A Brief Siamese Cat History

Siamese cats are among the most highly recognizable breed of cats in the world. They are also among the most popular and well loved because of their intelligence and their people skills. The history of the Siamese cat is not as in depth as many people would like it to be. Actually, before the cat came to the United Kingdom, there is very little known about the history of the Siamese cat.

Siamese Cat Appearance In Ancient Illustrations

In the late 1700’s, in Russia, engravings of a cat that looked very similar to the Siamese cat were found. Illustrations of the Siamese cats among others were also present in an ancient text called the Cat-Book Poems. These are the earliest recorded Siamese cat history writings in the world.

Siamese Beginnings In The United Kingdom

Siamese cat history became clearer when in the year 1884 a British Consul general brought home a pair of Siamese cats from Siam. Legend has it that the pair of breeding cats that the British Consul General Gould brought with him was a gift from the royal family of Siam. The pair of cats gave birth to 3 kittens, which when displayed in the United Kingdom they captured the hearts of many. Their fame brought about the importation of several other pairs of Siamese cats and the rest is Siamese cat history.

Two Main Kinds Of Siamese Cats

Today, there are two kinds of Siamese cat breeds, the traditional and the modern. The traditional breed has upheld the old characteristics and traits of the original cats brought from Siam while the modern Siamese breed has elongated the build of the cat and made it more svelte with longer legs and a smaller head. Siamese cat history now has two different breeds to take note of.

The traditional breed is less popular than the modern breed but many traditional breed fanciers still strive to maintain and uphold the original standards. Other traits that modern Siamese breeds have gotten rid of are the usually kinks on the tail of the cats and their tendency to have a cross-eyed appearance. The story relating to the kinks on the cats’ tails is among the many legends associated with Siamese cat history.

The many variations of the Siamese cat colors and length of coat has also made the breed very diverse and the only common things among the breeds are the points in the extremities and the blue color of the cat’s eyes.