Beautiful, friendly, and smart as a whip, the Siamese cat has it all. More than a few artists have been captivated by their charm, which has earned these graceful animals a place in temples and palaces around the world. But there is a lot more about these adorable kitties you may not know.
Today, we are here to share some least-known Siamese cat facts with you.
14 Least Known Siamese Cat Facts
1. Applehead Siamese Cats Exist Too
Siamese cats have wedge-shaped heads, however, these are the modern kitties of the breed. The older cats had apple-shaped, round heads, short noses, and larger bodies. Some sources claim that they came into existence in North America by crossing the traditional Siamese and other breeds, including the American Shorthair. But other sources contend that the older, applehead Siamese were, in fact, the original Siamese cats.
2. Siamese Cats Are Quite Old
No one exactly knows when Siamese cats originated. But certainly, the Siamese breed has been around for centuries and is considered one of the oldest cat breeds. A fair idea comes from Thailand, the Siamese breeding ground. The local manuscript Tamra Maew (discovered in 2014) mentions cats of similar characteristics, pointing out that the breed is quite old.
3. Siamese Cats Are Also Called Meezers
Dictionaries translate ‘meezer’ as a very talkative cat or someone who is utterly fond of talking. Thus, Siamese cats are nicknamed ‘meezer’ for their vocal nature. They are demanding and always tend to start conversations by meowing in a loud, low-pitched voice, often comparable to the cries of a human baby.
4. Siamese Cats Have a Modifier Gene of Albinism
The Siamese breed has a modifier gene of albinism that restricts pigment development in the coat except for the extremities. The dark coloring in the overall white Siamese cats is nothing less than scientific magic: the dark color only develops in areas that are warmer in the body. This property has also earned Siamese cats ‘temperature sensitive albinos.’
5. Siamese Cats Are Essentially White Cats
The wombs of mama cats are warm to the point that they suppress the coloration genes. Hence, Siamese cats are entirely unpigmented when they are born. But as they age, they develop into the eye-catching colors as we know them – seal point, chocolate point, lynx point, flame point, blue point, and more.
6. Siamese Cats Come in 30+ Different Colors
Referring to the hues in the extremities, Siamese cats are known to prevail in about 33 different colors. Nevertheless, not all of them are accepted by different cat organizations. For instance, the Cat Fanciers’ Organization (CFA) has accepted only four – seal, blue, lilac, and chocolate points. The organization considers these the only naturally occurring hues in the purebred Siamese.
7. All Siamese Cats Have Blue Eyes
Siamese kitties are among the animal kingdom’s finest cats with blue eyes. The Siamese breed has spectacular blue eyes due to the recessive albinism gene. Though it does not impact eyesight, the iris eye membranes remain unpigmented. The same is true for half-Siamese cats as well. Along with the coat color, these striking eyes make the Siamese kitties mysteriously beautiful!
8. Siamese Cats Have Night Vision Troubles
Though the genetic flaw keeps the vision unharmed during the day, Siamese cats have difficulty seeing at night. Moreover, they cannot pay attention to details in the dark. This is the only known problem that arose from the albino gene: these kitties also suffer from other eye diseases, such as primary glaucoma, but the basis of those issues is inheritance.
9. Siamese Cats Once Had Crossed Eyes and Crooked Tails
Another albinism gene defect (not related to the eyesight this time!), Siamese cats had cross eyes and hooked tails a few decades ago – the flaw is mostly eliminated, thanks to the breeders. As per the legend, a princess from Siam used to keep her ring on a Siamese cat’s tail which ultimately led to hooked tails in all offspring to come.
10. The First Siamese Cat in the U.S. Went Straight to the White House
An interesting fact about Siamese cats is their entry into the White House.
Siamese kitties were non-existent in the U.S. until David Sickles, an American diplomat in Bangkok, gifted the Siam a Siamese cat to President Rutherford B. Hayes in 1879. Thus, the breed holds the special position of getting introduced to the rest of the country through the White House.
11. The First Siamese in the U.S. Lived Too Short
Perhaps the Siamese cat had lost some of seven lives while journeying from Bangkok to the U.S. The first Siamese cat in the U.S. died after one year of entering the White House due to some illness. As per a legend, the President ordered the preservation of Siam’s body afterward.
12. Siamese Cats Had Links With Regal Deaths
In ancient times, unlike the Mackerel Tabby cats that were linked to black magic, the Siamese breed had quite a positive image if demise was concerned. The Royal Family of Siam had included them in their life – and even death. The Royal Family thought that the Siamese cats would be the first creatures to meet them when their souls glide to the heavens. Besides receiving, these cats will also serve the royals in paradise.
13. Several Breeds Look Like Siamese Cats
Siamese cats have been directly or indirectly involved in the origination of several other breeds. Due to this fact, the decedents look quite similar to the Siamese, and people often confuse all of them with each other. The most famous among them are:
14. There Are Multiple World Record Feathers in the Siamese Crown
In addition to their mesmerizing looks, our Siamese pals do not waste time impressing us in other ways.
- The Once Longest-Lived Cat Was a Siamese: Scooter celebrated its 30th birthday on 26th March 2016, but unfortunately, died on 8th April the same year. It was then the oldest living cat, making it to the Guinness Book of World Records.
- A Burmese-Siamese Cat Delivered the Largest Kitten Litter: A whopping 19 kittens! In 1970, a Burmese-Siamese cat owned by V. Gane of Kingham, U.K., gave birth to the largest known litter of kittens.
- World’s Fattest Feline Was a Siamese: Katy, a Russian Siamese cat, held the record of the fattest cat in the world. At 50 pounds, she measured equal to an average six years old boy!
