Siamese Cats 101 : Fun Facts & Myths
Channel: Kitten Life
Date: 2020-11-04

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Siamese cats are perhaps best known for their sleek, distinctive appearance. Although many Siamese cats are a silver-gray color with blue eyes, these pretty kitties can also be orange, brown, cream, and even blue or lilac-colored, among other coat variations. But there's much, much more to Siamese cats than their mysteriously good looks.

For example, did you know that Siamese cats are one of the oldest breeds of domesticated cats in the world? Or that their coat coloring is determined by their genetics and the temperature of their surroundings?

If you want to learn more, keep on watching, because we are going to talk about interesting facts and myths about the siamese breed.


1. Coat Coloring.

As we said, Siamese cats' coats can be an incredible range of colors, and those colors aren't only determined by genetics. Grab your lab coat and get ready for a little bit of biology. 

The color of a cat's coat, is determined by several sets of genes, and the patterns of their coats are determined by modifier genes. Genetics 101, right? Well, Siamese cats have a special modifier gene, that inhibits pigment from developing in the fur, resulting in albinism. But, thanks to the magic of science, the modifier gene for albinism can only affect the cat's fur above a certain temperature, or between 100 and 102.5 degrees, to be more precise. 

Once a Siamese cat's body drops below approximately 100 degrees, or the cat is in a colder environment, her genes for coat color turn back on and carry pigment to her fur. Because a cat's body is cooler around her nose, ears, paws, and tail, that's where pigment is most commonly deposited on Siamese cats. 

Most Siamese cats are born completely white and develop their markings in the weeks following birth. Why? Because the womb is very warm and blocks the cat's color gene from reaching her fur. Following birth and being exposed to the cooler atmosphere for a few weeks, Siamese kittens will start to develop pigment around their faces, tails, and paws.

2. An Old Breed.

Although no one is certain when Siamese cats were first bred and domesticated, it's commonly believed that they originated in Thailand around the 14th century, when they first appeared in a Thai manuscript. This would make them one of the oldest cat breeds in the entire world.

3. Common Traits.

For a long time, many Siamese cats had crossed eyes and crooked, kinked tails. Although these traits were undoubtedly the result of certain genetic factors, many legends offered alternate explanations for Siamese cats' interesting appearances. We will talk about these legends later on in the video.


4. Royal Treatment.

Hundreds of years ago, Siamese cats were treasured by royal families in Thailand because of their distinctive, unusual, and beautiful appearances.  In fact, members of these royal families believed that a Siamese cat would receive their soul when they died, and the cat would spend the rest of his long life living in a temple and being pampered by monks and priests. Not a bad gig, huh? 


5. Presidential Cats.

Although Siamese cats have been domesticated in Asia for centuries, they didn't appear in the United States until the late 1800s. One of the earliest known owners of a Siamese cat was actually U.S. President Rutherford B. Haye's wife, Lucy. Which means Siamese cats, have a history in the White House too. Her Siamese cat, named Siam, was a gift from a U.S. diplomat serving in Thailand.


6. Movie Stars.

Old but good movies like The Incredible Journey, The Lady and the Tramp, and That Darn Cat, starred Siamese cats. In fact, the entire plot of That Darn Cat, is centered on a Siamese named DC, who helps stop a kidnapping. 

While DC from That Darn Cat, helped prevent a fictional kidnapping, two real-life Siamese cats helped foil espionage back in the 1960s. When two Siamese kitties living at the Dutch embassy in Moscow, Russia began scratching at a wall, their owner suspected they were reacting to a noise that couldn't be detected by the human ear. He was right, 30 small microphones were discovered behind the wall. 

7. They are a talkative bunch.
If you have a Siamese cat, or have spent time around one, you know they're extremely talkative. Siamese cats will vocalize their opinions on their food, observations they make through the window, and basically anything that they encounter throughout the day and night.