All about Siamese cats

Siamese cat - one of the recognizable breeds, which has a characteristic color and body structure. These are very smart and active animals with the makings of a brave fighter and an undeniable leader. The Siamese cat is capricious and proud, but if she becomes attached to her master, then her love will be unlimited, and devotion will be eternal. Siamese are centenarians - with good and proper care, these cats are able to live up to 25 years, although there are cases of longer life.

Many versions of the origin of the Siamese cat agree that its homeland is Thailand, which in ancient times was called Siam. The Siamese cat was so magnificent at all times that it was called the “moon diamond”. The animal was attributed the ability of contacts with the other world, and only religious ministers and members of the imperial family were allowed to keep such a guide to other worlds.

A valuable breed of cats was under the legislative protection of the state and it was strictly forbidden to export animals from the country. However, there is evidence that in 1884 the ruling monarch of Thailand made an unprecedented gift to the English ambassador - they were Siamese kittens. Later, after some time, the ban on the export of cats from the country was completely lifted.

Once in the UK, the Siamese did not meet with universal recognition due to the fact that they were unlike their feline brothers. The action took place during the reign of Queen Victoria, who fell in love with these unusual cats. Thanks to her, a fashion for Siamese cats appeared, as a result of which they quickly became popular among noble people and breeders.

Soon, the Siamese cat began to develop the territory of the whole globe. First, it spread throughout Europe, then came to America. In the USSR, Siamese cats were first brought by Sergei Obraztsov in 1954. These were two females having not the best properties of the breed. Cats of an unusual color caused a stir and, for posterity, they were crossed with ordinary cats. The kittens turned out to be mixed in color and rather aggressive in nature.

Failure did not stop the Soviet breeders. Siamese began to cross not only with other cat breeds, but also among themselves within the same litter. As a result, many sick and even dead kittens began to be born, and the purity of the unique breed was lost. The Siamese were helped by the fact that in the mid-80s new purebred representatives of this species were introduced and their breeding was already carried out in compliance with the preservation of the purity of the breed. Today in our country purebred Siamese cats are fully consistent with all international standards.

The purebred Siamese cat is tiny and well-built. You can recognize it by its characteristic color. Today there are several types of Siamese breed, but each of them will definitely have points in its coloring - the so-called dark color spots located on the legs, tail, ears and muzzle. Points are formed due to increased production of pigment in those parts of the cat's body where its temperature is the lowest.

Newborn kittens are light in color with no distinct points. This is because the babies were warm in the mother’s womb, and the points are formed only with a difference in body temperature in certain areas. Over time, babies acquire a traditional color, which happens only by the age of 10 months. In a warm room, the kittens' points will be of a light chocolate hue, and the warmer the house, the brighter their hue. Kittens born outdoors or in a cool room will have bright black-brown points.

Siamese cats have a muscular body, the structure of which is anatomically proportional. Due to its correct constitution, the thoroughbred Siamese looks regal and graceful. His paws are thin and elongated, with the forelimbs slightly shorter than the hind legs. The weight of an adult cat does not exceed 4.5-6 kg. According to statistics, cats reach approximately 67-69 cm in length from the nose to the tip of the tail. The tail has a length of up to 27-28 cm, it is thin and has a pointed shape. The height of the cat in the area of ​​the shoulder blades does not exceed 28-30 cm. The hair of the animal is short and thick, fits snugly to the body, and the undercoat of this breed is completely absent.

The head and neck of the Siamese are elongated, the skull has an almost flat structure. The muzzle is narrowed, and the nose is distinct, elongated and straight. The frontal region has a flat structure with small superciliary arches, the lower jaw is short and pronounced. A feature of the breed is that from the extreme point of the nose and between the tips of the auricles, you can visually draw a triangle with equal sides. The ears of the cat are large and developed, their shape resembles a triangle, and the tips of the ears are pointed.

All Siamese cats and cats are distinguished from other cat breeds by a beautiful cut and eye color. Almond-shaped and medium-sized eyes make this cats beautiful and unforgettable. According to the breed standard, the color of cat's eyes should be bright blue. A pattern has been established according to which the darker and richer the shades of hair in a cat, the brighter its eye color. The eyes are located relative to the nose at an angle of 45 degrees - this gives the Siamese a mysterious and at the same time mystical look.

Thai cats are unique in character - even at their very tender age, you already have a personality. Not everyone is able to establish contact and understanding with the Siamese. And the point here is not the stubbornness or selfishness of the pet. This breed is very independent, it differs in that it selects only one owner from the whole family, and ignores or tolerates the rest at best. In many ways, the environment surrounding him will play on the character’s formation - in a calm and friendly atmosphere, the baby will never become an aggressor.

