One look from the blue slanting eyes of a Siamese cat can win the heart of any person forever. The unusual coat color, graceful body structure, active character and origin story shrouded in legends place this breed in a separate row among the many beautiful representatives of the cat family.
The Siamese cat breed appeared more than 6 centuries ago in the vicinity of Thailand. At the end of the 19th century, she came to Europe with the British ambassador, who received the Siamese cat as a high reward from the Thai king. Soon the Siamese breed began to take prizes at all European exhibitions.
Character traits
Beautiful strong muscles and bottomless blue eyes are a distinctive feature of the breed. The animal has an unusual coloring - cream, the tips of its paws are chocolate-colored, and on its face there is a dark mask and black ears. A peculiarity inherent in this variety is strabismus. Kittens are born white, but as they grow older, a unique coloring appears. Siamese kittens are short-haired pets.
If you decide to adopt this particular breed, you should carefully learn its temperament in order to be able to tame it. The Siamese cat is inquisitive, temperamental, loves to play, quickly adapts to a new home, rules and becomes attached to its owners. Gets along well with children. But you don’t need to get a small child, but you can get a kitten for a teenager. They require constant care and attention. They will meow until they get what they want. By nature, Siamese are similar to dogs; they are just as devoted to people, but they will be jealous of other animals.
If you offend a Siamese cat, he will remember for a long time and take revenge. Cats are especially dangerous and vindictive. They can attack a person at night when he is sleeping.
Preparing to maintain a home
It is necessary to create favorable conditions for the new family member. You need to take the baby away from the mother no earlier than 1 month after birth, but the later the better. Maintain the temperature at home at least 25 degrees, remove drafts, these animals love warmth. You need to buy a place where the kitten will rest. This could be a bed or a house, buy toys, because the Siamese cat is playful. Various shampoos for bathing, scissors for trimming nails, a comb for combing out fur, bowls for food and water, and a tray will come in handy. It is necessary to install at least one scratching post to protect the new wallpaper. You need to decide what to feed the animal. Remove small parts from accessible places and fence off wires.
Kitten care
How often can you bathe?
Siamese cats are clean, but the owner must help. Cat care includes cleaning ears, eyes, teeth, combing fur and bathing. It is necessary to regularly inspect the ears for the presence of wax accumulation. It is recommended to wash them at least once a week with special products that are sold in veterinary pharmacies. The corners of the eyes should be wiped with a damp cotton swab moistened with saline. solution or boiled water. There are special toothpastes for animals that are used to periodically clean their teeth. Grooming does not take much time due to the lack of undercoat. Only during shedding does it need to be brushed 2 times a week. It is recommended to bathe no more than 3 times a day. in year.
Feeding
Food should be balanced and contain essential vitamins and microelements. You can feed them natural food or dry food. The kitten's diet should contain sufficient quantities of meat - beef, chicken, offal (lungs, heart, liver). They should be given boiled. You can have fish, but not often and without bones. There should always be water or milk in the bowl if the kitten wants to drink. Feed 6 times a day, reducing the number of feedings with age. Give an adult animal food 2-3 times a day. You should not give chicken and fish bones, fatty, fried, spicy, salty, chocolate and other sweets in large quantities.
The advantage of dry food is that you don’t need to decide on your own what to give in what quantity, everything is already balanced there. There are as many vitamins and microelements as needed to keep the animal active, with a healthy and shiny coat. But there is no need to waste money and choose cheap food. The following are considered useful:
Nail care
It is necessary to educate and teach to trim claws from a very early age. The procedure is carried out as it grows. To do this, it is recommended to find a quiet place where the kitten will not be distracted. The animal needs to be placed in the arms, calmed, take the paw and press on the pad. A claw will come out. You need to trim a little bit each time, vertically, so as not to touch the blood vessel. If the cat begins to worry, stop trimming. For the procedure, special scissors are used - nail clippers. After everything is over, reward the baby with a treat. He must remember that after trimming his nails there will be something tasty.
Upbringing
A correct understanding of animal psychology makes it possible to raise a kitten well from a young age. It is necessary to accustom him to the tray from childhood. This breed is endowed with intelligence, so they easily remember commands, what are “dos” and “don’ts.” If a kitten behaves badly, you should not punish, much less beat. You need to wait until he calms down and starts doing the right thing, then praise him and give him a treat. Siamese are unpretentious in maintenance and amenable to training. You can even take them out for a walk on a leash, they will react normally to this and will not mind.
Nutrition and care of Siamese cats
Siamese are picky eaters and fickle in their tastes.
