Fun Siamese Cat Facts For Kids

The Siamese cats are a handsome breed and a favorite for a lot of cat fanciers. More so than other breeds of cats. However, they have had their fair share of rough journeys to come to this place. The native of Thailand, this cat breed was not really accepted by the cat fanciers back when they were first introduced to the world in the Crystal Palace Cat Show. The cats can be divided into two categories. While the modern Siamese are loved, the traditional kittens back then had cross eyes and kinked tails which was undesirable for many. The breed of cats, in general, have a triangle-shaped head, short-haired fur, and muscular body and there are many types of Siamese cats. These include the seal point, lilac point, chocolate point, blue point Siamese cat, the red point Siamese cat, or a pure white Siamese cat, and more. All these Siamese cats have one thing in common which is that they have a lighter-colored body with dark-colored points. Many more Siamese mix breeds have also been created due to their popularity over the years. Some of them are the long-haired Siamese cat types which are called Balinese, the black Siamese cat which has the Himalayan gene mixed with the breed, the Oriental, the Tonkinese, and many more. Read on to know more fascinating Siamese cat facts for kids and adults and for all. If you like this article, then check out Maine coon and Australian Mist facts too.

What type of animal is a Siamese cat?

Siamese cats are a breed of cat mainly originating from Thailand or as it was formerly known, Siam.

What class of animal does a Siamese cat belong to?

The Siamese cats belong to the Mammalia class of animals.

How many Siamese cats are there in the world?

The exact number of Siamese cats in the world is not known. They were a native of Thailand but they became quite popular at the end of the 19th century in North America. Slowly, they started spreading to many other countries and now many other mix-breeds can also be seen whose one of the parent breeds was this cat breed.

Where does a Siamese cat live?

Siamese cats were mainly native of Thailand which used to be known as Siam and hence the name of the cat. Later, they were brought to the Crystal Palace Cat Show, where a lot of people didn't like the look of the cats but within a little time, they became quite a popular cat breed in the United States. Since then they have been living as pets all around the world.

What is a Siamese cat's habitat?

A Siamese cat lives in households under the care of its owners.

Who do Siamese cats live with?

Since the popularity of these cats, they are being kept as pets. These cats can stay with other humans as well as animals.

How long does a Siamese cat live?

Usually, these cats can live about 8-15 years under the proper care of their owners.

How do they reproduce?

The breeding for cats is not a very complex process but still, it's better to know the essentials if you have a Siamese in your home. The female cat has her first heat cycle when she's about six months old and will keep having them approximately once every two weeks until she gets pregnant. Most males become sexually mature at the age of 10 months. The main courtship ritual may include the female twitching her tail back and forth and constantly calling out searching for a male partner. The gestation period of the Siamese can be around 63-69 days. They later give birth to four to six baby cats on average.

What is their conservation status?

The conservation status of the cat breed is Not Listed, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. They are bred in households, with breeders, and in the wild. Their population was limited just in Thailand many years ago but now they are living everywhere all around the world. So, it's pretty hard to estimate their population and nature of conservation status. For now, we can be relieved knowing that they are not endangered.

What do Siamese cats look like?

Siamese cats have light-colored fur along with a black-colored ear, mask, paws, and tail. The fur is usually short with no undercoat and it can be glossy. The color of the coat can be a combination of any two light and dark colors mainly ranging from seal point Siamese that has a bluish-white colored body with dark blue points or lilac point Siamese that has a lilac body with pinkish grey points and many more colored Siamese can be seen. Mostly the chocolate point Siamese are popular. The point Siamese is a combination of chocolate and lilac-colored body. They have beautiful almond-shaped light blue-colored eyes. Their head is in a shape of a triangle, meaning if measured, it will form a perfect triangle starting from the tip of their nose to both their pointy ears. They have a muscular body and their pointed colored fur and two blue eyes are their most distinctive features. Today's Siamese only differ from the traditional Siamese cats a bit in terms of head and body type.

How cute are they?

Their blue eyes and their ever so elegant look can attract a lot of people. They are also a loyal and intelligent breed of cat. They can be loving and affectionate yet curious, highly energetic beings with a really playful nature. All these might make them extraordinarily cute to a whole lot of people.

How do they communicate?

Siamese cats are more vocal than most other cats. They pine for the attention of their owners. They would follow you around everywhere in the wish of helping you and they would try to communicate their opinions to you, as a talkative species, and they want you to listen. To be a good owner to these cats you'd have to learn to pay much attention and understand their way of speaking and how they wag their tail. At the time of breeding, they express their readiness through body language by twitching their tails back and forth. They can even become more vocal at the time of their heat cycle when they search for a male partner. Mainly for these cats, their voice is their main way of communication.

How big is a Siamese cat?

