This is the "royal cat of Siam," truly the aristocrat of all the shorthaired cats. It became immediately popular when it was introduced to the United States and Europe in the late 1800s. Among pedigreed cats, the Siamese is now the most common.

The classic Siamese of today- greatly changed by breeding from the round-faced types first introduced- is a well-proportioned animal, with a long, slender body and slim legs. The tail is long and tapered to a point, some individuals retaining the kink near the tip that was characteristic of the cats originally. The head is triangular, as are the large, wide-based, pointed ears. In all varieties the almond-shaped eyes are bright blue, In some the eyes are crossed, another holdover feature. The short coat is glossy and fine-textured. Kittens are born all white, their colors not developing until they are two or three months old. Numerous colors have been developed as breeders work to produce varieties they feel will appeal to the public. The most commonly seen are:

Seal Point, the most prevalent, is cream to light brown or fawn over most of the body. The points- tail, feet and legs, ears, and mask- are dark brown.

Blue Point is white over most of its body, grading to bluish on the back. The tail, feet and legs, ears, and mask are bluish. Chocolate Points are said to be among the first to leave Siam and win the attentions of early cat fanciers. Body color should be ivory with points the color of milk chocolate.

Frost (Lilac) Point has an off-white body, grading into pinkish gray on the tail, feet and legs, ears and mask.

Tabby Point, or Lynx Point, is the result of crossing the Siamese with tabbies. The recognized show-acceptable Tabby Point has ears of a solid color, bearing a thumbprint mark but no stripes. The mask is striped, and the whisker pads are prominently dotted. The legs have broken stripes, the markings solid on the rear of the hind legs. The tail is distinctly ringed, the tip solid.

Red Point has a white body, grading to a light red-orange on the back. The tail, legs and feet, ears, and mask are a bright reddish orange.

Tortie Point, always a female, has tortoiseshell markings on the points. The body is cream or fawn.

Siamese are acknowledged to be the most dog-like of the cats. They are highly intelligent and responsive to training. They accept being led on a leash and most seem also to enjoy traveling in an automobile. Their most objectionable feature is their hoarse, piercing voice- and if a normal tone does not achieve their desires they howl loudly. As with all cats, of course, each individual has a distinctive personality, but almost all Siamese are very talkative.