How Long Do Siamese Cats Live? Things Feline Owners Should Know

Siamese is a breed of cats that are said to have originated in the Siam region of the current country known as Thailand, and have a beautiful coat and blue eyes.

One of the purebred Asian breeds in the world, Siamese cats are known to have the highest life expectancy among all domestic feline animals. An indoor pet Siamese cat is known to have an average lifespan of 15 years and even up to 20 years!

Some Siamese cats are known for even crossing that limit of 20 years. The Guinness Record for the longest-lived cat is, unsurprisingly, a pet Siamese cat that lived for 30 whole years!

Siamese cats are known for their friendly and outgoing nature. This breed is popular among cat-lovers for being one of the most lovable and playful cat breeds, as they love to interact with humans, are very sociable, and are extroverts compared to some breeds.

Siamese cats have two colored fur, black and white. The cat's nose, face, feet, and tail are usually covered in black fur, while the torso is white fur.

The Siamese breed is especially famous for its deep, mysterious blue eyes.

These cats generally have a very deep growl in which they meow for attention. Here are some Siamese cat facts, which might come in handy if you are considering adopting a member of this breed, or even if you already have one!

After you are done reading about a Siamese cat's lifespan, check out how often do you take a cat to the vet and how often do cats need rabies shots?

What do most Siamese cats die from?

Due to the vast history of the transportation of this purebred Siamese cat breed from Asia to Europe, several hybrids like the Burmese and Balinese also exist, which belong to the same Siamese cat's ancestor.

Several genetic diseases are common to all cats while some differ according to each breed. Likewise, several genetic or hereditary diseases could affect the lifespans of Siamese cat breeds.

Not all cats are at risk to go through this, but as a pet owner, one always needs to keep a lookout for outbreaks of any diseases in their pet cats as these conditions are responsible for the death of most Siamese cats.

Asthma is a major respiratory disorder that is very commonly found among the Siamese cat breed. The symptoms of asthma include chronic inflammation of airways connecting to the lungs, leading to breathing problems. Cats with this condition can suffer from difficulty in breathing, as well as wheezing, and coughing fits, which can become a permanent cough problem.

Mediastinal lymphoma is a type of cancer that usually occurs in Siamese cats. This disease directly affects the cat’s body organs like the thorax and lymph nodes. The symptoms of this include respiratory problems like breathing troubles, wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath. Other symptoms also include anorexia, regurgitation of food, difficulty in swallowing food, and excessive drooling.

Lastly, but not the last of the diseases, one common condition, which could occur in Siamese cats is called systemic amyloidosis.

In this condition, a protein called amyloid saturates in the body in certain organs, which results in damaging the cells and tissues of the organ. Systemic amyloidosis can lead to organ failure in cats, especially the liver, as this disease directly affects the liver, which can be fatal if not diagnosed in time.

Other health problems that can affect the lifespans of this species are bladder stones and weight gain.

How long do Siamese cats live?

As mentioned above, Siamese cats are known for having the highest life expectancy among all other cat breeds.

The average lifespan of most cats ranges from 12-15 years, which might extend in cases where the cat is healthy and does not suffer from any diseases.

But a Siamese cat’s lifespan can range from an average of 15 years and up to 20 years if looked after properly and if the Siamese cats have spent most of their lives indoors.

Many indoor Siamese cats are also known for crossing their average life expectancy of 20 years of age as well, going up to 25 years old.

Adding this long lifespan with the nine lives a cat has, Siamese cats make a very favorable choice for the pet owners who are looking for making a long time commitment!

Taking proper care of the overall health of different cat breeds helps identify health problems that may affect their otherwise long lifespan. This allows cats to lead a long life in a healthy and wholesome environment indoors.

Do Siamese cats live longer than most breeds?

Yes, Siamese cats are known and especially a popular choice among cat lovers, because of their long life expectancy.

Many owners who have looked after their cats with proper care and love, fed them a balanced diet, and had regular checkups with the vet have claimed that their Siamese cats lived for almost 20 years of age or more!

