Group Classification: Shorthair
Country of Origin: Thailand
Date of Origin: 1600s or earlier
Weight (M): 9-12 lbs.
Weight (F): 6-9 lbs.
Life Expectancy: 15-20 years

History
Even people who don't know much about cats can usually recognize the Siamese. Perhaps it's the startlingly blue eyes, or the contrast of the point markings, or the slim body. They have been recorded as early as 500 years ago as a notable mutation, which seems to have become widespread since the breed was described again in the 1700s as being present in central Asia. Meanwhile, in Thailand, these cats were revered by Buddhist monks. They were kept as sacred temple cats, called Moon Diamonds (Wichien-Maat).

The two instances of Siamese leaving Asia for the west are well documented, as each involved notable persons of the late 1800s.

In the U.S., there is a letter from David B. Sickels to Lucy Webb Hayes, the First Lady, dated November 1, 1878.

"Having observed in an American newspaper a few months ago that you were fond of cats, I have taken the liberty of forwarding you one of the finest specimens of Siamese cats that I have been able to procure in this country.

Thes (sic) pussy goes to Hong Kong, whence it will be transshipped by the Occidental & Oriental line, in charge of the Purser, to San Francisco and then sent by express to Washington.

I am informed that this is the first attempt ever made to send a Siamese cat to America.

I am
Very Respectfully
David B. Sickels
U.S. Consul"

Hayes' Presidential archives record much about the cat and its life in Washington. Named Siam, it appeared to enjoy life in the nation's capitol, freely investigating the White House and joining state dinners.

A year later, while the Hayes family was on retreat at their summer home in Fremont, Ohio, records indicate that the cat was taken ill.

The White House made desperate attempts to restore Siam's health. Writings explain they gave the cat all sorts of delicacies (cream, duck, oysters and more) to no avail, while the feline grew weaker. Frantic, they contact the President's Physician, Dr. J.H. Baxter.

Baxter was a cat fancier himself and responded to the call with alacrity. He instructed the staff to give Siam "beef tea and milk every three hours". (Beef tea was created by adding boiling water to a new and very popular salty beef extract that had been invented by John Lawson Johnston. Bovril is still popular today.)

Despite the doctor's regimen, Siam continued to deteriorate. Baxter returned to take the cat to his own home in a last ditch effort to save the feline, but five days later Siam died.

In the U.K., the first Siamese fared better. Edward Blencowe Gould, the British Consul General in Bankok, brought a breeding pair (Pho and Mia) to Britain in 1884 as a gift for his sister, Lilian Jane Veley. These cats produced a litter of three kittens the following year. Pho and Mia were shown at the Crystal Palace in 1885. Another pair of Siamese were imported the following year. By 1898, a Siamese named Wankee became the British Champion.

Veley became dedicated to fostering growth of the breed and even founded The Siamese Cat Club in 1901. The American Siamese Cat Society was founded slightly later, in 1909.

Compared to the common cats of the ear, Siamese were remarkably different looking. First off, no one had seen pointed markings before. There are newspaper reports that praise their looks, and there are others that decry it. Their fur was nothing like that of British or American cats either. And finally, the Siamese cats that people became acquainted with in the late 1800s were cross eyed with kinked tails. Today, those conditions are considered a serious fault, but initially they were actually part of the breed standard as they appeared to be a natural trait of these felines.

Their popularity continued to grow, and in the 1950s Siamese were arguably America's favorite cat. In that decade they were featured in film and song. "Incredible Journey", a film about two dogs and a Siamese cat separated from their owners during a vacation, was a huge hit in 1963 and made the breed a household name.

In addition to crossed eyes and kinked tails, the original Siamese that came to the west were not as slim or as tall as today, nor did they have the extremely long head. In fact, the build of the Siamese cat became the subject of a huge dispute that is still going strong. Today, different breeders specialize either in traditional Siamese or modern Siamese under an assortment of names.

General Description
The modern Siamese cat has long thin legs, a long tapering tail with no kinks, and a long tubular body. "Svelte" is a good description of the overall look of these elegant cats. They have wedge shaped heads, and their large flared ears follow the lines of the face outward, giving the cat a fairly triangular visage. The traditional variety has more robust body overall. They have rounder heads (applehead is the term used for this trait) with significantly smaller ears. No matter the variety, the Siamese coat is short and close-lying, but traditional cats generally have thicker coats. All have sapphire blue slanted eyes and today, crossed eyes are a serious flaw.

Colors
Colors for this breed have developed differently in the U.S. and the U.K. For the breed overall, body color ranges from glacial white to pale fawn.

U.K. Colors:
Point: Seal, blue, chocolate, lilac, red, cream, cinnamon, fawn, caramel and apricot.

Tabby and Tortie combinations of the above

U.S. Colors:
Point: Seal, blue, chocolate and lilac.

Other Countries/Associations

May recognize some or all of the above; some also recognize silver-based points (for example, the Seal Smoke Point).

Coat
Whatever the color, the Siamese coat is very short and fine, with no undercoat. The fur has a high gloss on a healthy cat.

Notable Features
Where to begin? The point markings, blue eyes, slim builds, long legs, small feet