The Siamese Cat

 The Siamese is one of the oldest cat breeds, first recorded in Siam (now known as Thailand). A favorite of royalty and now a popular family pet, the highly intelligent Siamese is energetic, vocal, bonds strongly, and needs (demands) plenty of attention.

 Their close attachment to their owner can lead to Separation Anxiety (most commonly seen in dogs), so plan on giving them plenty of attention and get used to them nosing into your business.

 Siamese cats are predisposed to ‘wool sucking,’ a stereotypical behavior in which they suck or chew on (and sometimes eat) blankets and knitted clothing. This is not a major problem unless it becomes so prevalent that chewing on foreign objects can cause an intestinal obstruction.

 Siamese cats may have hereditary eye problems, such as strabismus (leading to a ‘cross-eyed’ appearance) and nystagmus, where the eyes appear to shake or move back and forth, neither of which appear to impair the vision to any great extent.

 Inherited diseases include Amyloidosis (a protein processing disorder), leading to liver and kidney disease. Early symptoms might include excess drinking and urinating, so always monitor your cat’s water consumption and urine output. This disease is diagnosed with a blood panel and urinalysis. Ultrasound confirms the diagnosis and gives us the degree of pathology.

Siamese cats can get cancer of the intestines and also lymph nodes. Symptoms could include poor appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, and weight loss. Our learning center shows you how to check the lymph nodes to help detect cancer.

 Asthma is not uncommon, so any sign of a breathing problem you should bring your cat in immediately.

Go to Feline Diseases Page.