Siamese cats
Siamese cats ideal weight and nutrition
Male Siamese cats weigh 8 - 12 lbs (4.0 - 5.5 kg), while females weigh less. For the suggested daily intake of dry food, consult the table below:
Dry food is ideal for Siamese cats, since it stimulates chewing and therefore slows the ingestion rate of food.
In order to maintain the lithe, muscular build of Siamese cats, as well as their dynamism and agility, their nutrition must contain high quality protein and reduced fat. In the market there are available formulas specially designed to meet the needs of Siamese cats. These meals contain conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) to produce muscle tissue over fat and L-carnitine to utilize fat reserves as an energy source. In addition they provide them with Omega 6 fatty acids and L-tyrosine to enhance the color contrast and beauty of the coat.
Siamese kitten care
When you introduce a siamese kitten to your home let it find its own way out of the basket and allow it to explore one room at a time. Make sure that all doors and windows are shut, to prevent the kitten from escaping.
Siamese kittens are very often frightened by children or other pets that are new to them. Children should therefore be recommended to be quiet and wait for the kitten to adopt to the new environment, while other animals should be introduced later, gradually and one at a time. Remember that adult cats might attack to the baby cat, since they confront it as a competitor and therefore as an enemy.
Talk to your siamese kitten and encourage it to play with a toy but do not overwhelm it with extreme attention.
Siamese kittens need warmth, since they miss their mother and litter mates. If there is not some form of heating in the room at all times, you had better buy a heated bed from a pet shop. Even when adult, a short haired cat should never be left alone in an unheated room at night or in cold weather without some basket or bed with warm bedding in it.
During the first month of their life, siamese kittens should be breastfeeding. This is why you shouldn't separate them from their mother before they are one month old.
At the age of one month they can start eating kitten food. In the market you will find a wide range of kitten meals, however we recommend dry kitten food. This comes in small kibbles that encourage siamese kittens to crunch and help them develop stronger gum and teeth.
For the suggested daily intake of kitten dry food, consult the table below:
Siamese cat grooming
A Siamese cat generally has smooth fine hair, so grooming and maintaining the coat is not an issue and it does a good job of keeping themselves clean. Occasional brushing, however, helps with shedding. The brushing movements need to be repetitive, however delicate. Use a comb with metal bristles and an elastic grip and work through the fur from head to tail to remove dead and loose hair. Be extra-gentle near her chest and belly to avoid injuring your Siamese cat. Grooming will also improve the blood circulation and help avoid many unpleasant and long-lasting infections and allergies.
Siamese cats care
Siamese cats have short, fine hair, however they still run the risk of developing hairballs. To find out more check our hair ball treatment guide.
Another issue you should take care of on a monthly basis is flea treatment. To find out more check our flea treatment guide.
You should clean their ears once a week to prevent infections. Consult your vet on choosing the proper cat ear cleaning solution and use it to remove the excess of wax, debris and dead tissues.
Always keep tapeworm pills at home and give them as prescribed to your cat every 3 months. To find out more check our tapeworm treatment guide.
Their teeth should be checked periodically and brushed with a special wipe to prevent teeth and gum diseases. In the market there are also a lot of cat toys, specially designed to remove food wastes and prevent teeth irritation.
A litter tray must be available at all times and kept in the same place. Solid matter and wet lumps should be removed from the tray frequently and the litter renewed when necessary. The tray should be washed and disinfected frequently. Rinse thoroughly after disinfecting and allow drying before use. Siamese cats are very fussy and will not use a dirty tray.
Never give cats any drugs that have not been prescribed for it; many human drugs are poisonous to cats. Seek veterinary advice immediately if you suspect any form of poisoning.
Make sure that toys or parts of them cannot be swallowed. Plastic bags and rubber bands can be extremely dangerous, because they do not show up on an X-ray.
