Siamese | Breed Of Cat - Encyclopedia Britannica

Siamese, popular short-haired breed of domestic cat originally from Thailand, a country whose official name was Siam until 1939. The Siamese is a lithe long-bodied cat with slim legs and a long slim tail. It has a long wedge-shaped head and blue eyes. Some Siamese have crossed eyes or kinked tails, but these features are discouraged by breeders of show animals. The Siamese was first exported from Siam to the United States in 1878 and the United Kingdom in 1884. By 1902 the first cat fanciers club devoted to the Siamese cat had been established in the United Kingdom, and by 1906 the Cat Fanciers’ Association had officially recognized the breed.

Kittens are born white or cream coloured and later develop the dark points (ears, face, legs, and tail) characteristic of the breed. The points may be dark brown (seal point), blue gray (blue point), milk-chocolate brown (chocolate point), pinkish gray (lilac point), or reddish orange (red point). The colour and coat pattern are genetically recessive characteristics; that is, neither feature is apparent in the immediate offspring of a Siamese that is mated with some other breed. Such dark points are manifestations of temperature-sensitive albinism, in which the black pigment eumelanin, a type of melanin, is concentrated in the cat’s extremities.

Despite the cat’s graceful build and relatively small size, the Siamese is muscular and agile. Characterized as affectionate and loyal, though sometimes destructive, it is regarded by some of its admirers as the most intelligent of domestic cats. It is highly vocal and possesses a range of cries, including a penetrating mating call.

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See the Table of Selected Shorthair Breeds of Cats for further information.

Selected shorthair breeds of cats

name	origin	characteristics	comments
	Abyssinian	probably Egypt	regal appearance; lithe body with long slender legs	resembles the sacred cat of ancient Egypt
	American Shorthair	U.S.	broad muscular body; thick dense fur	hardy; natural hunter
	American Wirehair	U.S.	medium to large in size; curly coat	rare outside the U.S.
	Bengal	U.S.	spotted coat; hind legs shorter than forelegs	cross between Asian leopard cat and American Shorthair tabby
	Bombay	U.S.	elegant appearance; resembles Indian black leopard	cross between Burmese and black American Shorthair
	British Shorthair	England	broad body with short legs; short thick tail	oldest natural English breed; many varieties
	Burmese	Burma (Myanmar)	medium-sized; glossy, thick coat	related to the Siamese
	Chartreux	France	robust; all shades of blue-gray	one of the oldest natural breeds
	Cornish Rex	England	curly short coat; large ears	named after the Rex rabbit
	Devon Rex	England	coat slightly coarser than Cornish Rex; pixie face	nicknamed “poodle cat”
	Egyptian Mau	Egypt	graceful body; distinct spot pattern and banded tail	mau is Egyptian for “cat”
	Japanese Bobtail	Japan	triangular head with large ears; rabbitlike tail	symbol of good luck
	Korat	Thailand	silver-blue coat; heart-shaped face	native name Si-Sawat; considered to be good luck
	Manx	Isle of Man	tailless or with stump; double coat (soft undercoat beneath longer, coarser hairs)	tailless gene can cause skeletal defects and stillbirths if not bred with a tailed cat
	Ocicat	U.S.	typically cream coat with dark or light brown spots and markings	cross between Abyssinian, American Shorthair, and Siamese
	Oriental Shorthair	U.S., U.K.	long lithe body; vivid green eyes	numerous colours unique to the breed
	Russian Blue	Russia	blue with silver tipping; plush double coat; fine-boned but muscular	considered omens of good luck
	Scottish Fold	Scotland	typically folded ears; short, round, well-padded body	folded ear gene can cause crippling when two such types are mated
	Siamese	Asia	sapphire-blue eyes; long lean body	noted for its intelligence and unpredictable behaviour
	Sphynx	Canada	hairless; large ears	rare outside North America
	Tonkinese	U.S.	blue-green eyes; medium-sized	cross between Siamese and Burmese