Siamese: The Social Butterflies of the Cat World

Today is National Siamese Cat Day, and, just in case it wasn't completely obvious, I'm a Meezer lover.

I originally shared this article on December 10, 2020, so some of you may have already read it. 

Tylan doesn't need to know that National Siamese Cat Day slipped my mind.....

Please show all the Siamese cats in your life a little extra love today!

Tylan is a handsome seal-point Siamese who came to the United States after being rescued from Bangkok, Thailand.

My cat, Tylan, is a handsome seal-point Siamese. Tylan was rescued from Bangkok, Thailand. He was being cared for by a cat hoarder who rescued him from Bangkok's streets. True to a Siamese's nature, Tylan is loving, affectionate, and people-oriented despite the extraordinary challenges he's faced in his life.

I've been owned by Siamese for more than 15 years now. While their gorgeous appearance is what initially drew me to the breed, it is the breed's personality characteristics that stole my heart. I have no doubt that after you read about the Siamese, you'll fall in love with them, too.

Siamese: The Social Butterflies of the Cat World

 

Tylan is a handsome seal-point Siamese who came to the United States after being rescued from Bangkok, Thailand.

My cat, Tylan, is a handsome seal-point Siamese. Tylan was rescued from Bangkok, Thailand. He was being cared for by a cat hoarder who rescued him from Bangkok's streets. True to a Siamese's nature, Tylan is loving, affectionate, and people-oriented despite the extraordinary challenges he's faced in his life.

I've been owned by Siamese for more than 15 years now. While their gorgeous appearance is what initially drew me to the breed, it is the breed's personality characteristics that stole my heart. I have no doubt that after you read about the Siamese, you'll fall in love with them, too.

History

Siamese cats originated in Siam, which is now Thailand. The Siamese was first depicted in an ancient manuscript called, “Tamra Maew” (Cat Poems), which dates from 1350. The breed made its first appearance in Europe in 1871 at London's Crystal Palace Cat Show. The first Siamese cat arrived in the United States in 1879. The cat, named Siam, was a gift to President Rutherford B. Hayes from the American Consul in Bangkok.

The Siamese occurred as a result of a natural genetic mutation. The Siamese have been instrumental in the development of several other cat breeds over the years, including the Balinese, Havana Brown, Javanese, Colorpoint Shorthair, Burmese, Tonkinese, Birman, Savannah, Bengal, Snowshoe, Oriental, Himalayan, and Ocicat.

Why Siamese Are the Best

Hi everyone, Milita here today.

I thought since the Mom had a busier week than usual, I would give her a little break and help her with today's post.

In this short little video (about 3 minutes) you can learn more about Siamese cats (like me!).



The Mom says she really likes flame point Siamese kitties.  But do you know what her favorite kind are?  LYNX-POINT - because we are the best!

The video says that we talk a lot, but that is not the case with me.  I only talk when I want my dinner.  Carmine actually talks a lot more than I do.

I am intelligent, sophisticated, regal, and outgoing.  The Mom says she loves a lot of things about me (what's not to love?), but she says one of my favorite qualities is that I give her hugs, and I am one of the only cats she knows who does that (Coltrane is the other cat she knows who gives hugs)!

What's your cat's favorite quality?

Balinese

Like their Siamese ancestors, the Balinese are beautiful, elegant, and graceful.  The Balinese are very social and demand a lot of attention.  They bond deeply with their families and want to be involved in everything you do!

History

The history of the Balinese cat is somewhat in dispute.  According to Petfinder, some longhaired kittens began to show up in otherwise shorthair Siamese litters in the early 1900s.  Some people theorize that the long hair gene was introduced into the Siamese gene pool after World War I in Europe.  The Siamese breed had been nearly obliterated by the war, and some theorize that breeders used other types of cats to help further the Siamese bloodline.  

Photo Credit: Carol VanHook.

Others believe that the long hair gene occurred naturally.  Both theories have merit and have been disputed.  No one knows which theory is responsible for the long hair gene found in Balinese cats.

A longhaired Siamese cat was registered with the Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) in 1928, but there was no real effort to establish the breed until the 1940s.  The Balinese were named by Helen Smith, one of the early breeders working to establish the cat as a breed.  She named the breed Balinese because the graceful cat reminded her of Balinese dancers.

The Cat Fanciers' Association originally accepted Balinese in the traditional colors - seal, lilac, chocolate, and blue.  Later, in 1979, the CFA started accepting "non-traditional" color points as well, such as lynx (tabby), cream, tortoiseshell, and red.  

Appearance

The Balinese have many physical characteristics similar to the Siamese.  Balinese have long, svelte, muscular bodies with long silky hair.  Unlike other longhair breeds that have double coats, these cats have a single coat.  The Balinese's long silky coat measures anywhere from one-half an inch to two inches.  The bread's fine coat lies close to the body, and it is not likely to mat.  The bread's tail forms a plume, with hair measuring up to five inches in length, according to The International Cat Association (TICA).

The Balinese's head forms a tapered triangle, and the breed has stunning blue Sapphire eyes.  According to the TICA, the breed is medium-sized with females weighing 5-7 pounds and males weighing 6-8 pounds.  

Photo Credit: Nicholas Titkov.

Like the Siamese, Balinese cats have white or cream colored bodies and points of different colors.  Points refer to the mask or face, tail, legs, and ears of a cat, and they range widely in color and pattern.  Balinese point colors and patterns include lilac, chocolate, blue, seal, lynx (tabby), red, tortoiseshell, and bicolor points.

Personality

Balinese have a loving and playful temperament.  As I mentioned earlier, these cats are social and love attention.  They bond closely with their families and want to be involved in everything you do from cooking dinner to checking email to helping you with the chores.  These cats get along well with children and other pets as well.