To add to this claim is a world record, which was set by a Siamese cat for having the longest life among all felines.

That Siamese cat still holds a record for living up to 30 years!

Common Health Issues Among Siamese Cats

As discussed above, Siamese cats suffer from certain conditions, which are common among their breed, but it is necessary to look out for signs of such diseases as they can be fatal for your pet cat.

Likewise, certain conditions can be found more commonly among Siamese cat breeds, but these conditions do not necessarily lead to their death. Here are some common health issues.

A condition that Siamese cats can suffer from is progressive retinal atrophy, wherein the cats slowly lose their sense of vision, which generally leads to complete blindness. The symptoms usually start with night blindness in cats and slowly progress towards vision impairment and total blindness.

Sadly, this disease is genetic and can affect any Siamese cat, and there is no particular cure for this.

Gingivitis is a dental disease that occurs very commonly among all cats. It affects the teeth and gums of cats, which is a result of swelling and irritation.

Gingivitis is considered the first stage of periodontal disease and can cause severe pain in cats, affecting their ability to chew their food. Maintaining oral hygiene can help prevent gingivitis in cats.

What affects the Siamese cats' life expectancy?

Several things can affect this blue-eyed feline’s life expectancy. While your pet may not always have the best of days health-wise, there are several ways in which you could prevent them from catching any diseases and ensure your Siamese cat is happy and healthy.

Indoor cats are known for having longer lifespans, compared to outdoor cats, as it is obvious that indoor cats are looked after more properly compared to their outdoor counterparts.

The basic things, which every cat owner needs to follow, are to look after and take proper care of your pet cats. Make regular checkups with the vet.

Maintain a balanced diet containing all the nutrients, which your cat needs, and do not overfeed your cat. Overfeeding your cat can make them obese, which is fatal for your pet cats.

Brush your shorthair Siamese cat at least once a week to get rid of extra fur hair and prevent your cat from coughing up hair. Siamese cats live a very happy and cheerful life, hence, always make it a point to give them at least 10-15 minutes from your day for playtime.

If your cat is completely indoor and is curious about the outside world and has tried to sneak out when you weren’t watching, try to harness train your cat so that you can take your shorthair Siamese cat outdoors.

If that fails, which it very much could, see to it that the open area which these playful pets explore is safe from outside threats and is fenced. Playing outdoors in nature vastly affects their mood and overall health and helps control it if your cat is moody and tends to throw bad tantrums often.

These are the very simple ways in which you can ensure that your cat is healthy and happy and lives a long life.

Feeding Habits For Longer Life

One of the most important rules of thumb of cat feeding is setting specific times for feeding and sticking to that schedule throughout. Cats tend to unnecessarily ask for food if these pets are bored or want your attention if that is the only way they get it.

Feeding your pet Siamese cat again and again, out of schedule can lead to gastrointestinal and digestion problems and in most cases, obesity, which is fatal for cats if left unchecked. Hence, always stick to a feeding schedule.

Cats tend to be obligate carnivores, hence, as pets, they depend entirely on animal-based food products, which include meat, fish, and eggs. Feeding your Siamese cats any plant-sourced food like legumes or fruits can cause digestion problems and other health risks in cats.

Also, as an owner avoid feeding milk to cats, as most cats are lactose intolerant after they pass the feeding stage of life.

Several cat food varieties are available in shops, which provide a complete and balanced diet for your cats, and it is safe to feed them every day.

Cats need amino acids, which are mainly responsible for keeping them healthy and every organ working properly. One of such amino acids is called taurine, which is highly essential for all cats, including Siamese cats.

Taurine is responsible for maintaining the heart and related organs. Make it a point to check that the cat food you give your cats contains taurine.

Most of the protein and fat needs are completed by the cat food, but giving them boiled and cut-up eggs sometimes can give your Siamese cats that protein boost.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for how long do Siamese cats live, then why not take a look at how often do cats poop, or Siamese cat facts?