Siamese Cats and Kittens

There is a theory that Siamese cats originated in Egypt and entered Siam via trade routes during the reign of Cleopatra. The people of Siam called their cat, "Wichien maat" which translates into "moon diamond." Europeans first discovered these beautiful cats in Siam during the 1800's and renamed them "Siamese."

The original Siamese cats had strong bodies, rounded heads with prominent cheeks, almond shaped blue eyes, large ears, and kinked tails. There are two legends to explain the kink:

One legend tells the story of a stolen goblet from a Buddhist temple. Two cats were sent to find it. Upon finding the valuable goblet, one cat returned to the priests to tell them and the other cat remained behind, to guard it. She wrapped the end of her tail around the goblet to make sure it didn't go missing again and that is how she got her kink.

The other legend has two versions: One is about a Siamese princess was bathing and forgot to take her rings off. Her cat kinked it's tail, offering it for the princess to place her rings upon. The other version says the princess put her rings on a smooth tail but they slipped off into the water and were lost. In the future, the princess tied the cat's tail in a knot to make sure rings were not lost again, thus creating the kink.

Once exported to Europe and the USA, breeding changed the appearance of Siamese cats. There is the "traditional" or "old world" look as mentioned above and there is the "modern" version that is now the standard for European and American cat shows and competitions. This newer look is a long, thin body with a short, flat coat, and wedge-shaped head with chiseled features. Both have the blue eyes. There are breeders who strive to preserve both versions.

A mutated enzyme, involved in melanin/color production is the reason for the Siamese cat's bi-color appearance. It does not work at body temperature which explains the pale torso. Because the ears, legs, face and tail are a little bit cooler, their color is expressed. Siamese cats that live in cold climates tend to be darker colored than those that live closer to the equator. These darker/colored areas are called "points."

At first Siamese cats were preferred to have "seal point" coloring, which is a very pale body with very dark brown points. Occasionally other variations of color occurred but these cats were removed from the breeding effort. That has since changed and now different colors are just as valuable. Chocolate points have a creamy body with brown points; blue points have a white body with gray-blue points; and lilac points have a white body with pinkish gray points.

Siamese cats have become quite important to the science of breeding. They have contributed to the creation and maintenance of several other breeds - Balinese, Burmese, Himalayan, Javanese, Ocicat, Oriental Shorthair and Longhair, Snowshoe, Tonkinese and Thai Cat. Without the Siamese cat, none of these other breeds would exist.

Today's typical Siamese cat can weigh anywhere from 8 to 15 pounds. If kept indoors and properly cared for, the Siamese cat life expectancy is into the early 20's. They are the perfect companion cat - they love to be with their owners, adore playing and interaction (they even play fetch!), and enjoy conversations. Siamese cats are highly intelligent and curious. They are the most popular shorthaired cat and the third most popular of all breeds in Europe and the USA.

Siamese cat care is simple. They are very low maintenance. Only bathe them if they get into something. Otherwise, they can take care of themselves. Brush only sparingly with a rubbery brush or wipe down with a slightly damp wash cloth to remove loose hairs. This is probably only necessary in the spring. Keep their ears and eyes clean as needed.

Siamese kitten adoption is best done between 12 and 16 weeks after they've received their first round of vaccinations and are weaned. The transition to a new home is easier if they are closer to 16 weeks old.

If you are looking for Siamese cats for sale, make sure you are buying from a reputable, humane breeder. Inspect the parent cats and their living quarters. Make sure they have a good quality of life and the mom isn't spending her life constantly pregnant and confined in a cage. There are also many rescues that specialize in cats and Siamese cats.

Presidential Daughter Susan Ford...........................Presidential Daughter Amy Carter

.,,and Shan /...............................................................and Yin-Yang

Cat Myths

Cats can have cow's milk
Many cats are lactose intolerant & giving them milk will result in them getting an upset tummy and/or diarrhea. This is especially dangerous in kittens who can dehydrate quickly.