The kid loves care, attention and admiration, but does not stand the competition at all. The Siamese will immediately declare war on the competitor and will never give up its territory. An exception may be the situation when a small kitten is brought home to an adult Siamese cat, in which case a friendship can be made between them.

Having become attached to the owner, Thais will demand constant attention from him because of their natural sociability. Siamese do not like to be alone, the maximum how long they can calmly wait for their master is 10-12 hours. Later, if the owner has not returned, the cat or cat begins to resent loudly. Their vocal data is very good, and their voice will be heard hoarsely to all neighbors. The "concert" will continue until the owner comes and calms the pet. Having returned after a long absence, it is very important to play with the animal, stroke him, and speak friendly with him.

Thais use their voice, the range of which is very wide, to express their feelings and emotions. However, in their environment, pets love peace and quiet - they can’t stand loud screams, swearing, sharp sounds. In a nervous environment, the psyche of the Siamese will experience excessive overload and he may become ill. It is proved that Siamese cats can respond not only to the timbre of the voice, but also capture a certain semantic load, especially if the person’s speech is addressed to them.

Siamese are curious and endowed with excellent intuition, they have an innate ability to quickly develop new territories and adapt to them. They retain playfulness and mobility, even as adults. Cats love active games with children, but only if the children treat them with care. Siamese do not like when the kids pull their tail and if this happens, the pet will immediately use its claws and teeth to protect it. Thai cat prefers to play with people she knows, she will be wary of strangers and will prefer to refrain from fun.

Often cats of the Siamese breed show instincts of natural hunters - this can be expressed either in the game when literally everything that turns up and seems interesting to the animal is used for it, or it will be a real hunt for mice and rats, which Siamese is doing well. Thais are observant - they can easily learn to open doors, a refrigerator, your handbag, a box. Scolding and punishing these cats is not recommended. The Siamese will remember his insult for a long time and may begin to take revenge on the offender.

The following varieties belong to the classical oriental oriental group of the Siamese breed.

• Siamese view - a short-haired cat with a narrow wedge-shaped head, pointed ears and blue eyes. The body is thin, proportional, legs and tail are long. These cats are very beautiful and are one of the favorite breeds of many breeders. They combine white and cream wool with dark brown points.
• Thai view - It is considered the standard of the original breed that existed in Thailand. They differ from the Siamese species in that all the lines and proportions of the body have rounded and smoother lines.
• Oriental view - the body has the structure and proportions are the same as in the Siamese species, but with the difference that the color of the cats is uniform gray or black, sometimes spots may be present, but there are no points in the color of this species.This species was introduced with the Siamese, but did not cause enthusiasm among the breeders and was not so common.
• Mekong Bobtail - the color and structure resembles a Thai look, but in bobtail the tail is similar to a stump consisting of several vertebrae.

In modern breeding species of Siamese cats, the characteristic of colors can vary.

• Brown force point - The general color of the cat's body is light cream, and the points have a dark chocolate shade of color.

• Blue blue point - the main coat color is pure white, while on the paws, tail, ears, nose and muzzle, the white coat has a grayish-blue tone.

• Apricot Red Point - The main color tone is white. Points have a red or apricot hue.

• Light cream caramel point - the color of the cat's body is pale cream, while the points are pinkish-caramel.

• Black chocolate point - The overall color of the coat can be pale cream or beige, and the points are black or dark chocolate.

• Pink lilac point - the white coat of the cat’s body is very beautifully combined with the points of a grayish-pink hue.

• Ivory cinnamon point - the body of the Siamese is covered with ivory hair, while the points have a pale pinkish-brown tone.

• Tortie Point Tori - the unusual color is that the points on the paws, face, ears and tail have, in addition to the main color, interspersed with a blue, gray, red or cream shade.

• Tabi point - with the uniformity of the color of the body of the cat, its points have pronounced stripes. The coat is painted a little darker than the primary color of the point.

Siamese cats are fastidious and don’t eat what they don’t like. A small kitten can be accustomed to certain types of food, but if you have taken a cat that has grown up, be prepared for the fact that she has already formed taste preferences and you won’t be able to change them. The diet of a Siamese cat consists only of balanced dry food or it can be natural products that can be combined with dry food.

It is believed that specialized feeds are the most preferred option for feeding your pet, as they are rich in vitamins and minerals. The Siamese breeders consider the highest quality feeds products whose quality is declared at least premium.

If you decide to feed your pet with natural products, try to coordinate the diet with your veterinarian. The menu may include:

• fresh beef or veal;
• turkey or chicken (without skin and bones);
• diet rabbit;
• red fish and fish of marine low-fat varieties;
• beef liver or heart;
• buckwheat or pearl barley;
• natural vegetable oils;
• milk (for kittens) and dairy products (for adults);
• chicken eggs;
• natural greens, juicy grass.

