The Siamese is an elegant breed with unique features that makes it stand out from other breeds. These cats typically have a light coat that contrasts with their darker face, ears, paws and tail.
Siamese cats originated in Thailand, which was previously known as Siam. They were not known to the western world until the late nineteenth century when they were shown at the Crystal Palace Cat Show in London.
The Siamese is a natural breed, with genetic mutation being the cause of its novel pointed pattern. They have played a part in the creation of several other different breeds, such as the Oriental, Balinese, and the Tonkinese.
Siamese cats can be broadly categorized into two types, the traditional and the modern. The traditional variety includes the Old Style, Applehead, and the Classic Siamese. On the other hand, popular modern Siamese are Wedgies, dark-colored points, and light-colored points.
Here is a comprehensive guide to the top types of Siamese cats found around the world:
Old Style Siamese
These felines have a medium-sized physique and large nose and ears. They have a distinct Thai look with well-formed almond eyes. These active cats often tend to have crossed eyes due to the way they are bred.
Moreover, they have a longer face than other traditional Siamese breeds. They are well-muscled with a relatively sturdy physique.
These cats are dubbed “Old Style” because they were quite common during the 50s, 60s, and 70s. They are exactly what most people imagine when they think “Siamese”.
Applehead Siamese
These felines have derived their name by the fact that their skulls are shaped like apples. These cats have stocky bodies with their tails shorter than the two other traditional breeds. Pet owners report that the Appleheadsare less vocal than other kinds of Siamese cats.
The beauty of the Appleahead Siamese lies in their fluffy fur. The males tend to weigh as much as 18 pounds.
If you plan to adopt an Applehead Siamese, make sure you give them time as these cats love attention from their owners. They are talkative felines and may feel like telling you when their food bowl is empty or if it is raining outside.
Classic Siamese
This type is the most agile among the three traditional kinds of Siamese. They are characterized by their lean bodies, large ears, sharp faces, and pointed muzzles.
This breed has genetics similar to the other two traditional Siamese cats, namely the Old-Style Siamese and the Applehead Siamese. However, their long bodies and tails set them apart.
The Classic Siamese was born somewhere in the 1400s, but officially gained recognition only recently. It was acknowledged by the Cat Fanciers Association and The International Cat Association in 2007, and categorized as an “Advanced New Breed” in 2009.
Wedgie
This kind has a markedly triangular or wedge-shaped face with apparent wedgie lines. They also have large, pointed ears, wide noses, and slanted eyes.
The Wedgie is a relatively modern variety of the Siamese. They are graceful cats with lean, muscular physiques, thin tails, and long legs. The Wedgies was categorized as a show cat and was rather popular during the 1980s.
These felines have the loudest meows in a lower tone as compared to other Siamese types. They are also affectionate and generally sweet by nature.
The exaggerated features of the wedge-head make them increasingly vulnerable to respiratory and pulmonary issues, which are already prevalent among the Siamese. Moreover, these cats are also at risk of some dental problems as their narrow facial structures constrict the space for their teeth to erupt comfortably.
Crossbreeding has caused these cats to be susceptible to kidney disease. This has reduced their life expectancy to a mere 5-6 years. However, if they are given healthy meals and taken care of, these cats may survive longer.
Seal Point
The Seal Point is the darkest Siamese cat. These were genetically black, but with time the color became restricted to the points.
A Seal Point Siamese pair was the first to arrive in England in the 1880s. These felines are cream-colored with darker points on the paws, face, and tail, which tend to deepen in color as they age. The paw pads and nose leather of this breed are also dark browns.
Seal Point cats have albino origins. The alleles (variants of a gene) are actually temperature-sensitive genes that are linked to albinism. The deeper hues on the bodies of these cats are where their body temperature is cooler. The lesser the body heat in an area, the darker the fur is on these cats.
Blue Point
These cats are dark-colored, with a bluish-white coat and bluish-grey patches on the face, eyes, paws and tails. The piercing blue eyes of these cats is what makes them unique.
The coat of this breed grows darker with age. The first-ever blue point Siamese had kinked tails. However, with time this began to be seen as a flaw and they started being bred differently to avoid this feature in the following generations.
Blue Points make friendly pets and love to stare at you with those sapphire eyes. Make sure you give them enough attention as they are known to have separation anxiety if left alone for a long time period.
The Blue Point is genetically vulnerable to eye problems. Some conditions that may afflict this breed include lens luxation and Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA).
Lilac Point
This is one of the most popular Siamese breeds and was first acknowledged in the 1960s. They are diluted types of the Blue Point and Chocolate Point breeds.
These felines appear cream-colored from their eyes to their paws, with China blue eyes. The paw pads and nose leather of these cats have a pale pink hue.
If you want an interactive pet, adopting a Lilac Point Siamese may be a great idea. They are loud and melodramatic by nature and are delighted to stay around their owners.
The Lilac Points are independent cats who would only do what they want to do. It is best to keep these cats in pairs. They are playful creatures who do not like being alone.
Chocolate Point
If you don’t know about the Chocolate Point, the name may lead you to believe they may be a dark-colored Siamese variety. However, these cats are actually a rather light shade of brown.
They have a predominantly ivory coat with darker shades at the points. Their ears are usually of a deeper color than the masks, and their eyes are a bright blue.
These felines are curious, which can sometimes land them into trouble. However, they are generally friendly and relatively easy to train. Chocolate Point tends to get bored easily and may require toys to play with indoors or some free time outdoors to hunt and explore.
Chocolate Point Siamese generally remain healthy and do not fall sick too often. When given a balanced diet and allowed adequate exercise, these cats can live up to 15-20 years.
Red Point
The Red Point cat typically has a dark umber, crimson, or orange-tinged pointed pattern. This is a rare breed that is not seen often.
These felines are characterized by a creamy fur coat, vivid blue eyes, and a reddish hue on the face, mask, and tail. Their nose and paw pads are usually pink in color.
The origins of the Red Point Siamese date back to the 1930s. When the seal point breed first arrived in the UK, they were crossbred with the red tabby or the tortoiseshell British shorthair which contained orange genes. This led to the birth of Red Point of Flame Point Siamese.
Most Red Point cats also contain stripes on their legs, faces, and tails. In addition, you may also spot freckles on their lips, noses, paw pads, eyelids, and ears.
Cinnamon Point
The Cinnamon Point, along with the Fawn and Caramel Point Siamese, are newcomers as compared to the other breeds. They are solid point colors but are also found as Torties, Tabbies, and Tortie-Tabbies.
Cinnamon Point Siamese closely resemble Chocolate Point ones. Whereas chocolate Points have deep, chocolate-brown ends, Cinnamon Point cats have rather reddish or rusty-brown points.
Like Chocolate Points, Cinnamon Points have pinkish paw pads. However, they are distinguished by cinnamon-brown nose leather and eye rims. Their coats are mostly ivory shaded, and their legs are likely to be paler than other points.
Final Word
Historically, Siamese cats were much revered by the royal families of Thailand due to their unique and beautiful appearance. The members of the royal family believed that a Siamese would obtain their soul upon death. As a result, these felines often enjoyed residing in temples and being cared for by monks.
Today, the Siamese make popular house pets across the globe due to their distinguished looks and interactive personalities. They are curious and playful creatures who hate getting bored. If you want an active pet, adopting a Siamese may be a wonderful idea. Check here for a complete list of Siamese Cats with pictures.