Siamese often love to eat unexpected foods: nuts, corn, mushrooms, sweets, fruits. When feeding natural foods, ensure variety and remember that a meat diet causes darkening of the coat in Siamese cats. It will be better if at least 30% of the diet comes from fish. When feeding with ready-made food, feed only food from well-known manufacturers of premium, superpremium or medium class - “Yams”, “Hills”, “Boi” and others. Make sure your cat always has access to water. Siamese drink a lot, preferring running or settled fresh water. They are picky about their water container. Some prefer the owner's bowl, others require water to be poured into a bucket (for some reason, many Siamese suffer from gigantism disease), others drink only water flowing from the tap. Always make sure that the water is not cold, as Siamese are prone to colds.
Feeding
A properly formulated feeding diet is very important for your pet’s health. Some owners prefer ready-made dry food. After all, it contains the entire necessary set of vitamins and minerals. Others believe that the natural type of feeding is correct and will help the animal remain healthy and beautiful and will extend the years of its life.
If you belong to the second type and are a supporter of natural nutrition, you need to create a menu correctly. The main product is meat. This can be lean beef, rabbit and chicken. Before feeding, the meat must be boiled, frozen for several days, or doused with boiling water. Meat should not be given to the animal in large pieces, but finely chopped and warmed up a little just before feeding.
Your pet's diet can be varied with a small amount of cereal, egg yolk, butter, and various vegetables. If the pet does not refuse, you can occasionally treat it with fruit.
Fermented milk products are a real treat for the Siamese cat.
Under no circumstances should you give your animal food from the table, such as smoked meats, sweets, bakery and sausage products, and river fish. Fruits and vegetables such as grapes, peas and beets should be avoided because they cause fermentation in the animal's body. Under no circumstances should you give your animal carbonated or alcoholic drinks.
You should not experiment and treat your pets to citrus fruits; very often they cause allergies.
When feeding naturally, do not forget about vitamins. The veterinarian will definitely tell you which complex should be given at what time.
Appearance of a Siamese kitten
The head is narrow, with a long, narrow muzzle, a massive chin, and a straight nose. The skull is distinguished by its flatness. The eyes are bright blue (a green tint is considered a deviation from the standards), almond-shaped and slightly convex, small in size. They are positioned somewhat obliquely towards the nose. Large triangular ears spread to the sides. The body is elongated and proportionate, the belly is tucked, ending in long slender legs, the front ones being slightly shorter than the long ones. The tail, thin and long, is pointed at the tip. Weight is small, 3-4 kg.
How are Siamese kittens born?
You will be surprised, but they are white. Only the nose and pads have a pink tint. Then the fur darkens. This happens at 2 weeks of age. The lower the room temperature, the darker the shade of the cover. Siamese kittens, born and constantly living outdoors, are almost brown at the first molt, the color of the stripes is black. And mustaches that live in warm conditions are cream or creamy beige in color with chocolate markings. The coat is not long, there will be no problems with its care and cleaning - 15 minutes of combing a day will be quite enough. Independent Siamese are characterized by pronounced hunter instincts and by no means a diplomatic oriental temperament.
Sometimes they show stubbornness and jealousy. At the same time, they become strongly attached to their owner and love children. And they are wary of strangers and other pets. Siamese kittens have excellent intelligence, are highly intelligent, are able to capture not only the tone, but also the shade of speech, they do not like to be criticized and are offended for a long time. Regarding the peculiarities, they note that long fingers allow pets of this breed to skillfully use them for “criminal purposes,” for example, opening doors and cabinets, unzipping a bag or similar locks.
Colors
The Siamese can be painted in different colors, but what is common to all representatives of the breed is the presence of points, that is, marks on different parts of the body: on the tail, paws, ears and face. They must be present. Each country has its own standard regarding the colors of Siamese cats. Newborn kittens are completely white. After some time, characteristic points appear.
The following colors are common:
- seal point, that is, brown: the body is painted beige, the points are rich brown;
- red point, that is, red: the body is snow-white, the points are red. Stripes on points are allowed;
- chocolate point, that is, black: the body is ivory-colored, the points are chocolate or black;
- lilac point, that is, pink: the body has a light shade, the points are gray with a pink tint;
- tabi point: solid color body, points have stripes;
- blue point, that is, blue: the body is snow-white, the points are bluish;
- caramel point, that is, creamy: the body is painted in a shade similar to the color of magnolia, the points are pink-grayish;
- cake point: points – colored;
- cinnamon-point, that is, ivory color: the body is ivory-colored, the points are brownish-pinkish.
Choosing between a girl and a boy pet
... many give preference to the latter, considering it more beautiful and less troublesome. Perhaps this is more correct, cats are very independent, creating an image for themselves as the owner of the house. The owners are considered servants; their character is curious, active, and at times irritable and aggressive. Cats are much calmer and more affectionate, more loyal and clean. However, there are always exceptions to the rules.
