If you had to list popular cat breeds rapid fire in a trivia competition, “Siamese” would likely be one of the first breeds to enter your mind. These medium-sized cats who leap nimbly through life also love to be by your side and partake in whatever fun is available. Siamese cats will amuse you with their antics and warm your heart with their affection. You may find a Siamese mix from an accidental litter if you can’t afford a purebred Siamese. While most blends won’t have the distinctive color and blue eyes, the Siamese personality is sure to shine through.
Siamese cats are prone to a few health problems you’ll need to keep in mind with your Siamese mix. Monitor her weight, and discuss what you know about her background lineage as you work with your veterinarian. Their light-boned frames weren’t made to carry much extra weight, either. If your cat begins to put on weight, add opportunities for exercise to her day and limit calories if necessary.
You can’t go wrong with a Siamese mix if you’re in the market for an interactive, talkative feline companion. Your Siamese blend will likely be energetic and curious, and regardless of what other breed she’s crossed with, her Siamese half will add sparkle to her personality.
Siamese Tabby
Shortly after World War II, breeders began working on adding more color to the Siamese breed. Using foundation stock of Siamese, Abyssinian, and red Domestic (American) Shorthair cats, breeders worked for years to create a red point Siamese, which breeders crossed back to enhance the Siamese body type. When this cross produced a red point Siamese, the Colorpoint Shorthair was born.
After establishing the first new colors, breeders crossed the tabby pattern into the mix, so kittens were born with distinctive tabby markings on their extremities and the tabby “M” on their faces. In 1969, this new color pattern, the Lynx point, was accepted as a variety of Colorpoint Shorthair. Dedicated breeders created this cross, and the right combination of genes had to come together to make a stable breed. Both parent cats must pass the trait for the Himalayan colorpoint pattern to pass to a kitten. The tabby patterned parent would have to carry this recessive trait.
Siamese Maine Coon
When crossed with a Maine Coon, the slender Siamese’s body type will be tempered by the heft of the Maine Coon. These breeds are two extremes of body type, so a cross may tend towards either end of the spectrum. While Siamese cats are slender-bodied and long-limbed, the larger Maine Coon is a cobbier-bodied cat. The Maine Coone Siamese cross will be larger than the average feline but shorthaired like the Siamese parent. Short hair is dominant to long hair, but this first-generation shorthaired cat could produce long-haired kittens depending on the cross.
Personality-wise, the Maine Coon and Siamese are similar enough that a friendly, personable kitten is almost guaranteed. Both breeds enjoy playing in the water, and both are athletic. The Maine Coon does not climb about like a Siamese but is playful and intelligent. The Maine Coone Siamese cross is an easy-to-be-around, lively, people-oriented blend.
Siamese Ragdoll
The Ragdoll and the Siamese couldn’t look more different regarding body type, but they both make excellent pets. The Ragdoll’s foundation mother was an unusually calm long-haired cat who would go limp like a rag doll when her owner held her. When bred, she consistently produced large colorpoint kittens with exceptionally calm dispositions.
Siamese cats are long, slender felines who are also wonderfully friendly. They aren’t as docile as a Ragdoll but are affectionate and loving. A Siamese Ragdoll blend will most likely have short hair because long hair like the Ragdoll’s is a recessive trait. The Ragdoll is a heavier cat than the Siamese, but they both carry the Himalayan gene for color, so the kittens resulting from this cross will look like an oversized Siamese. They’ll likely be playful and interactive but have rather laid-back personalities.
Siamese Calico
Once again, we have a mix of a breed with a color type. Many breeds can be calico, so your kitten’s body and personality type depend on the blend. The black, orange, and white pattern we know as calico results from a process known as “lyonization.” If a cat is XX (female), only one X can be expressed, so the other coils up in a process called lyonization.
If the calico cat has areas without pigment that appear white, she’s also piebald. If she has alleles that produce orange and black, but no white spots (piebalding), the pattern we see is called tortoiseshell. If the cat is a male, the Y chromosome makes lyonization unnecessary, so it is rare for male cats to be calico.
As far as body type and personality go with a Siamese calico cross, until we know the breed of the calico involved, we can’t make many predictions. Because short hair is dominant to long, all kittens with a purebred Siamese parent will be shorthaired kittens. The Siamese influence will lighten the frame of a round-bodied, heavy-boned cat. The calico parent could be a shy, quiet breed and temper the Siamese verve.
Siamese Bengal
The Siamese Bengal mix is guaranteed to produce an athlete. She’ll likely be between ten and fifteen pounds as an adult and moderately muscled. Interestingly, this mix may have the colorpoint trait appear, depending on the Bengal side of the equation. Bengals come in the standard wild light brown with jaguar spots variety which is dominant, and seal varieties. The seal lynx was created by crossing the Bengal with a Burmese. The Burmese colorpoint pattern came from a Tyrosinase mutation like the Siamese colorpoint pattern. In most cases, the offspring will have a pattern in the points if a Siamese cat is bred to a Seal Lynx Bengal. The pattern should breed through.