Cats can have fish
It is perfectly fine to give your cat the occasional treat of fish, but it should not become their regular diet. Feeding too much fish can lead to Yellow Fat Disease (steatitis), caused by Vitamin E deficiency.

When you move to a new home, put butter on your cat's paws to stop it from roaming or getting lost.
The safest bet is to keep your cat either exclusively indoors or allow it to go out in a purpose built cat enclosure for at least 2 months.

My cat will get fat and lazy if it is fixed.
They might, on average, weigh a little bit more than other cats, but their level of friskiness is not affected.

My female cat should have one litter before she is spayed.
Not at all, in fact it is better to have her spayed before 6 months of age to prevent an unwanted pregnancy. Letting her have a litter is a human sentimental notion.

Cats must be 6 months before they can be desexed.
With modern anaesthetics, cats can now be safely desexed as young as 8 weeks of age. It's more an issue of size and weight than of age.

Cats always land on their feet.
They try to land on their feet but it there's not enough time and distance during the fall, they can't. And landing on their feet is no guarentee they'll land without injury. Can you fall 20, 40 or 60 feet and not get injured just because you landed on your feet?

Declawing hurts my cat.
Just like any other operation, the cat is under anesthetic and can't feel the actual operation. There is some post operative pain, just like any other proceedure. Unless the vet botched the surgery, your cat will be fine and ready to run and jump in no time soon. Using the litter box again is no problem.

Cats can eat dog food.
Dog food is missing the essential nutrients taurine & arachidonic acid. Taurine deficiency can lead to blindness & arachidonic acid can lead to dry, scaly skin. Cats require a higher protein & fat content in their diet.

A cat purrs because it's happy.
Cat also purr when they are in pain. Cats have been known to purr when they are giving birth and they will sometimes purr when they are dying. Purring is more an expression of an emotion than an expression of happiness.

Cats will not mate with their siblings/parents/offspring.
There are no rules in the cat world about who mates with whom. Anything goes.

All calico cats are female.
There is the occasional male. However, virtually all of these males are sterile. The calico color is sex linked. For a cat to be calico it must have two X chromosomes ergo the cat is female. In rare instances however a male calico will be produced. This usually happens because the cat has an extra chromosome. So, instead of him being XY, he is XXY. These cats are known as Kleinfelter males.

All orange cats are male
No, it is possible to have an orange female. Unlike the orange male, who only needs one copy of the O gene to produce an orange coat, the female requires the O to be on both chromosomes. If she has only one O, the resulting coat colour will be calico.

It's okay to release your pet cat into the wild because cats can fend for themselves. Pet cats who find themselves dumped into the outside world to fend for themselves will most likely die of either starvation, injuries caused by fights with other animals, disease or be hit by a car. Some cats survive because there is an abandoned place of shelter and kindly neighbors put food and water out.

All male cats spray.
Intact male cats are much more likely to spray than desexed ones but this is not a 100% rule. Also, some female cats spray.

You can't convert a cat to the indoors only.
It is easy to do as long as you ensure your kitties have enough mental stimulation. They like a 3D world with high places and places to hide. All cats need some companionship. Get two cats to keep each other company if you aren't home very often.

Cats smother babies.
Statistically, it parents who sleep with infants that do most of the smothering. There are no verifiable records of a cat ever smothering a baby.

Devon Rexes, Cornish Rexes & Sphynx's are hypoallergenic.
It's the saliva that causes the allergic reaction and all cats have saliva. All cats lick themselves to take a bath. These breeds just have less shedded hair laying around the house to aggravate your allergies. If you have allergies and want a traditional cat with hair, wear a mask and vacume a little more often and keep the kitties off your bed and out of the laundry hamper.

Indoor cats cannot get diseases/parasites.
Many heebie jeebies are airborne and some are found in the soil. They can enter your home through the air system, an open door, your clothes, garden gloves and tools, and your shoes.

