Tell me about Siamese cats. I'm fantasising about getting one.

[MissingKittyCat]

I have always admired Siamese cats. They fascinate me. I understand they are high maintenance, but how high? Do they get along with your average moggy or are they on a different planet? Do they tolerate children?

I have always wanted one. We are thinking about rescuing a kitten later in the year, but over the past few days I have been wondering if I should go with my life long dream of getting a young Siamese. We have a 12 year old boy cat who is rather chilled but I don't want to ruin his life or stress any potential highly strung cat out further!

Boy cat spent the duration of that video screaming at my phone! They must speak a similar language!

I can handle the constant talking. A couple of my favourite cats (black&white moggies) were very talkative and used to hold conversations with me. I like the chatty aspect! I would be fine with them sleeping wherever they see fit, my moggies have got under the duvet in the past. I'm wondering if I will be good enough for the Siamese!

Does being a pedigree make them a huge target for theives?

tabulahrasa your Siamese sounds lovely. That's what I want!

they are the best but.... the highest maintenance pet ever far far more so than our dogx

ours loved the dog, was great with kids and people but the other cats don't like him that much

Yes they are definitely the most dog like cat my choccy oriental used to play fetch and try to open doors (grasping the handles) a lot!

MrsBert .

I think it's lovely when they talk. My sister had a Burmese who definitely thought he was a dog. He would play fetch and sit on your lap with his front paws wrapped around your neck. His favourite thing was to stretch out on the floor and be rolled like a sausage. He also liked his bum being tapped . He did have a nasty habit though, of jumping into peoples cars to 'chat' to them. My sister had to warn the neighbours to check their cars before they drove off.

my first cat was black and white, very oriental in shape too...everyone who met him asked if he was half siamese! He yowled just like those shower video cats!

I'd love a siamese cat! ....i have three cat babies though already.

There's noise and noise - and I just wouldn't tolerate that sort of carry-on MrsBert.

My Twoago used to become restive when I got off the bus half a mile away from the house across the park. (He had to be let out of the flat door to wait for me on the balcony.) He hardly ever failed either - and with an hour or two's commuting travel and a variable leaving time from work, he did rather better than any other member of the household even with phones etc.

I couldn't cope with a Siamese but I have a Ragdoll. Beautiful cat and has colour points like a Siamese if it's the look you're after I'm on the mobile app so can't add a pic x

I live with two human males. The only sensible conversation I have is with my pets.

MrsBert...mine only meows like that first thing because she wants food or if I've left her for too long and it's not quite as loud and it doesn't last anything like as long.

She does that, I answer... She feels acknowledged, it's all good.

Mostly it's a much much quieter chatting she does, those ones in the video are quite upset. Usually she says something that sounds a bit like hello.

Re theft - no clue, mine goes out, she's never been stolen, lol. Occasionally people ask if she's a Siamese if she comes to the door or whatever, followed by, do you have another one and then, I thought they came in twos...

Only if you get two apparently isn't convincing, lol.

The other most common question is, are they not really sneaky?

Disney has a lot to answer to

You just have to be sneakier, eh? I've found that you can deal with Siamese on 'thoughts' as opposed to just 'deeds'. (eg a bad thought about jumping up on a kitchen surface in violation of house rules.) They just don't realize how you know - patently obvious when you see their body language of course - so a well-timed 'Excuse Me?????' at the very beginning leads to them stalking off but thinking about it.

We had several when I was growing up and DH and I had two when we were first living together. They are very talkative, which can be annoying but was good practice for tuning out whiny toddlers. All but one of ours were super bright, worked out how to open doors, get in cupboards etc. Several of them were fearsome hunters and I think one of them created a single-handed wildlife holocaust around our house when we lived in the country. My Mum didn't speak to him for a day after he brought the wren from our garden hedge home. At least 2 of them were keen on hunting rabbits and successful at it, even adult rabbits. At least 3 of them were thieving bastards and one used to nick food from other people's houses. One loved playing proper games of fetch and used to bring the ball back to you for more goes. Another one used to go for long walks with us and our dogs. The first time I went home after starting uni, my Siamese boy ignored me for several hours (sat with his back to me, always sat just out of reach), until I went to pet him - he nipped my hand, then leapt up onto my shoulders and spent the rest of the weekend glued to me. They are very dog like in that they are fiercely loyal to their people and they usually have a favourite person, as others have said. They are high maintenance, but also very funny and rewarding. This thread has reminded how much I miss them.