Siamese cats health and lifespan
Siamese cats lifespan is 8-12 years. They do not have particular health issues. However, there are few records of breed-specific diseases:
Psychogenic Alopecia is described as abnormal hair loss resulting from excessive self grooming. The root is extreme stress caused by other cats in the same house, people whom the cat dislikes, separation anxiety or even early history of abuse. Treatment includes antidepressants or simply separating the cat from its stressful environment or even enriching the cat's environment with toys and climbing equipment. Be sure to determine first though, if your cat's alopecia is psychological and not caused by parasites, ringworm, pregnancy, or a hormonal imbalance.
Feline Hyperesthesia Syndrome is similar to Psychogenic Alopecia, however, in this case, excessive stress leads to extremely sensitive skin. The treatment is also similar to Psychogenic Alopecia.
Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM), a disease that affects young to middle aged cats. It is is usually discovered during a routine annual health checkup, as the vet will hear a faster heart rate and perhaps congestion sounds in the lungs. The pulse also feels weak.
If left undiagnosed, the most common indication of HCM is pain, associated with blood clot formation in the aorta. HCM is treated with diuretics, such as furosemide, diltiazem, and nitroglycerine ointment. ACE inhibitors, can be beneficial, while some cats respond to essential fatty acid (EFA) supplements and the antioxidants selenium and vitamin E.
Thromboembolism, a blood clot in the aorta, where the latter divides into the femoral arteries taking blood to the hind legs. Affected cats cry out and cannot use their hindlimbs, which are cool to the touch. The prognosis is poor.
Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC) causes small blood clots in the body. It is most likely triggered by a disease, such as feline infectious peritonitis. DIC is treated by diagnosing and curing the cause.
Hypothyroidism, a deficiency of the cat’s thyroid hormone can be prolonged by a gradual thinning of the coat, which may also appear dull and lifeless. Other signs include lethargy, constipation, weight gain, mental dullness and a disproportionate type of dwarfism characterized by an enlarged broad head with short neck and limbs. Diagnosis requires a thyroid blood test, while hypothyroidism requires a lifetime treatment with daily hormone replacement therapy.
Vestibular Disease. The vestibular system is a network of nerves in the ear, brain, and spinal cord that govern balance and orientation. Symptoms include loss of balance, dizzyness, head tilting, eye drift and falling. There is no known cause and the condition is hereditary. In some cases the symptoms will disappear within 1 to 6 weeks with little or no treatment, although motion sickness medication may be prescribed. Determining treatment for more serious cases requires extensive testing.
The Siamese cats legend
Once upon a time there was a Siamese Princess. The Princess went to have a bath in a stream and being afraid of losing her rings while bathing she looked around for somewhere convenient to place her jewellery. She then noticed that her favorite cat had crooked his tail for her benefit. Ever since that time all Siamese cats have been born with a tiny kink at the end of their tails to hold the Princess' rings.
The Siamese cat history
The pointed cat known in the West as "Siamese cat" is one of several breeds of cats from Siam (now called Thailand) described and illustrated in manuscripts of the 18th century, called "Tamra Maew" (Cat Poems). However, apart from these poems, there is no clear record of Siamese cats as a breed until late 1800s.
In 1884 the departing British Consul-General Gould was given a pair of Siamese cats by the Siamese king as a farewell gift. The gift was considered a great honor since the cats came from those bred in the palace by the royal family. The General brought the two cats, Pho and Mia, back to Britain as a gift for his sister, Lilian Jane Veley. The descendants of these cats, 'Duen Ngai', born March 1885 and 'Kalohom' and 'Khromata', born July 1885, were exhibited by Mrs. Velvey at the 17th Crystal Palace Show in October 1885. In 1886, another pair of Siamese cats and two kittens were imported by a Mrs. Vyvyan and her sister in Britain. The Siamese cats were so extraordinary that they captured immediate attention and in 1902 England founded its first Siamese cat fancier's club.