To maintain a cat’s health, the following foods should be excluded from her diet:

• sugar and its substitutes;
• cocoa and chocolate;
• salt and hot seasonings;
• onion and garlic;
• marinades and vinegar;
• any smoked meats and canned foods;
• Palm oil;
• soy and bean;
• fresh and dried sweet fruits;
• semolina and corn porridge;
• river fish, as well as salted or dried fish of any origin;
• mushrooms;
• any bones, skin and fat.

When feeding cats of the Siamese breed, you need not to overfeed them. Feeding should occur at the same hours, morning and evening.Two meals a day are enough for the animal, provided that it is balanced in the number of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. After 7 years of age, the pet should be transferred to 3 meals a day.

It is necessary to form useful skills for a Siamese cat at an early age, and what you can teach it to, the cat will save for life, as adults rarely change their habits.

First of all, teach a kitten to the toilet. To do this, stock up on a plastic tray with a special filler, which can be bought at any pet store. The cat's toilet is placed in a secluded place where the pet will feel relaxed.

As soon as you bring the kitten into the house, take it to the tray and give the pet time to study it. After that, when you notice that the baby began to look for a place to satisfy his natural needs, take it back to the tray.

If the baby plays too much or for other reasons does not want to do his thing in the tray, you do not need to scold and punish him. Carefully take the baby by the withers area and bring to the tray, where you need to persuade the kitten with an affectionate voice to make a puddle where necessary.

After a positive result, the baby should always be praised. If the Siamese has done his job outside the tray, poking his nose into the puddle is not worth it - doing so, you will not overdo it, but the relationship can be ruined forever. The cat’s toilet should be regularly flushed and sanitized with hot water and vinegar, while chemicals with pungent odors and especially chlorine cannot be used.

An equally important point is the search for a convenient place to sleep and rest your pet. When choosing it, you must remember that the berth will also be a point of view of the surrounding space for the kitten. Often cats choose a place on a small hill above the floor, and a place to sleep should be as hidden as possible from people passing by and their attention.

It is a good idea to arrange a sleeping place for the pet in a shallow but wide enough wicker basket. Inside you need to put a soft mattress or dense fabric. In pet stores now there is a huge selection of special houses designed for cats, in which pets feel comfortable and protected.

If a kitten refuses to sleep in a secluded place provided to him and tries to get into bed with a person, this should not be allowed. The kid must be accustomed to his bedroom corner from the first days of his appearance in your house. Often, cats love to choose their own place to rest, and if the pet does not want to recognize any other place, you will have to put his basket in the place where he chose. Only in this case will he be able to sleep peacefully and feel safe.

Siamese cats love the attention and care of a person, but it also happens that the pet begins to abuse your friendliness - the cat begins to engage in extortion. He can ask for food from the table and meow loudly. This behavior cannot be reinforced, otherwise, having matured, the pet will demand everything that he wants, and at the same time very loudly yell out loud.

In order not to encourage such moments, the breeders advise you to feed the Siamese when you are about to leave your apartment. So you can get enough sleep in the morning, and your absence will survive your pet much easier, because with your departure he will have positive emotions in the process of eating. It should be remembered that never and under no circumstances should the Siamese begging be encouraged - do not give him pieces from the table, do not share food from your hands.

The kid needs to be trained to sharpen growing claws in a place specially designated for this - a cat claw. Until the kitten gets used to the fact that it is possible to release the claws only on the scratching post, the furniture is covered with dense covers. To train a Siamese, observe where he likes to engage in claw turning, and there you can set a claw point - if the baby understands and does everything right, do not forget to praise him for it.

It’s easy to look after Siamese cats, but you need to know and observe some important points.

• The optimal temperature for the animal is 25-28 degrees heat. This range is needed in order to preserve the color of the pet, because in cool conditions its coat will darken. You do not need to moisten the air, but you need to protect it from drafts of the cat. During off-season periods, it is good to have a special warm house or rug where the Siamese could warm up.
• Siamese do not need to comb out the hair, but if you walk with a brush on the back and tummy of your cat, he will like it very much. You can bathe your pet no more than 1 time per month.
• The skin, auricles, eye area, paws and tail - everything should be regularly examined for damage to diseases or blood-sucking parasites. If problems are found, you should seek veterinary care in a timely manner.
• Adult cats should brush their teeth regularly with a regular small toothbrush without using toothpaste. Once a year, the pet's oral cavity should be checked by a veterinarian.
• Little kittens need to cut their nails, at this time they are still soft. Adult cats can grind their claws on a claw point.
• When walking on the street, especially in the city, you can put on a leash with a harness - this will save him from fleeing in an unknown direction in case of fright.
• The ears and eyes of the pet should be regularly cleaned with moist cotton swabs. If you notice discharge from the eyes - immediately contact your veterinarian, as this may be a signal of the onset of a serious illness.
• Periodically, the cat is required to give anthelmintic drugs as a prevention of helminthiases.