Incidentally, DH had not grown up with Siamese cats & found ours harder work than I did.

Oh yes mine was a prolific hunter, especially birds when younger, now she waits for my other cat to bring her things.

Oh that video takes me back, deeply lamented FiveCat was 1/4 Siamese and had a slightly softer version of the yowl.

If you are not sure about a full Siamese then I'd look for a cross, Five cat was 1/4 Siamese, 1/4 Persian and 1/2 farmyard bruiser and was the most characterful cat I have ever known while not being too in your face. Still miss her horribly.

I've just realised my first post makes it sound like we had about 20 of them. I've experienced 7 over the years - the characteristics above overlapped. They were all different, but very individual and quirky in their own way.

These stories are making me need one, let alone want one!
They sound even better than I thought.

I can do sneaky, I can do attentive, I can do willpower, I can do patience, I can do chat. How big do they get? Normal cat size? Some on YouTube are huge.

stare he is lovely. He looks like he knows he is fabulous.
midnight Ragdolls are gorgeous, what is their temperament?

It's a tricky decision because my heart says I should rescue a baby moggy. Siamese are always going to find a home, am I doing rescue kittens a disservice by considering this? I'm conflicted. They sound fabulous, I've always wanted one. DP is leaving the decision to me. I've got months to decide as we're not ready yet, financially or otherwise. Need to think about what BoyCat would prefer too. He's 12, still playful, sleeps a lot, likes his life. Misses another cat though.

They come in normal cat sizes , mine is dinky and weighs 3kg and yes you get some pretty big ones, especially boys, but in between is more normal.

You get Siamese specific rescues and they come up in normal rescues too.

I have a Siamese mix. He is def my boy. He follows me with devotion..sits on the mat outside the bath tub and we chat. I have learned to mimic his voice, especially, this soft chirping sound he does with me often. He is very very local...hates to be left out of anything, and will yowl in despair ( endlessly) if you dare close a door against him. I loves him...

Missing My part Siamese was black, shelters tend to have plenty of black cats to spare so it might be possible to adopt and get a part Siamese cat and I've just done a quick google and there specific Siamese rescue and re-homing organisations.

I have a half Siamese, he is blue and he is a beauty. He's a bastard to our other cat though, even though he's the interloper. He has a slightly softer version of the Siamese meow, but he's very talkative and tells me off if he's been left in the rain, answers back if you tell him 'no' , argues etc etc...he also is the cuddliest cat I've ever had and I'm no longer allowed to sit down on my own. I'm currently lying down typing this and he's stretched along the length of my body with his chin on my shoulder

I haven't read the replies but if you like Siamese, have a look at Burmese. They are amazing. They are beautiful like Siamese but so loving and fantastic with kids. Def not high maintenance other than wanting to be loved

www.siameserescue.info/Siamese_Rescue/For_Adoption.html

This is a rescue for Siamese.

I grew up with Siamese and they are just the best. We always had 2, and always from the same litter (wasn't intentional, went for 1, came back with 2).

One of the first pair was a seal point - he had cross eyes and a kink in his tail (reputedly a heredity thing from wrapping their tail tightly around a princesses jewellery whilst she swam or something), a right throwback.

My folks still have 1 Siamese. Sadly his brother was knocked over when he was still a young cat, so he's been in his lonesome for some time. Adores my parents, is ever far from their side. He is very old now, and quite frail, as light as a feather. Has heart problems and all sorts but still with us bless him.

In general, they can be noisy but you soon get to know it's usually when they want something. Great with kids. We weren't so young when we first got them, but current old cat deals with my kids brilliantly. He tolerates them shall we say. Dd2 is very good with him. He would never scratch either.

I've never seen a massive one, they seem fairly average to small size. Short haired ones tend to be quite slim built too.

Ok, I made him move...