cat. Characterized as affectionate and loyal, though sometimes destructive, it is regarded by some of its admirers as the most intelligent of domestic cats. It is highly vocal and possesses a range of cries, including a penetrating mating call.
See the Table of Selected Shorthair Breeds of Cats for further information.
|Abyssinian||probably Egypt||regal appearance; lithe body with long, slender legs||resembles the sacred cat of ancient Egypt|
|American Shorthair||U.S.||broad, muscular body; thick, dense fur||hardy; natural hunter|
|American Wirehair||U.S.||medium to large in size; curly coat||rare outside the U.S.|
|Bengal||U.S.||spotted coat; hind legs shorter than forelegs||cross between Asian leopard cat and American Shorthair tabby|
|Bombay||U.S.||elegant appearance; resembles Indian black leopard||cross between Burmese and black American Shorthair|
|British Shorthair||England||broad body with short legs; short, thick tail||oldest natural English breed; many varieties|
|Burmese||Burma||medium-sized; glossy, thick coat||related to the Siamese|
|Chartreux||France||robust; all shades of blue-gray||one of the oldest natural breeds|
|Cornish Rex||England||curly, short coat; large ears||named after the Rex rabbit|
|Devon Rex||England||coat slightly coarser than Cornish Rex; pixie face||nicknamed "poodle cat"|
|Egyptian Mau||Egypt||graceful body; distinct spot pattern and banded tail||mau is Egyptian for "cat"|
|Japanese Bobtail||Japan||triangular head with large ears; rabbitlike tail||symbol of good luck|
|Korat||Thailand||silver-blue coat; heart-shaped face||native name Si-Sawat; considered to be good luck|
|Manx||Isle of Man||tailless or with stump; double coat||tailless gene can cause skeletal defects and stillbirths if not bred with a tailed cat|
|Ocicat||U.S.||typically cream coat with dark or light brown spots and markings||cross between Abyssinian and Siamese|
|Oriental Shorthair||U.S., U.K.||long, lithe body; vivid green eyes||numerous colours unique to the breed|
|Russian Blue||Russia||blue with silver tipping; plush, double coat; fine-boned, but muscular||considered omens of good luck|
|Scottish Fold||Scotland||typically folded ears; short, round, well-padded body||folded ear gene can cause crippling when two such types are mated|
|Siamese||Asia||sapphire-blue eyes; long, lean body||noted for its intelligence and unpredictable behaviour|
|Sphynx||Canada||hairless; large ears||rare outside North America|
|Tonkinese||U.S.||blue-green eyes; medium-sized||cross between Siamese and Burmese|
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