Is my siamese really a siamese?

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Tanner-1997
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Is my siamese really a siamese?

Post by Tanner-1997 »

I have a 4 month old kitten and her name is sugar. She has all the features of a siamese, like a white middle coat with black legs and black face with bright blue eyes. She does have a lazy eye lol but she's too pretty to care. She's very clumsy too. Her body is getting longer but her legs are still only about 3-4 inchs long and her head is the same size as a month old kitten. My questioning of if she is actually siamese is that she was born from a callico short hair (mom) and all black cat with white belly (dad). She was the only one in the litter out of 8 that has the siamese coat. Lol what kind of cat is she?!
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fjm
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Re: Is my siamese really a siamese?

Post by fjm »

If her parents were not siamese, she cannot be pure siamese, but if both parents carry siamese genes she could inherit enough to have siamese colouring. So I think the best description might be colour-point domestic shorthair - a very pretty one, from what you say, although to me the clumsiness suggests a vet check may be in order.
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Re: Is my siamese really a siamese?

Post by booktigger »

Completely agree - if she isn't growing as normal, has a lazy eye and clumsiness, I would get her checked by a vet.
Tanner-1997
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Re: Is my siamese really a siamese?

Post by Tanner-1997 »

Thank you guys so much and I'll defiantly get her checked out! Id post a picture of her but it says the file is too large. It's just very confusing because she looks exactly like a siamese and as she is getting older her white coat is getting that dark under pigment but yeah like I said before both parents are not siamese and are actually stray cats.
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Re: Is my siamese really a siamese?

Post by booktigger »

Colour point can occur in domestic cats and the majority do have blue eyes, we had a dark tortie that ended up having two colour point kittens
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mr_frisky
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Re: Is my siamese really a siamese?

Post by mr_frisky »

I'd get a vet to check her out if worried.

One of my cats (pictured on my avatar) has Siamese characteristics - blue eyes, mostly white coat, distinctive yowly voice and a tendency to jump on my shoulders, but I don't know who the father is. Her mother is a black and white moggy (also in my household). The vet thinks she and her tortoiseshell sister have different fathers, but could be a Siamese gene as suggested.
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Mayday21
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Re: Is my siamese really a siamese?

Post by Mayday21 »

Hi Tanner re posting pics see Yogi’s suggestions for resizing & posting. My Pebbles has Oriental in her which we think Siamese but she’s black & white with aqua green eyes. A Japanese vet told me that Asians with blood group B often have these coloured eyes. Genetics do strange things. And yes pls get vet to check. Vivian
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Mollycat
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Re: Is my siamese really a siamese?

Post by Mollycat »

You're gonna love this - my aunt was a vet and she told me cat genetics are THE most fascinating ... and I agree! The gene mutation is obviously deliberately bred in the Siamese and also Birman, Ragdoll etc but it is out there in the general moggy population quite naturally.

Colour point is a form of albino, temperature-sensitive albino to be precise. In the true albino, the fur is white, the skin completely pink, and the eyes red. In fact this is a complete lack of colour pigment. Albino eyes are extremely sensitive to light because of this absence of pigment.

The colour point or temperature sensitive albino is kind of half way. The eyes are blue because they have very little pigment but they do have some, and they are less hypersensitive to light but more sensitive than a green or orange eyed cat. You may notice a blue eyed cat's pupils tend to stay more slitty than a coloured eyed cat in the same light, and blink more. But it's the coat that is really amazing. The dark 'points' are where the body temperature is cooler - face, ears, feet and tail. The cooler the area, the darker the colour develops.

If you bandage a temperature-sensitive albino cat's leg for a couple of weeks, when you remove the bandage, the fur will be paler. Kittens are white and gradually develop colour, reaching the full depth of colour at around 2-3 years old. Mid-line spaying began for Siamese queens so as not to spoil their coat with a visible colour blemish line on the flank. The belly stays very pale as it's the warmest part of a cat.

As the cat gets older, the colour deepens. Sometimes a dark 'saddle' develops just behind the shoulders. This is from the cat's back being cooler when it's curled up sleeping. If they move home to a warmer place, the points may get paler.

There's a summary of your Siamese colouring genes in an ordinary moggy!
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Re: Is my siamese really a siamese?

Post by Catotum »

I agree with others: not a Siamese but probably with some in her heritage somewhere. However, a vet visit is a necessity & might be urgent. Do get her there now for the sake of her future.
teny75
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Re: Is my siamese really a siamese?

Post by teny75 »

Perhaps this video will help...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weAsHMjsiks
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lilynmitz
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Re: Is my siamese really a siamese?

Post by lilynmitz »

That’s fascinating stuff Mollycat.

But I agree, she needs to see a vet. Please don’t delay.
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