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Siamese Cat Facts & Worksheets

Among the first distinctly identified breeds of Asian cat, the Siamese is known for its large ears, blue almond-shaped eyes, triangular head, and slender body.

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Among the first distinctly identified breeds of Asian cat, the Siamese is known for its large ears, blue almond-shaped eyes, triangular head, and slender body. Affectionate with family, Siamese cats descended from felines that originated in Siam, or modern-day Thailand.

See the fact file below for more information on the Siamese or alternatively, you can download our 20-page Siamese worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

HISTORY

  • Siamese cats, or traditionally known as the Wichienmaat, was first mentioned in a compilation of historical manuscripts called the Tamra Maew (The Cat-Book Poems), which was assumed to have originated from the Ayutthaya Kingdom. This book also mentioned other heritage cats of Thailand, such as the Korat cat (malet) and the Konja cat (black cat).
  • When the city of Ayutthaya was raided on April 7, 1767 after the Burmese-Siamese war, the Burmese army scorched everything and went back to Burma taking Siamese noblemen and royal family members with them as hostages. Buddha images were dismantled for their gold, and all the royal treasures were looted. Thai legend says that the King of Burma Hsinbyushin discovered and read the poem for the Thai cats in the Tamra Maew, which describes Thai cats as being as rare as gold, and any individual that has this cat is promised of wealth.
  • The American Consul in Bangkok sent a cat named “Siam,” the first recorded Siamese to reach America, to the U.S. President Rutherford B. Hayes in 1878.
  • In 1884, British Consul General in Bangkok, Edward Blencowe Gould, imported a breeding pair of the cats, Pho and Mia, to Britain as a gift for his sister.
  • In 1885, Gould’s UK cats Pho and Mia had three Siamese kittens, named Duen Ngai, Kalohom, and Khromata, who were displayed with their parents that same year at the London’s Crystal Palace Show.
  • A year after, another pair of Siamese cats was brought to the UK by Eva and Ada Walker. These Siamese imports were longer and less “coby” in body types, which had heads that were less rounded with wedge-shaped muzzles and more prominent ears.
  • In the 1950s to 1960s, the Siamese started to hit the limelight as many breeders and cat show judges started to favor the more slender look.

APPEARANCE

  • Modern show Siamese cats were bred to be extremely slender, with a lean, tubular body, long legs, and a very long, thin tail that decreases gradually into a point, and a long, wedge-shaped head mounted by large, wide-set ears. Their eyes are light blue and almond-shaped, and their fur is short, glossy, and lacks an undercoat.
  • The pointed pattern is a type of partial albinism, caused by a mutation in tyrosinase, an enzyme that is present in melanin production. This mutated tyrosinase enzyme is sensitive to heat, which fails to work at normal body temperatures, but turns active in cooler regions of the skin. This causes the dark pigmentation in the coolest parts of the body of the Siamese, including the extremities and the face, which is cooled by the airway through the sinuses.
  • All Siamese kittens, although born white or pure cream, develop visible points in their first few months in colder regions of their body. After four weeks, these points should be easily spotted to identify which color they are.
  • Siamese cats’ coat darken as they age, and generally, adults inhabiting warm climates have lighter coats compared to those found in cool regions.
  • The majority of the Siamese cats from Thailand had a kink in their tails, but over the years, this has been considered a flaw.

PERSONALITY

  • These cats are known for being affectionate, sociable, and intelligent. They love being with people and are sometimes labelled as “extroverts.” There are also instances when they prefer to bond with a single person only.
  • Some Siamese are extremely talkative, with a loud, low-pitched voice – called a “meezer,” from which they got one of their nicknames – that has been compared to a human baby’s cries.
  • They are also attention seekers and suffer from depression or separation anxiety if left for long periods of time. This is the reason why Siamese cats are often bought in pairs so that they can keep each other company.
  • Siamese cats are active and playful, even as adults, and are usually characterized as more dog-like in temperament unlike other cats.

HEALTH

  • The Siamese and Siamese-derived breeds have higher mortality rates; their average lifespan lies somewhere between 10 and 12.5 years. A Siamese cat named Scooter is the world’s oldest male cat, dying at the age of 30.
  • Most Siamese deaths were caused by neoplasms, mainly mammary tumors. They are also plagued by neoplastic and gastrointestinal problems but have a lower risk of feline lower urinary tract disease.
  • Compared to other breeds, Siamese cats, especially kittens, are more prone to lung infections, osteochondrodysplasia, vestibular disease, and feline hyperesthesia syndrome.

BREEDS

  • Balinese. A long-haired Siamese caused by natural mutation. In the largest U.S. registry, the Cat Fanciers Association, imposed four traditional cat colors of seal point, blue point, chocolate point, and lilac point.
  • Bengal cat. This is a mix of an Asian leopard cat and a Siamese cat.
  • Birman. Modern Birman cats got their pointed coat patterns from the Siamese.
  • Burmese. Wong Mau, a Burmese cat, was imported to San Francisco where she was bred with a Siamese.
  • Havana Brown. A cross between a black cat and a chocolate-point Siamese.
  • Himalayan. A long-haired cat which resulted from the crosses of Persians to Siamese.
  • Savannah. First to be bred with a Siamese, this breed is a mix of a domestic cat and a serval.
  • Snowshoe. A cream and white cat with blue eyes and some points that was produced through the cross between a Siamese and a bi-colored American Shorthair.

Siamese Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about the Siamese across 20 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Siamese worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Siamese which is known for its large ears, blue almond-shaped eyes, triangular head, and slender body. Affectionate with family, Siamese cats descended from felines that originated in Siam, or modern-day Thailand.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Siamese Facts
  • Ni Hao
  • Describing a Siamese
  • Fascinating Facts
  • Jar of Facts
  • Ask a Siamese
  • Siamese Milestones
  • Siamese Genes
  • Handle with Care
  • Noted Siamese
  • Siamese Mask

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Link will appear as Siamese Cat Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, February 17, 2021

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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