With their sleek figures and colorpoint coat, the Siamese cat is a very distinct cat breed. They are easily recognizable due to appearances in movies and television, and they have a very mysterious aura related to their looks, behavior, and history.
The Siamese cat has a variety of coat colors that can develop—32 to be more precise. If you have a Siamese cat and have never been able to pin down what color they are, we have some options for you to comb through! Keep reading to learn more about a Siamese cat's multiple colorings.
History of the Siamese cat
People are fascinated by the Siamese cat, and they have good reason to be. They are majestic and loving cats with a beautiful regal appearance.
The Siamese breed is considered an ancient breed, with a history dating back centuries. This isn’t a cat created in the last 100 years through selective breeding practices. Siamese cats were treated like royalty going all the way back to the 14th century, living with the Siam (modern-day Thailand) royal family. Cares were taken to preserve this breed in their country of origin.
Of course, when an outsider sees a new breed of cat, one that’s unlike anything they’ve seen before, they are going to want to share it with their home country. Before the era of “pics or it didn’t happen,” travelers needed to bring some tangible mementos. And this is exactly what happened with this cute kitty.
An English consul-general, Edward Gould, brought a breeding pair of Siamese cats, Pho and Mia, back to Europe. This created a domino effect where breeders became very interested in the Siamese cat and worked to import more of them from Thailand.
Westernized Siamese cats
When the European breeders began selectively breeding certain Siamese cats to obtain specific looks, they ended up with a slimmer version of the original Siamese cat, plus a wedge-shaped head. People began to worry that changing the breed (or attempting to) would cause health problems.
This was a valid concern, considering the cats had survived for centuries without any selective breeding. They’re an ancient breed! They know what they’re doing.
What does a Siamese cat look like?
Due to this worry, the Siamese appearance from Thailand was better preserved. Still, different variations of the Siamese cat have slightly different appearances. An untrained eye might not be able to tell the differences between these kinds of Siamese cats.
Regardless of where they sit, all of the following are Siamese cats and are recognized as such.
Traditional Siamese
The traditional Siamese is one of the Siamese cat types that has survived for hundreds of years on their own. They are the cats that have come directly from Thailand, or they have been born to two cats that have, and so on. These cats are big-boned and have large round heads.
Classic Siamese
Classic Siamese cats are the second type to come directly from Thailand, but they do have a slightly different appearance. They have a more elongated body, which minimizes the roundness of their bodies and heads. So while this is noticeable, they aren’t different from a traditional Siamese in other ways.
Modern Siamese
The modern Siamese cat is not a cat that comes directly from Thailand. This is because this cat is selectively bred to enhance some of their features.
The parents of the modern Siamese are one of each: a traditional and a classic Siamese. When bred together, these Siamese kittens will have a much more elongated body, giving them a very slender appearance.
The neverending colors of a Siamese
There are so many color variations that a Siamese cat could be that it’s almost hard to keep track.
So, we’ve done that for you:
Seal point
Seal point Siamese is probably what you think of when you envision a Siamese cat. This is because they are very common and probably the most depicted version of the Siamese cat.
They have dark brown, almost black-colored points. This means their faces, nose leather, feet, and tails are a very dark color contrasted against their cream-colored bodies. Though, of all the other colored Siamese cats, the seal point will have the darkest-colored body.
Chocolate point
Compared to a seal point, the points of a chocolate point Siamese are a noticeably lighter chocolate color. This cat’s coat looks more like milk chocolate than the darker colors of their peers. The body color of a chocolate point is considered ivory white, making the points seem a lot darker.
The chocolate point Siamese brings drama to the stage with their distinctions.
Blue point
Blue point Siamese cats are adorably sweet-looking, with their bright blue eyes and fair coat color. The majority of this cat’s body is a white color with a bluish tint. They have blue eyes and slate-colored paw pads.
Blue point Siamese cats are very light-colored as kittens. As they age, they become darker. While other Siamese cats have a warm tint to their coats, the blue points are much cooler-toned. The points do have a blue tint, but they often come across as grey or slate in color.
Lilac point
Lilac points are similar to blue points because they are very light and have tinted fur. These cats have very white bodies with pink or grey tints on the points. They have the lightest-colored bodies of all Siamese colors, and as they age, they stay light. This is in contrast to most Siameses cats that develop more pigment as they age.
Lilac point Siamese are sometimes called frost point.
Red point
The red point Siamese is not always accepted by all cat associations. They have orange-colored points that can appear as chestnut or pale pink. Red point Siamese cats are sometimes called flame point or orange point.
Cinnamon point
Cinnamon points are similar to chocolate points but are considerably lighter in their pointed areas. Their coloring is very warm and sometimes their points look light brown or pinkish.
Caramel point
Caramel points are also very warm-looking and can have a slight range in their darkness. They may not have as distinct coloring on their faces, making them appear more solid in color.
Cream point
Cream point Siamese aren’t as accepted because they were crossbred with an Abyssinian and red Domestic Shorthair. These Siamese cats are very light-colored and have little to no contrast in their points. They have a very pale and creamy coat.
Fawn point
Fawn points have soft grey and cream-colored points that look very similar to the seal, chocolate, and blue point Siamese. They have less color depth than those three, making them notably different.
Similar to this color is the fawn tortie point.
Apricot point
Apricot and cream points are almost identical, but the apricot point has an orange tint to their coat. They have very little contrast between their coloring otherwise.
Tabby point
Tabby points aren’t always considered Siamese because, at some point, they were bred with another domestic tabby cat. These colored Siamese stand out because they have the traditional tabby “M” marked on their forehead.
These tabby cats are supre cute and have a somewhat grumpy little expression on their face because of the “M,” but depending on how dark their points are, you might not be able to notice this marking. Either way, it’s totally adorable.
Tabby point Siamese cats come in all the different point color variations:
- Seal tabby point
- Blue tabby point
- Lilac tabby point
- Red tabby point
- Fawn tabby point
- Apricot tabby point
Tortie point
Just like with the tabby points, a tortie point was once crossed between a breed other than a Siamese to get their distinct coat coloring.
Tortie points will have the traditional Siamese colorpoint coat, but some also have a tabby point mixed in there as well, adding a wide range of color options. The tortie point’s point colors are the tortoiseshell pattern and stand out among other Siamese cats.
Any color combination can exist in a Tortie Point:
- Chocolate tortie tabby point
- Blue tortie tabby point
- Lilac tortie tabby point
- Cinnamon tortie Point
- Cinnamon tortie tabby point
- Fawn tortie tabby point
The foreign white
The 33rd Siamese cat color is not officially accepted by most cat shows, but we still love it. The foreign white Siamese is often accepted as its own breed, but they are also referred to as the white Siamese. They are created when you cross a Siamese with a white British Shorthair.
The points on a white Siamese are simply white, so there is not much of a distinction made in their coats. However, their stark blue eyes really stand out.
Caring for a Siamese
Siamese cats were once considered royalty, and they deserve top-tier care to this day. Keep their bathroom space clean automatically with a self-cleaning litter box, install plenty of cat shelves and cat trees around the house for them to enjoy, feed them nutritious meals with healthy portions, and play with them every day.
The Siamese is a crowd favorite for their stunning looks. However, they are truly beautiful inside and out.
Now, go gaze at your Siamese for a bit and try to guess which colorpoint cat you have!
Sources:
- Siamese Cat Breed Profile | Cat-World
- The Siamese | Cedar Grove Veterinary Services
- National Siamese Cat Day Facts | NC State Veterinary Medicine
Photo credits:
- Alex Meier via Unsplash
- Juan Ignacio Escobar Tosi via Unsplash