Regarding USA, in 1878, President Rutherford B. Hayes received "Siam", a gift from the American Consul in Bangkok. This cat was the first documented Siamese to reach the United States, and predates the Siamese's arrival to the UK by 6 years. In April 1909, The Siamese Cat Society of America was founded and the first standard for the Siamese Cat was approved.
During the 1950s and 1960s the breed's popularity reached its peak and Siam cats appeared in movies or animations such as 'Bell, Book and Candle', 'That Darn Cat', 'Incredible Journey', and 'Lady and the Tramp', making the Siamese cats breed even more famous.
Siamese cats personality
Warm and affectionate, the Siamese cats bond with their chosen humans very closely. However social, they are very dependent upon them and crave for active involvement in their lives. Siamese cats need to be treated with respect and patience and require lots of affection if they are to develop a caring relationship with their human companions. They will follow them wherever they go and may get depressed if left too often alone.
Siamese cats are vocal and demanding, capable of conveying their wants in a range from mews to loud raspy calls. They are capable of communicating their desires clearly to their chosen humans starting a dialogue with them. In case their attempts to communicate won’t work out, they will start an endless monologue. If you prefer quiet, lap cats, the Siamese cats are not for you, actually you might find them annoyingly talkative and wish they came with a mute button.
On the other hand, Siam cats can be unpredictable in their behavior and can appear aloof and disinterested. Nonetheless, that’s all an act, for Siamese cats are curious and active. Highly intelligent, this breed can be trained to perform commands and tricks and has proven to be a viable competitor in feline agility. They love the challenge of these feats, and will find creative and unusual ways to get into trouble.
Siamese cat breed standards
According to the Cat Fanciers's association, the ideal Siamese cat is medium sized, svelte and refined cat with long tapering lines, very lithe but muscular.
Their head is medium sized and forms a long tapering wedge. The total wedge starts at the nose and flares out in straight lines to the tips of the ears forming a triangle, with no break at the whiskers. When the whiskers are smoothed back, the underlying bone structure is apparent.
The breed's skull is flat and in profile, a long straight line is seen from the top of the head to the tip of the nose. There should be no bulge over the eyes nor dip in the nose.
Their ears are strikingly large, pointed and wide at the base, continuing the lines of the wedge.
Their eyes are medium sized and almond shaped. They are neither protruding nor recessed, slanting towards the nose in harmony with lines of the wedge and the ears. The distance between them has to be equal at least with the width of an eye.
Their nose is long and straight, continuing the lines of the forehead with no break.
Their muzzle is fine and wedge-shaped and their chin and jaw are medium sized. Tip of the chin lines up with tip of nose in the same vertical plane. It should be neither receding nor excessively massive.
Siamese cats possess a medium sized, graceful, long and svelte body, with a distinctive combination of fine bones and firm muscles.
The shoulders and the hips continue the same sleek lines of their tubular body. The hips should never be wider than the shoulders, while the abdomen should be tight.
Their neck is long and slender.
Siamese cats possess long and slim legs, with the hind legs being higher than the front.
Their paws are dainty, small and oval, with five toes in front and four behind.
Their tail is long and thin, tapering to a fine point.
Their coat is short, fine textured and glossy, lying close to the body.
Seal point
· Body: even pale fawn to cream, warm in tone, shading into lighter color on the stomach and chest.
· Points: deep seal brown
· Nose leather and paw pads: deep seal brown
· Eyes: deep vivid blue
Chocolate point
· Body: ivory with no shading
· Points: milk chocolate, warm in tone
· Nose leather and paw pads: cinnamon pink
· Eyes: deep vivid blue
Blue point
· Body: bluish white, cold in tone, shading gradually to white on stomach and chest
· Points: deep blue
· Nose leather and paw pads: slate colored
· Eyes: deep vivid blue
Lilac point
· Body: glacial white with no shading
· Points: frosty grey with pinkish tone
· Nose leather and paw pads: lavender pink
· Eyes: deep vivid blue
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