Photo Credit: Nicholas Titkov.

Like their Siamese ancestors, Balinese love to talk!  They will chat with you about anything and everything.  Their voices are softer than that of the Siamese.  If you don't like a vocal cat, this breed is not a good choice for your family.  

These cats are intelligent and inquisitive.  They tend to get into mischief, so they should not be left alone for long periods of time, according to the TICA.  They love to play and tend to love all sorts of toys.  Petfinder states that Balinese cats can easily learn how to fetch as well.  

Have you ever owned or met a Balinese cat?  Please tell us about your experience in the comments section.

Sources:

The International Cat Association: Balinese

Cat Fanciers' Association: Balinese

Petfinder: Balinese Cat 

Korat: The Good Luck Cat

Korats are absolutely gorgeous blue-silver kitties with great personalities.  They are very rare, especially outside of Thailand, where they originated.

History

The Korat originated in Thailand, and the earliest record of the breed's existence appears in an ancient text, The Cat-Book Poems, which is dated between 1350 and 1767.  From the descriptions of the Korat in this ancient manuscript, it seems that the breed's physical appearance has changed very little over time.  For centuries, the breed has been regarded as a symbol of good fortune.  Additionally, many people consider the Korat as Thailand's national cat.

The breed made its way to North America in 1959.  The Cat Fanciers' Association accepted the breed for championship in 1966, and today, all cat associations in North America recognize the Korat. 

Photo Credit: Jacob Enos.

Appearance

The Korat has a short blue-silver coat.  The breed's roots are a light blue, with increasingly darker color as it goes up the shaft.  The tips are silver.  Korats have striking emerald green eyes, but their full eye color may not develop until the cat is two to four years old.  Korats have heart-shaped faces.

Korats do not have much body fat; rather, they are muscular and weigh more than they look.  Some people describe them as well-coiled springs.

Personality

The breed possesses exceptional sight, smell, and hearing.  They are sensitive to sudden movements and loud noises.  For this reason, a home with small children may not be the best place for a Korat.  Korats want to be involved with all of your activities when you're home, and they love to cuddle.  They form strong bonds with their humans and do not like being left alone for long periods of time. 

Korats are intelligent and like to think they are the ones in charge in the home (as they should be!).  Though not as talkative as their Siamese cousins, Korats aren't shy about expressing themselves both verbally and with body language.  

Have you ever had the opportunity to meet a Korat?

Breed Profile: Ocicat

Ocicats are not only beautifully spotted kitties, they are also intelligent and devoted to their humans.  So how did these cats originate and what makes them so special?  Read on to find out!

History

In 1964, the Ocicat was created by accident when Virginia Daly was trying to create a Siamese cat with Abyssinian points.  In one of the litters, she discovered an ivory kitten containing golden-colored spots.  She named him Tonga, had him neutered, and found him a good home.  Virginia's daughter called him an Ocicat because the kitten resembled the wild Ocelot.  

Geneticist Dr. Clyde Keeler began corresponding with Virginia Daly.  He was interested in developing a cat that resembled the looks of some of the wild cats.  The breeding was repeated, and eventually the American Shorthair was added to the mix to create the Ocicat breed.  

Appearance

Ocicats can be spotted, classic tabby, ticked, solid, or pointed.  They come in 12 colors: brown, chocolate, lilac, blue, fawn, cinnamon, and silver versions of all of these colors.  Spotted Ocicats have spots all over their bodies in a classic bull's eye pattern, according to The International Cat Association (TICA).  

The breed has almond-shaped eyes and short, tight fur coats.  Ociats have an athletic appearance with legs that are medium in length.  In general, full-grown males weigh between nine and 14 pounds while females weigh between six and nine pounds.

Personality Traits

Ocicats are confident, devoted to their humans, and social.  They do not do well being left home alone for extended periods of time.  They are intelligent and can learn to play fetch and do tricks.  They love their toys and may be a little possessive of them.  

Have you ever loved an Ocicat?  What was your experience like with him or her? 

Egyptian Mau

The Egyptian Mau is a beautiful, intelligent cat. This breed makes a great pet and is popular at cat shows as well. We believe Jewel may be part Egyptian Mau, so I thought I would tell you about this great breed.

History

Egyptian Maus originated in Egypt. They came to North America in 1956 when Russian Princess Nathalie Troubetskoy imported three Egyptian Maus from Italy with the help of Richard Gebhardt. Two of these were silver females named Liza and Baba. The other was a bronze male named JoJo. The breed was accepted by the Cat Fanciers’ Association in 1977 for championship competition. In 1979, the breed gained recognition from The International Cat Association as well.

Physical Appearance

The Egyptian Mau is the only naturally spotted domesticated cat. The Mau’s spots are random in shape and size. According to The International Cat Association (TICA), the legs, tail, neck, and upper chest are barred with at least one “broken necklace.” The shoulders and haunches are places where spots turn into stripes.The breed also has an “M” mark on its forehead, like many other breeds do. The breed’s eyes are large, almond-shaped, and gooseberry green in color. The Mau’s ears are medium to large, broad at the base, slightly flared, and somewhat pointed. Other characteristic facial features include a worried expression and mascara lines around the eyes.
The Mau’s hind legs are longer than its front legs, which gives it what is referred to as a “tiptoe” stance. This breed also possesses a medium-length tail and coat.

The Cat Fanciers’ Association and The International Cat Association accept the Egyptian Mau in three colors for championship competitions: silver, smoke, and bronze. However, these cats also come in solid black, solid blue, and dilute versions of the primary colors blue silver, blue smoke, and blue spotted (the dilute version of bronze).

Personality

Egyptian Maus are intelligent cats who bond closely to their humans. They are curious, playful, and energetic. Some Maus will even play fetch with you.