Telling if your cat is a Siamese mix can be a thorough process as it involves analyzing your cat’s appearance, personality, and habits. However, in general, you can tell if your cat has some Siamese in them by identifying distinct blue eyes, pointed head, and colorpoint coat.
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Physical characteristics of Siamese cats
Like with other cat breeds, the easiest way to distinguish if your cat has the Siamese gene in them is by looking at their physical traits. These include:
Body shape
The easiest way to tell if your cat is a Siamese mix is by looking at their body as some Siamese cats were initially bred to achieve specific features. Generally, modern Siamese cats have slim bodies and a thin neck. In contrast, classic Siamese cats are thicker than their modern counterparts, from the neck, tail, and limbs.
Head shape
Traditional and modern Siamese cats have different head shapes. The head of a traditional Siamese cat is usually rounded and resembles an apple, a stark contrast to the smaller and wedge-shaped head of the modern Siamese cat. The reason behind the modern Siamese cat’s different head shape is because of decades of breeding, resulting in smaller and more angular heads.
Coat patterns
Generally, a traditional Siamese cat has distinct white/cream coats with dark patches on their face, ears, or tail. However, there are now many Siamese cats with multiple patterns in recent years because of extensive mixed breeding. Here are the most common coat patterns that exist on both traditional and modern Siamese cats:
- Chocolate point – Siamese cats with this pattern have their standard white coat with prominent light brown patches.
- Blue point – This is a more rare coat pattern that Siamese cats have, and usually consists of gray or blue patches.
- Seal point – Siamese cats with this coat pattern have darker patches throughout their body.
- Lilac point – This coat pattern means a Siamese cat has distinct light gray patches throughout their body.
Almond-shaped blue eyes
The Siamese cat is well-known to have blue eyes, common in both show and traditional Siamese cats. Their eyes can range from a lighter blue to a deep ocean blue, but their eyes usually stand out regardless of the shade. Additionally, their lids are narrow, resulting in almond-shaped eyes.
Ear shape
Both classic and modern Siamese cats have distinct and recognizable ears, especially the modern Siamese cat, as their ears are large and shaped like wedges. Some purebred modern Siamese cats have ears that are nearly as big as their head itself. Meanwhile, the ears of an apple-head or traditional Siamese cats are more proportional to their bodies and are less pointed.
Temperament of Siamese cats
Many people consider Siamese cats to be extroverts when it comes to their personality, as these felines like to hang around their owners, other people, and cats. If your cat is a Siamese mix, you’ll notice that they love to spend time sitting on your lap and sleep near you when night time comes. Additionally, the Siamese cat breed is very curious, so you’ll also notice them following you all over the house to see what you’re up to at most times.
Lastly, another unique personality trait that Siamese cats have is their activeness, meaning if your furry friend loves to chase around laser pointers or other toys, they probably have some Siamese genes in them.
Perform a cat ancestry test
The final and perhaps most accurate way you can tell your cat is a Siamese is by letting them take an ancestry test. However, this will cost you a bit of money, and results would take a couple of weeks or months to get processed. These tests will compare your cat’s genetic profile with a broad database that stores different cat breeds’ information.
Although there’s a high chance your feline’s profile will be unique (unless you got them from a reliable breeder), they’re going to share some DNA variants with other breeds, and the result should let you see if your cat is a Siamese mix, 100% Siamese, or don’t have any Siamese in them at all.
If you’re worried about the accuracy of these tests, a cat ancestry test typically has a high accuracy level, so you can ensure you get your money’s worth.
Common questions about Siamese cats
Are Siamese cats a rare breed?
Siamese cats have been around since ancient times, and initially, people considered them an aristocratic cat breed because royals mostly owned them back then. However, over the decades, the royals who owned them began to give them away as gifts, and because of this, the breed became more common throughout the globe. Today, a purebred Siamese is no longer considered a rare breed.
Are Siamese cats high maintenance?
Siamese cats are easy to take care of and generally aren’t high maintenance as they’re an independent breed that likes to do most things themselves. Additionally, their short coats make them easier to groom than, for example, a Persian cat that requires daily brushing. Although they fare well physically, they need more care or attention in the mental and psychological aspect because when they become unhappy, Siamese cats can destroy your home by shredding furniture or curtains.
Do Siamese cats get along with other people?
The friendliness of a Siamese cat will depend on how well-socialized they have been throughout their life. But in general, Siamese cats aren’t a shy cat breed, and unlike other cats, this curious feline won’t probably run or hide under your couch when you have guests over. They make a great companion animal as they like to be where the people are.
Conclusion
You can tell if your cat is a part Siamese when it carries the remarkable characteristics of a Siamese cat. These distinct traits include colorpoint coat, which can be blue, chocolate, lilac, and seal color. The bright blue eyes is a good sign that your cat is a Siamese mix. This cat breed has an outgoing personality, which you should add to your checklist.
But if you’re still not sure about your cat’s breed, you can always ask for professional assistance from reputable cat breeders, veterinarians, or have your cat undergo a DNA test.
