Advice on getting a Siamese cat

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My mum loves Siamese cats. She's had several over the years since she was a little girl. She's got her heart set on getting one. Where's the best place to look and is there anything she should be looking out for?
I've only ever had rescue cats so I have no clue about the world of pedigree cats!
Thank you!

I have never had pedigree cats either, but I’m guessing there are official breed clubs and they could point your mum in the direction of reputable breeders and what questions she should be asking.

I would talk to rescues, they sometimes have cats of particular breeds and these can be harder to home because of special care needs. Or in the case of siamese being happy with the constant conversation.

I’ve got a rescue who looks like she’s probably mostly Siamese. She is incredibly vocal and very loud with it, and needs a lot of attention and playtime (more than my moggies want!)

She is cross-eyed and has nystagmus, unclear if it affects her vision so watch out for the blue-eyed ones.

She also has pica, which is more common in Oriental breeds than the general cat population. She mainly goes for paper and plastic, but has been known to chomp on a bar of soap and a bath bomb.

If looking at kittens, I’d honestly get two as they can be very demanding with play, and kittens usually entertain one another.

Siamese cats are the best ever! They don't like being on their own, so if you don't work from home, definitely get 2.
Breed clubs are a good place to start looking.

Although people here aren't keen on pets4homes, lots of breeders use it so always worth a look. Do avoid Gumtree though.

Siamese are so friendly and affectionate - I am writing this with 3 of mine fighting to sit on my knee 😻

I agree they're super beautiful @AngelicaSchuyler444
Personally I'm all about the fluffy tabby cats but my mum is nuts for Siamese. Nothing else will do. .

I'm totally with her - I couldn't have any other breed now I've been owned by a Siamese!

I've had many moggies over the years and loved them to bits, but the Siamese personality and affection is unparalleled in my extensive experience 😆

I'm like your Mum. Grew up with Siamese, and as soon as I could as an adult had Siamese again. Nothing else would do!! I've had 3 all adopted from specialist UK Siamese & Oriental rescues. Sadly lost No. 1 but still have 2 and 3. As you will know perhaps unlike your Mum rescues come with baggage and often the history can be guessed at by the rescue but not confirmed. My mum who grew up with Siamese, then had them from kittens as an adult finds my rescues very odd. She has the 1st for "holidays" and adored him, but is not so keen on 2&3.

Many Siamese rescues are indoor only (2&3 are). I hate that - its much harder work. I also think the cats are so inquisitive they prefer to be outside (not all the time and not at night).

It might depend where in the country your Mum is located.

1. OCWT (Oriental Cat Welfare Trust) - based in the south (Sussex)
2. Midshires Siamese rescue - based in Midlands (Leicester)
3. SCWT (Siamese Cat welfare) - based Suffolk/Norfolk but facilitate rescues from all over.

I believe there is a Scottish Siamese rescue as well. You complete a form with full details and wait. There is often a rescue adoption fee. The cats are chipped back to the rescue.

Please message me if you'd like to chat more.

Personally, I’d look at the “old style Siamese club”. If she grew up with Siamese (I did!) then this type will probably be closer to what she’s used to than the new type, which has a much more extreme look.

She may of course not care a jot whether you go for an old or new style kitten, but I thought it worth mentioning!

I have a rescue tabby whose mum has an oriental cat - he’s obsessed with food and very good at getting into cupboards and butter dishes! He’s also very vocal and follows me everywhere.

love him dearly but it’s put me off anything but. Moggies because he pesters me constantly

Once you’ve had Siamese no other cat will do ( except some other oriental) . There is a FB group called UK siamese and oriental cat chat and you could ask on there about rescues / breeders in your area . There is also a Spanish rescue called Gift of Life and they get quite a few Siamese that can be shipped over .

Love love love Siamese! My aunt had them growing up and always got rescue Siamese. I think that would be a nice way of doing it. Such affectionate and vocal little things!

Thanks everyone. Very helpful advice. Especially @socialdilemmawhattodo - I'll look into some of those rescue centres.

Fellow Siamese addict here. As pp said, Old style Siamese Club for traditional style Siamese. And get a list of registered breeders from the GCCF. Whereabouts in the country are you op?

You'll need a few, they work best as pairs. And they do tend to eat stupid things like sellotape, and vomit it up everywhere. They seem prone to rotting teeth which cost a fortune to get removed, and one of mine has shit eyesight.

And they shout at you. A lot, and in quite a harsh loud tone 😅 They don't give up til you do whatever it is they want.

Mine are silky and thin haired and couldn't cope with being outside other than for fun. They would never stay out all night, they'd freeze in August haha. And they definitely choose "their people", everyone else is nothing to them, one of mine is very unpredictable with strangers.

Oh and it costs more to spay them, due to the vets preferring to operate from underneath their belly instead of from the side...? Because of their thermally activated fur colouring, they would get a big dark patch on their side if spayed in the routine method, as the hair grew back in and that area was colder and consequently grew back in darker.

And they only stay light with dark points if your house is warm 😅 my old house is freezing so my chocolate point is really quite dark on the body area nowadays.

Such characterful little dickheads, I wouldn't change them for the world. Even though I have to scoop shits the minute they are done or else they'll shit on the ground in front of the tray in protest 😫

Sorry, should have said seal point not chocolate point, the kids call it that lol. Or they say "cocoa point" (and her toes are "cocoa beans" ) ❤️

Our female Siamese was spayed via the side , the vet mentioned before hand about the hair and initially it did grow back darker but a year on it had reverted back to its normal white , she’s a chocolate point and very white .

Mum's in South East