When you say Siamese cat, most people think of short-haired seal points, which have a slender, creamy-white body, blackish-brown ears, nose, and tail. But, there are several variations of the breed, as well as crosses like the Himalayans, which are a cross of Siamese and Persian. The blue point has a bluish-white body with slate-blue points. The chocolate point has more mocha colored points and the flame point has apricot ears, nose and tail. The body of a purebred Siamese is graceful, featuring a triangular head, large ears, and pointed features. The Siamese are one of the oldest and best known breeds. They got their name when they were exported from Thailand at the end of the 19th century. At that time, Thailand was Siam.
My relationship with the conjoined twins began when I was one year old. My mother had me outdoors in a playground. She was in the house when a remote uncle stopped by. Seeing me for the first time, she ran towards my playpen with her arms outstretched, only to have Josie, our Seal Point Siamese, viciously grab her and protect me from under the playpen. Today I share my house with several cats. Lucky, he’s a flame point conjoined mix that I rescued from a high traffic area. He pretty much ignores the other cats and follows me everywhere. If I try to stop him from entering a room where I’m working, he stands on his hind legs, bangs on the door, and howls. It will keep this for 30+ minutes. Every night since I first met him, he sleeps by my head or stands guard like a sentinel. If someone raises his voice to me, Lucky will circle in front of me, raise his back, and begin to “meow” (loud angry meows) at the person. A cat has bitten me twice. Both times, I was unsticking Lucky from a dog that had gotten too close to me. Fearless, Lucky launched an attack. Since he can’t see well, he didn’t know he had grabbed it. Although Lucky is a mixed breed cat, his personality is similar to that of a purebred.
Siamese twins have personalities that are quite unique. They want to be your best friend and will walk through fire to be close to their guardian. They do not tolerate being alone well. They like to be near their guardian all the time, they are intelligent and like to play fetch, they can open doors and cabinets that allude to other cats, they love to lie on your lap and hang out near the bathtub when taking a bath. Siamese twins are extremely loyal, affectionate, and intelligent. They can be trained to travel well, can be fearless, and have a long lifespan of 18-20 years. They generally don’t like dogs.
If you’re thinking about getting a Siamese, you might want to read up on them and see if you can volunteer at a breed rescue site. Plan to keep your Siamese as an indoor pet, since most are cross-eyed and do not see well. If you adopt or buy a Siamese, expect a cat that is demanding of attention, highly vocal and intelligent. If you want a cat, because you think a cat is low maintenance, you may not want a Siamese. Some people take their Siamese to a pet shelter because they cannot tolerate their demanding nature or vocal qualities. However, if you are the type of person who would love a true companion, but cannot or does not want a dog, a Siamese may be an ideal match. In addition to his crazy antics and affectionate nature, you may be pleasantly surprised by his constant loyalty and protective qualities.