Siamese cats are medium-sized cats yet perfectly proportional in every way. On average, excluding the length of the tails, they are about 15-20 in (38.1-50.8 cm) long. Persian cats are also another breed of medium-sized cat but in comparison, they are actually shorter, their length is about 14-18 in (35.6-45.7 cm).

How fast can a Siamese cat run?

It is actually unknown how fast Siamese cats can run. Usually, other domestic cats can run about 30 mph. It is estimated that they can also reach that speed.

How much does a Siamese cat ​weigh?

Siamese cats are medium-sized cats. A healthy medium-sized cat should weigh about 10 lb (4.5 kg). Siamese cats weigh about 6-14 lb (2.7-6.3 kg). So, look for their weight to be around this range.

What are their male and female names of the species?

The males of the species are called tomcats and the unspayed females of the species, especially in the case of cat-breeding, are called queen.

What would you call a baby Siamese cat?

Baby cats are called kittens. So, babies of Siamese cats would be called Siamese kittens.

What do they eat?

The most important thing to do if you give your cat commercial cat food is to always look for high-quality cat food. The Siamese have a triangular head. The shape of their jaw is according to that, which basically means that they don't have the habit of chewing their food, but mostly swallow it whole. Chewing is important for health, however. It decreases the chance of indigestion and keeps the teeth clean as it reduces the chances of tartar or plaque buildup. So, remember to choose the kind of cat food that would force them to chew their food. Food is one of the most important catalysts to the growth of Siamese cats. So, you can give them high-quality cat food or you also may discuss with your vet and give them tailor-made food made from scratch but it should be perfectly balanced in terms of nutrients.

Are they hypoallergenic?

The Siamese cats are not completely hypoallergenic strictly speaking, but they are considered hypoallergenic. They shed a lot less than any other breed of cat. If anyone is allergic to cat hair, the short hairs of this breed could cause a reaction but since you might find very little to almost no hair lying around your house, it might not cause any reaction after all.

Would they make a good pet?

They would make excellent pets. A lot of cat breeds seem to shy away if you give them attention. These cats on the other hand are actually very loving and affectionate. Maybe not too much but they love to cuddle and snuggle. They are also very loyal. Their intelligent nature combined with their opinionated talkative nature will make you trust them easily. They are curious about everything. So, they would follow you around and because of their high energy level, and they would want to play with you a lot more than other pets. But don't get them too over-excited while you're playing. They have a tendency to bite if they get worked up too much. If you want a unique cat who is handsome and a bit different from the other domesticated breeds, then Siamese cats should be your choice.

Did you know...

Siamese cats are pretty unique because they possess a special kind of gene which prevents the pigmentations from growing on their skin and that results in albinism. The specialty of this gene is that it only works if the cat's body temperature is either above or between 100-102.5 F. However, for cats, their nasal area, ears, paws, and tail stay a bit colder than other parts of their body and hence, the darker shades around these specific places.

In ancient times in Siam, the people of the royal family had a unique tradition. They believed that whenever someone passed away in their family, the Siamese cat would receive the soul of that particular person. Next, the cats would be sent away to live the rest of their time amongst the monks who would adore them.

A US diplomat, David B. Sickels, who was living at the consulate in Thailand, gifted a Siamese to the then President of the United States and his wife. The 19th President, Rutherford B. Hayes, and his wife the first lady, Lucy received the gift with a letter which is still on file in Fremont, Ohio, at the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center.

Why are Siamese cats cross-eyed?

The Siamese cats have some pretty unique genes and one of them is the one that causes them to be cross-eyed. The eye condition is called strabismus. This results in the eyes not being in a line with each other. They usually cannot see straight as the center of their retinas gets shifted. In some cases, the albino gene that they have might cause them to only be able to see straight ahead when the cats have crossed eyes.

Getting your own Siamese cat

Siamese cats are not only loved because of their perfectly elegant look, but also for the Siamese cat personality which makes them great family pets. They enjoy communicating with their owners and don't shy away from the affection of their humans like other cat breeds. They are good with children and can even get along pretty well with animals of the household. In fact, having kids and other animals helps with the nature of these cats as they love to play. However, if at least someone in your family doesn't stay home most of the time, then it's probably not a good idea to get these cats as they should not be left alone for a long period of time. In fact, you might find them snuggling right next to you when you're sitting or lying down idly or you might find them sleeping in your bed next to you most days when you wake up. So, if you want to adopt one, we would suggest that you look in a shelter first to help out a cat in need and if you still want to buy one, then go to a good breeder. A purebred Siamese kitten costs about $850-$1050 USD. A Siamese cat price is about $250 USD less than the price of the kitten.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other mammals including Egyptian mau, or Balinese cat.

You can even occupy yourself at home by drawing one on our Siamese cat coloring pages.