Both Siamese and Bengal cats have assertive personalities. The Siamese Bengal mix is affectionate, loyal, and able to leap around your house and reach heights like few other blends. Their short, sleek coats will shed slightly less than other breeds. Bengals are exceptionally low-maintenance, and since they groom themselves less than other cats, they spread less Fel d1 through their coats than other breeds. They may trigger fewer allergy symptoms than different Siamese mixes. Affectionate and tidy, the Siamese Bengal blend is a great family cat.
Siamese Russian Blue
Although the Siamese and the Russian Blue are strikingly beautiful, their personalities differ enough that your blended kitten may be a bit of a mystery when you first get to know her. Your Siamese Russian Blue blend will be a fine-boned cat with slender legs and a long tail. She’ll likely be less than fifteen pounds, and you’ll need to watch her diet. Although the Siamese is notably lean, the Russian Blue tends towards obesity.
Temperament-wise, it’s a mystery which personality type will prove dominant. If the Siamese is an extrovert, the Russian Blue is slightly introverted. The Russian Blue is a gentle cat, shy with strangers but devoted and loving with her family. She’s playful, and fetching is one of her favorite pastimes, but if things get noisy, she’ll retreat to a quiet place.
Siamese Persian
In the 1950’s, breeders started working to develop a colorpoint variety of Persian. The first step in that direction was to cross Siamese with Persian to create a cat with the recessive traits necessary to make the next generation. After this, breeders worked to establish a group of colorpoint long-haired cats. These colorpoint longhairs were then bred back to Persians, and those cats eventually interbred to produce a Persian type. After many years and generations, cats with Persian looks and Himalayan color were established.
First-generation crosses of Siamese and Persian will be shorthaired cats because short hair is dominant. If their parent is colorpoint or has a colorpoint recessive, the kittens could be colorpoint, but chances are their color will be determined by their Persian parent. Their temperament is likely quieter and gentler than a full Siamese counterpart. The Persian’s short-legged, heavier body may reduce the Siamese climbing tendency.
Health
Siamese cats are more likely to have certain health disorders than some breeds. Be sure to let your veterinarian know your best friend has Siamese in her ancestry so the two of you can make the best decisions about her care. It may not be apparent from her appearance that she’s part Siamese.
Amyloidosis
Amyloid protein can accumulate in the internal organs, typically the liver. Amyloid buildup can cause organ failure. While there’s no cure for amyloidosis, diet and medication can support the affected organ.
Megaesophagus
Megaesophagus has no cure, and Siamese cats are susceptible to this rare congenital condition. The tube to the stomach (esophagus) acts as if it is stretched out. Food never makes it to the gut but instead is regurgitated. If your kitten regurgitates food frequently in a tube shape, consult your vet immediately. Feeding your cat as she “stands” or changing the consistency of his food may help, but the prognosis is poor for animals with this condition. They often aspirate pieces of food, which causes pneumonia.
Cancer
Lymphoma, thymoma, and adenosarcoma strike Siamese cats more than many other breeds, but luckily most cases can be treated. Consult your vet to see if regular blood screenings for lymphoma are appropriate for your Siamese mix. These cancers can cause the production of abnormal white blood cells or tumors that can constrict the intestines. If you notice swollen lymph nodes, weight loss, labored breathing, or sudden vomiting and diarrhea, see your veterinarian as soon as possible.
Feline Hyperesthesia Syndrome
A cat with hyperesthesia feels sensations excessively. Both Siamese and Persian cats have a higher incidence of this disorder. Affected cats become hypersensitive to touch and may cry, run away, or try to gnaw the sensation away. Your veterinarian will determine the root cause of symptoms and, if necessary, prescribe medication to lessen your blend’s discomfort.
Convergent Strabismus
While convergent strabismus isn’t a problem in Siamese cats, you may notice that your Siamese blend’s eyes appear crossed (strabismus). In Siamese cats, this doesn’t seem to decrease their vision.
Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)
Siamese and Russian Blues have a higher genetic instance of Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA). Progressive Retinal Atrophy causes blindness and may not strike until a cat is over a year old. If her parents have been genetically screened for this disease, you’ll know if she may be a carrier. It’s a recessive trait, so both parents would have to carry the gene for the disease to affect her, but she could pass it along if she has offspring.
Final Thoughts
A Siamese blend is an excellent match if you’re looking for an intelligent, interactive feline companion. She’ll likely be a medium-sized agile cat who can climb with the best of them and leap like few others. She’ll also love to cuddle in your lap. You’ll need to monitor her weight and health and discuss her Siamese lineage and associated health risks with your veterinarian.
Spend time with your Siamese blend. She’s unlikely to be a cat who stays in the shadows. This interactive, active cat will hopefully live as long as fifteen years. Remember that each cat is a unique individual, but her Siamese joie de vivre makes her extra special. Show her your love with regular veterinary care, proper nutrition, and a healthy, attentive environment.