From 8 weeks of age, small kittens begin to be vaccinated against diseases, while the vaccination calendar is as follows:

• age 8-9 weeks - vaccination against plague and cat's runny nose;
• age 12 weeks - re-vaccination against plague and runny nose;
• age 14 weeks - rabies prophylaxis;
• age 16 weeks - vaccination against leukemia and infectious peritonitis;
• age 19 weeks - re-vaccination against leukemia and peritonitis.

Siamese cats, due to genetic characteristics and the efforts of breeders, do not possess diseases characteristic of exotic breeds. However, health troubles can still happen, and veterinarians call the following the most common Siamese diseases.

• Viral leukemia - the cause of the disease is a virus, which, getting into the blood, reduces the number of leukocytes or red blood cells or leads to a progressive increase in the number of leukocytes. The disease is transmitted by contact with a sick animal, since the virus is found not only in the blood, but also in all body fluids.If the cat has good immunity or immunostimulating drugs were given to him in time, then resistance to the virus will be successful. It may not manifest itself for many years, and the cat, being its carrier, may infect its other brethren.

• Rabies - a disease of viral etiology, which is transmitted by contact with the saliva of a sick animal. Getting into an open wound with a bite, the virus penetrates the brain, where it actively multiplies, causes foci of inflammation and enters the salivary gland. Under the influence of the disease, the behavior of the animal changes - the cat can become very aggressive or too affectionate, while she will have a strong salivation. A sick animal will lose balance, and its muscles will noticeably twitch. No treatment has yet been found for this disease and the probability of death is 100%.

• Mixed infections - The cause of their occurrence is a virus transmitted by airborne droplets, while the respiratory tract is affected in the animal. The disease is characterized by increased body temperature, nasal discharge, sneezing, and the presence of films in the oral cavity. The pet refuses food, inactive, drowsy. With a purulent inflammatory process, breathing is difficult, shortness of breath and coughing appear. Treatment of this condition can last a long time, especially if the disease has turned into a purulent form, but the prognosis is usually favorable and the pet recovers.

In order to prevent viral diseases, your pet must carry out all routine vaccinations. In addition, try to avoid places where cats are present in large numbers - it can be exhibitions or just some kind of common area. Today, a number of combination vaccines are being produced against severe mixed-type infections, but they need to be managed in a timely manner.

Siamese life has always been full of secrets and incredible legends. In those distant times, when cats lived in Thailand at the emperor’s court, there is an opinion that mainly Buddhist monks were engaged in raising this breed. When the emperor was dying, people sacredly believed that his soul passed into the body of one of his cats, so for the rest of his life, the pets that were before the emperor received lifelong maintenance and care from the monks.

Previously, many representatives of the Siamese breed could observe strabismus and a tail with a crease in the form of the letter “G”. Over time, the breeders managed to fix these features, but the legend remained that according to which the Siamese cat guarded the king’s cup. She braided it with her tail and looked at him without looking up for so long that her tail twisted from tension and her eyes were defocused. Regarding the tail of the cat, there is another legend that tells that the daughter of the emperor loved to go swimming, and in order not to lose her rings in the water, she put them on the tail of a Siamese cat.

Once, Siamese cats helped uncover a spy plot - it happened in the 60s of the last century at the Dutch embassy, ​​which is located in Moscow. Embassy staff kept several Siamese cats there. One day, people were surprised to find strange pet behavior. Cats were nervous, scratched walls, hissed and behaved very suspiciously. Embassy workers suspected that cats were responding to some kind of sound that a person could not hear. The building urgently conducted research and found about 30 hidden microphones that were mounted on the walls.

Representatives of the Siamese breed do not differ in any special fecundity. In the litter, the female usually brings from 4 to 6 kittens.

Reviews of people about Siamese cats are mixed. She immediately finds common ground with someone, but someone fails to gain the trust of this animal. On the Internet there are a lot of the most incredible stories where the Siamese breed is praised and scolded. If a cat is attached to her master with all her soul, she will become a reliable and affectionate friend to a person for life.

However, these cats remember very well all the insults that are inflicted on them by intent or negligence, and then it happens that the cat begins to take revenge. She can spoil your pillow or favorite shoes, throw things off the shelves, pounce and bite. Cats know how to come up with revenge, and even if the animal disliked someone, then this is forever, there is no turning back. Therefore, it is very important, starting with the age of a small kitten, to treat the Siamese delicately and gently, and then he will answer you with his love and devotion.

About the features of the Siamese cat breed, see the next video.