Pregnant women shouldn't own cats.
There are many sources of toxoplasmosis. Pregnant women should take precautions such as avoiding cleaning the litter tray, ensuring their meat is thoroughly cooked, washing vegetables properly and wearing gloves while gardening to avoid contracting toxomoplosis. This is just incase she has not yet developed a resistence to it.

Putting bells on a cat's collar will stop it catching mice & birds
Your cat will actually learn to move without the bell making a sound and become even more stealthier than before.

All cats hate water.
Most cats hate water but not all. Turkish Van's, Bengals and real live tigers are known to be fond of water and sometimes even enjoy swimming.

Siamese cats are mean.
This is one of the world's most popular breed of cat. Temperament is the result of genetics, nurturing and socialization. For every mean Siamese you show me, I'll show you 10 mean kitties of other breeds!

Himalayan & Colorpoint Persian Cats

This is a photograph of my cat, Ashley. This article is about her breed. In the USA they are known as Himalayans, nicknamed Himmies, and in Europe they are called Colorpoint Persians.

The first deliberate attempt to cross a Siamese with a Persian cat was done in 1924 by for Swedish geneticist. Much was to be learned about the genetic characteristics of cats's bodies and coat colors. Long hair and Color Points were discovered to both be recessive traits. It wasn't until 1935 that a kitten was produced that looked like the Himalayans or Colorpoint Persians of today.

This "new" breed of cat was officially recognized by the GCCF (Governing Council of Cat Fancy) of England in 1955 and by the CFA (Cat Fanciers Association) in the USA in 1957. The CFA began allowing competition of Himmies as a sub-group within the Persian classification. The TICA (The International Cat Association) classifies this breed as unique and separate from the Persians.

The white or cream-colored bodies of Himmies are medium to large in size, sometimes weighing up to 12 pounds. They have short legs which sometimes restricts how high they can jump. They have darker fur on the face, ears, legs and tail. Their fur is very long, especially on the tail.

The original "Himmies" had seal, blue, chocolate and lilac points. Today's cats can be solid color, tabby-striped or tortoise-shelled. The colors come in chocolate, seal, lilac, blue, red/flame, cream-tortie, blue-cream, chocolate-tortie, lilac-cream, seal lynx, blue lynx, red lynx, cream lynx, tortie lynx, blue-cream lynx, chocolate lynx, lilac lynx, chocolate-tortie lynx and lilac-cream lynx colors.

There are two kinds of faces. "Peeked" or "Ultra" faced Himmies have squashed in faces, a frown look to the mouth and squinty eyes. "Doll Face" Himmies have large, round eyes and a little bit of elongation of the muzzle. Over the generations, Himmies tend back to longer snouts, so every once in awhile a Persian needs to be bred into the line to keep the flat face.

Inbreeding has caused some genetic problems - breathing problems called Brachycephalia due to the flat face (flat faced dogs have the same problem), some joint problems, organ abnormalities, Polycystic Kidney Disease and Progressive Retinal Atrophy. Not all Himmies get these problems.

Himalayans were named after Himalayan rabbits that had the same color point coat. That's how they got their name. They originated in England, not the mountains of Asia.

The personality of a Himalayan is very gentle and sedate, but not so lethargic as a Persian. They have their frisky moments and like to play. The tend to love human companionship and want to be in the same room, if not right there in your lap. They tend not to be as independant or aloof as other breeds.

Himalayan cats need their humans to help care for their eyes and coats. Their fur needs to be brushed every day and they need regular baths, once a week sometimes. Their eyes tend to tear which results in a build up of crust. Eyes need to be wiped clean every day. The presence of crust build up invites bacteria into the eye area which is dangerous to eye health.

If you don't mind the brushing and bathing, a Himalayan cat can be a beautiful addition to your family. He or she will give you lots of love. Petting such a soft coat is relaxing and luxurious. I know - I've owned two Himalayans and they are right up there with diamonds, dark chocolate and silks.