While their owners are away from home, smart cats will happily play with puzzle toys or spend time in a playhouse or a vertical sports complex. A nail sharpener is on the shopping list for pets so they don't scratch their claws on anything. Another pet companion, not necessarily a cat, can also help relieve boredom.
How to name?
If you cannot decide what to name a Siamese kitten, then we bring to your attention the following names for a boy: Athos, Venya, Perchik, Nelson, Everet, Gordon, Pearl, Onyx, Mathias. Suitable nicknames for the girl are: Buffy, Toffee, Stephie, Shoko, Christel, Melanie, Walesi, Sukki.
The origin of the Siamese cat breed is surrounded by many legends, going back almost to the time of Noah’s flood. According to one hypothesis, a male monkey and a lioness on the Old Testament ark fell in love with each other, and as a result of this, a representative of the Siamese breed appeared.
A more realistic version calls the birthplace of Siamese kittens Thailand, previously Siam. Cats, considered guides to the other world, enjoyed special respect and were kept exclusively in royal families or monasteries. The export of kittens from the territory of the state was strictly prohibited. The kittens were brought to Europe to Queen Victoria at the end of the 19th century. She liked them so much that, thanks to her personal sympathy, the popularity of the Siamese increased greatly. centuries, cats came to Europe.
Interesting Facts
During the history of the existence of the Siamese breed, many interesting things have been associated with cats:
- There were many famous people among the lovers of these animals. Siamese have lived with Gary Oldman, John Lennon, Harold Wilson, Vivien Leigh, Anthony Burgess, Syd Barrett and Jimmy Carter.
- In 2003, a representative of the breed named Katie claimed the right to be called the fattest cat in the world. Her body weight was 23 kg.
- In the middle of the 20th century, at the Dutch embassy in Moscow, 2 Siamese dogs sensed something was wrong and began to scratch the walls, hiss and arch their backs. The employees of the institution quickly responded to this behavior of the animals and examined the premises - they found numerous hidden listening devices in it.
- There are several varieties of Siamese cats. They all look alike and belong to the Eastern Oriental group. The closest relative of the Siamese is the Thai cat. They have many similarities and are often confused with each other. And long-haired cats that appeared as a result of a natural mutation are called Balinese and have the status of a separate breed.
Caring for a Siamese kitten
It is simple due to the short hair and the love of cleanliness of animals of this breed; in addition to combing, take care of the eyes and ears by wiping them daily with a cotton pad soaked in Vaseline oil (for ear care) or in water (for the eyes).
Teeth are a pet’s weak point; weekly care in the form of brushing teeth and treating them with a special treat will make it easier.
The love of drinking (as opposed to swimming and water procedures) is in the blood of Siamese representatives; use a bowl with a wide bottom or a special automatic fountain drinker. Leave the food only in the amount that will be enough for one meal, wash the empty bowl with hot water before the next filling, and discuss regular food with your veterinarian. The tray also needs to be cleaned after the “hike”.
Siamese kittens are very popular and therefore widespread. If you are interested in the price, then Avito offers to buy kittens almost for nothing or free of charge “in good hands.” It is better to purchase a kitten with a pedigree from a nursery. Here their cost (based on data from Moscow nurseries) is from 15 to 25 thousand rubles, in the regions it is cheaper - 7-15 thousand.
Health, what can you get sick from?
You should buy an animal from a nursery, since they are raised there according to all standards and they monitor not only timely vaccinations, but also their appearance. One of the main indicators of health is the pet’s activity.
The average lifespan of a pet is 15-20 years, but there have been cases where they lived much longer.
This particular breed is considered hardy, so it rarely gets sick, but if the cat is stressed or not properly cared for, it can get sick.
Diseases.
- Baldness.
- Respiratory.
- Cardiomyopathy.
- Diseases of the respiratory system.
- Problems with coordination
Reviews
Reviews about pets are very different, but even negative ones cannot consider Siamese angry, vindictive or excessively aggressive. Experts believe that earlier, when kinks or bends in the tail were considered a point of the breed, the nerve endings were simultaneously pinched and the vertebrae were bent. The kitty felt constant pain and discomfort, so she was not inclined to tenderness or affection.
Owners described their Siamese kittens as “incredibly smart,” “the most affectionate creatures,” using the “toilet like a human,” able to accept training techniques, and playful and active friends with “the mother-in-law and the German shepherd.” Among the disadvantages, they noted loudness and excessive purring, jealousy, the requirement of absolute hygiene, vindictiveness, touchiness, and willfulness. Get such a pet and form your opinion about its character and personality.
Briefly about the breed
The breed standard was adopted after World War II.
According to him, the Siamese cat breed has the following characteristics:
- small size;
- the body is long, thin, graceful;
- the head is small, wedge-shaped, the muzzle is graceful, with a clear profile;
- legs long, thin, high-set, hind legs longer;
- the ears are set wide apart, wide at the base, sharp at the ends;
- eyes slightly slanted, exclusively blue;
- the tail is long, smooth, with a sharp tip;
- the coat is short, soft, lying close to the body;
- characteristic color (point).
