What is the Temperament of a Siamese Cat?

Siamese CatsSource: © Shutterstock

Siamese cats are among the most popular cat breeds in the United States. Their piercing blue eyes, slender masculine body, and large triangular eyes are definite crowd pleasers in the cat lover’s community. Their strong personalities, however, make them stand out, and they are now among the most expensive and sought-after cat breeds. These loving companions are also very talkative and do not shy away from expressing themselves, even if their humans can’t understand them. Not all Siamese cats have the same character traits, but some common personality traits influence their temperament.

Siamese Cat’s History

A collection of ancient cat poems thought to be from a now-extinct Southeast Asian kingdom was the first place that described The ancient Siamese cat. From Wikipedia, these adorable cats are native to Thailand and are one of the first Asian cat breeds to be recognized. They were introduced to the West in the 1950s and 1960s when they started appearing in cat shows, and judges started to favor them over the other cats for their slender appearance.

Consequently, cat breeders started selectively breeding the Siamese cats until they created long, slender, and narrow-headed Siamese show cats. Before the original Siamese cats became extinct in the late 1980s, a few breeders decided to save them. Leading to the two types of Siamese cats known today; The modern Siamese cat and the traditional Siamese cat.

Siamese Cat’s Appearance

Modern Siamese cats have long, tube-shaped, and muscular bodies, and their heads are shaped like triangles. The most attractive part of their bodies is their eyes which are almond in shape and have a light blue color. The pointed pattern in their coat, characterized by contrasting dark and light colors, complements their intense blue eyes. Siamese newborns usually have an entirely white coat and mostly develop their dark coloring at around four weeks old.

At first, Siamese cats only had white coats that contrasted the rest of their bodies, including their ears, paws, tails, and masks. Breeders gradually introduced blue, lilac, and chocolate streaks as they continued to gain popularity. Now, Siamese cats are in many different patterns and colors. The cat’s pointed pattern resulted from a gene mutation. The mutated gene is heat sensitive, meaning that the dark patterns only start to appear when the body temperature is reduced to below 100 degrees. That is why the colder parts of their body, like the paws and the ears, were dark.

Siamese Cat’s Temperaments

Although all Siamese cats are not the same, a few personality traits are common across the breed.

Intelligence

They are among the most intelligent breeds in the world. Their intelligence makes them curious cats that love to go through every inch of the house. They are quite active, and they love jumping and heights, so it is wise for owners to buy them toys to keep their tiny minds preoccupied. The best part about their intelligence is that they are easy to train.

Affectionate and Loving

These cats are full of love and will be great loving companions to anyone looking for an affectionate cat. Their affectionate personalities make many people compare Siamese cats to dogs. If you want to add a Siamese to your home, expect them to shadow you, follow you everywhere in the house, and get into bed with you for some snuggles.

Clingy and needy

Siamese cats often exhibit obsessive behavior toward their owners, and they hate being left on their own. Their affectionate traits also lead to their clingy behavior. Their clingy behavior often creates tension and jealousy when they see their owners with other people or pets. Most Siamese cats suffer from separation anxiety and become depressed when left alone for too long.

Protective

Although they are quite loving and relatively gentle, they can also become very protective of their owners. There is a consequence of their clingy behavior, and they can become aggressive when they suspect a threat against their humans.

Incredibly Talkative

Siamese cats love to talk to their owners. They will follow you around the house and continuously chat with you with their loud and distinct voices. Owners who want a quiet companion that will sleep throughout the day and meow softly will be disappointed by the Siamese cat.

Are Siamese cats more aggressive?

According to Pet Keen, Siamese cats are one of the most aggressive cats in the world. They are considerably more aggressive than other breeds, and their problematic behavior stems from being needy. Their quest to seek attention often comes off as mean and aggressive. Although they are family-friendly, they tend to cling to one person, and when their chosen human shows other people or pets attention, they often get jealous and become territorial. They will lash out when they feel they are not getting enough attention. Their attention-seeking tantrums often involve biting, tripping, latching on, growling, and scratching people.

How to care for your Siamese Cat

Siamese cats need to be properly cared for to thrive in the home. Owners must do a few things to ensure their Siamese cats are happy.

Proper grooming for Siamese cats is very simple, especially when owners do it weekly. They can also choose to brush their cat’s teeth to prevent dental diseases.

Feeding your Siamese the right cat food is essential to their health and survival. When you buy your cat from a breeder, it is important to ask them what kind of food to feed the cat and the right amount for each growth stage. It is advisable to give them the same food the breeder was feeding them, at least for the first few weeks, before gradually changing their diet.

Vaccinate your Siamese cat. Before taking them home, ensure the breeder gives you all the vaccination certificates and get in touch with a good vet who will conduct a health checkup and administer your cat with the right vaccines.

Siamese Cats are incredibly intelligent, affectionate, talkative, and loyal cats. They are great companions and pets and are especially good for families with children. Despite their aggressive behavior, Siamese cats are not bad. However, they need a lot of patience and understanding from their owners. They need to be trained and firmly shown authority. Otherwise, they can get into some naughty behaviors and not obey the owner when cautioned.

image sources

  • Funny,Seal,Point,Siamese,Cat,Playing,Raising,Paws,Making,Funny: © Shutterstock

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