The historical (royal) color is considered the main color. It is characterized by a light, often cream or beige, color with dark brown markings on the face, ears, paws and tail. But at exhibitions it is no longer uncommon to see cats of black, blue, silver, and lilac colors. Instances of complex, multi-colored colors appeared. Although many felinological organizations do not recognize colors other than truly royal ones.
Dark markings are associated with the anatomy of the breed. The pigment level of Siamese directly depends on the temperature of the body area and even the habitat. The colder the area of the body, the more pigment in the hair and the darker it is. Therefore, the paws, ears, muzzle and tail of the Siamese cat are darker. Although Siamese kittens are born an even light shade, the markings appear by 10 months. Moreover, if you keep your cat warm, its coat will become lighter in adulthood.
Strabismus and tail creases, previously considered the main characteristics of the breed, are now classified as defects.
A Siamese cat with such defects is not allowed for breeding or for exhibitions.
For full development, the Siamese cat needs movement and games. Radio-controlled toys are very suitable - they will help realize hunting instincts. Cats can play for hours, and it is a mesmerizingly beautiful sight. Most of those who have a Siamese cat post dozens of photos of their pets’ games on their pages, and each photo emphasizes the inimitable plasticity of the Siamese.
The short coat and thick undercoat are easy to care for; just brush them once a week with a brush. Wash your cat no more than 2 times a year.
Particular attention to the eyes and ears. They need to be cleared of secretions, and the ears are instilled for prevention. If the discharge is excessive, contact your veterinarian immediately.
Siamese are prone to dental problems, so make sure you buy cat toothpaste, cotton pads, bone brushes, and special toys.
Claws should also be treated. To do this, it is enough to cut them by 2 mm once every 2 weeks, and buy a scratching post.
Price
The cost of an animal depends on its belonging to a certain class. The breed is divided into pet-, breed- and show-class cats.
The pet class includes pets suitable for home keeping: they may have minor deviations from the breed. The animals are purebred, but the genetic lottery decreed otherwise. Most often, they are subject to mandatory castration or sterilization, although they can participate in some exhibitions. The cost of pet-class individuals is about $100.
The breeding class is represented by cats that have clearly expressed characteristics of the breed, they are healthy and can bear offspring. Most often they are purchased for breeding. A breed-class kitten will cost you 200-250 dollars.
Show class is always very expensive. There are absolutely no defects, all the characteristics of the breed are clearly expressed, the kitten has a stunning exterior. Show class cats are often used for participation in exhibitions and for breeding. The cost of such a kitten is at least $400.
Smart girl with character
Even the most notorious skeptics recognize the intelligence of the Siamese cat. Moreover, some of their habits are similar to those of dogs: they love to carry balls in their teeth, they can fetch slippers, they calmly walk on a harness with a leash, they follow the command “Sit!” The cat will do all this if the owner treats her attentively and fairly. It is not recommended to offend these cats; their intelligence and enviable memory will help them take revenge. So punishment should only be for really bad behavior.
But the Siamese cat is an excellent conversationalist. She does not squint while talking, her blue piercing eyes do not let go of your gaze.
A cat with such intelligence is capable of blackmail. She will quickly learn that her shrillest voice among cats will always help you get what you want. And he will scream annoyingly until he gets his way.
But if harmony is achieved in the relationship with the owner, the Siamese cat pays with strong affection. She stands up for “her” person and rushes to his defense without delay. The cat's dislike of disorder and noise keeps the owner in good shape.
The cat has a proud and independent character. In case of conflict, she will easily “show her claw.” Does not tolerate squeezing. With other pets, he remains neutral until they try to dominate. They are very patient with children, even caring, but also within certain limits. The Siamese will not allow itself to be pulled by its tail or whiskers.
This unusual manner of demeanor leaves no undertones in the relationship. You can either adore the Siamese cat or not recognize it. Those who let her into their hearts remain faithful to the breed forever. It’s no wonder that the online tag “Siamese kittens photos” remains very popular. The understanding and soulful look of slightly slanted eyes on a chocolate face can conquer any heart.
Breeding
To get purebred Siamese kittens, you need to choose a pair; the males should not be much larger than the female, so that the kittens are of medium size and can easily fit through the mother’s narrow pelvis.
This is also important because with a weak spine the mother will find it difficult to bear large kittens.
To ensure that the birth goes smoothly and without complications, it is better to invite a veterinarian or at least have a doctor’s phone number who you can call in an emergency to save the life of the cat or its offspring.
During pregnancy, the cat needs to be well fed, the dose of microelements and vitamins increased, and after giving birth it should also be fed well.
