Despite various other theories about its origin, this breed really did originate in Siam (now Thailand) many hundred years ago. Cats with similar pointed markings feature in the Cat Book Poems, a manuscript saved from Ayuda, the old capital of Siam, which was burned down in 1767. It is the best known of a number of manuscripts that provide a record of the native cats, dogs and birds of the region at that time. The Siamese pattern was later recorded in Russia by the naturalist Simon Pallas, in 1793. However, the cats he encountered were of much darker colouring. This could be explained by the fact that the Siamese points darken in colder climates. It is not known whether the Russian cats were descended from original Siamese imports, or whether the Siamese gene mutation (now commonly known as the Himalayan gene) had occupied naturally in Russia, Siamese cats were already in Britain before 1871, for in that year they featured at the first National Cat Show in London. There were many stories about their origin and at one time they were labeled as ‘an unnatural, nightmare kind of cat.’ Nevertheless, their popularity grew and specimens were taken to America around 1890. The body shape of the Siamese has altered considerably over the years as breeders and judges select ever more extreme ‘Oriental’ type. Breeders have developed a wide variety of coast colours and patterns. The Himalayan gene carried by the Siamese (and other pointed cats) causes dilution of any particular colour. Hence there is no black Siamese because the colour is diluted to a very dark brown, called Seal. Siamese have also given rise to the Oriental varieties which are, in effect, ‘non-pointed’ Siamese
Appearance
This is a short-haired cat of Oriental type with a long svelte body and an alert, intelligent expression. The head is long and wedge-shaped, neither rounded nor pointed, with a firm chin in line with the upper jaw. The ears are large, well pricked and wide at the base. The eye shape is oriental, slanting towards the nose and its deep blue in colour. The body is medium in size, long and svelte, with proportionately slim legs. The hind legs are slightly higher that the forelegs, the feet small and oval. The tail is long and tapering. The coat is very short and fine in texture, glossy and close-lying. The mask \is completely connected to the ears by tracings. In all colours kittens may not show full masking, nor the adult colour on legs and tail
Characteristics
Siamese are extremely affectionate, devoted and loyal. They are highly intelligent, inquisitive, active and very vocal. They are also very demanding which make them unsuitable for some elderly people. They "meow" a lot in a loud low pitched voice. Some say that their voice sounds like the crying of a human baby. They also tend to get along well with other cats but they are usually dominant in their relationships with cats of other breeds
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Cat Jokes
Cats and Mice and Heaven
One day a cat dies of natural causes and goes to heaven. There he meets the Lord Himself. The Lord says to the cat, "You lived a good life and if there is any way I can make your stay in Heaven more comfortable, please let Me know."
The cat thinks for a moment and says, "Lord, all my life I have lived with a poor famil
y and had to sleep on a hard wooden floor." The Lord stops the cat and says, "Say no more," and a wonderful fluffy pillow appears.A few days later, six mice are killed in a tragic farming accident and go to heaven. Again, there is the Lord there to great them with the same offer.
The mice answered, "All of our lives we have been chased. We have had to run from cats, dogs and even women with brooms. Running, running, running; we're tired of running. Do you think we could have roller skates so we don't have to run anymore?" The Lord says, "Say no more," and fits each mouse with beautiful new roller skates.
About a week later the Lord stops by to see the cat and finds him snoozing on the pillow. The Lord gently wakes the cat and asks him, "How are things since you got here?"
The cat stretches and yawns and replies, "It is wonderful here. Better than I could have ever expected. And those 'Meals On Wheels' you've been sending by are the best!"
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Pregnancy
A woman telephoned a veterinarian and asked him to come examine her cat. "I don't know what's wrong with her," the woman told him. "She looks as if she's going to have kittens, but that's impossible. She's never been out of the house except for when I had her on a leash." The vet examined the cat and said there was no question about her pregnancy.
"But she can't be," protested the woman. "It's impossible."
At that point a large tom cat emerged from under the sofa.
"How about him?" asked the vet.
"Don't be silly," answered the woman. "That's her brother."
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HELP WANTED
A local business was looking for office help. They put a sign in the window, stating the following: "HELP WANTED. Must be able to type, must be good with a computer and must be bilingual. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer."
A short time afterwards, a dog trotted up to the window, saw the sign and went inside. He looked at the receptionist and wagged his tail, then walked over to the sign, looked at it and whined. Getting the idea, the receptionist got the office manager. The office manager looked at the dog and was surprised, to say the least. However, the dog looked determined, so he lead him into the office.
Inside, the dog jumped up on the chair and stared at the manager. The manager said "I can't hire you. The sign says you have to be able to type." The dog jumped down, went to the typewriter and proceeded to type out a perfect letter. He took out the page and trotted over to the manager and gave it to him, then jumped back on the chair.
The manager was stunned, but then told the dog "the sign says you have to be good with a computer." The dog jumped down again and went to the computer.
The dog proceeded to enter and execute a perfect program, that worked flawlessly the first time. By this time the manager was totally dumb-founded! He looked at the dog and said "I realize that you are a very intelligent dog and have some interesting abilities. However, I still can't give you the job."
The dog jumped down and went to a copy of the sign and put his paw on the sentences that told about being an Equal Opportunity Employer.
The manager said "yes, but the sign also says that you have to be bilingual."
The dog looked at the manager calmly and said, "Miaow!"
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The Burial
Little Tim was in the garden filling in a hole when his neighbour peered over the fence. Interested in what the cheeky-faced youngster was up to, he politely asked, "What are you up to there, Tim?"
"My goldfish died," replied Tim tearfully, without looking up, "and I've just buried him."
The neighbour was concerned. "That's an awfully big hole for a goldfish, isn't it?"
Tim patted down the last heap of earth then replied, "That's because he's inside your cat!"
************************************************************************Lucky Cat
A famous art collector is walking through the city when he notices a mangy cat lapping milk from a saucer in the doorway of a store and he does a double take.
He knows that the saucer is extremely old and very valuable, so he walks casually into the store and offers to buy the cat for two dollars.
The store owner replies "I'm sorry, but the cat isn't for sale."
The collector says "Please, I need a hungry cat around the house to catch mice. I'll pay you twenty dollars for that cat."
And the owner says "Sold," and hands over the cat.
The collector continues, "Hey, for the twenty bucks I wonder if you could throw in that old saucer. The cat's used to it and it'll save me from having to get a dish."
And the owner says, "Sorry buddy, but that's my lucky saucer. So far this week I've sold sixty-eight cats."
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Cat 'n' Mouse
A mouse used to live in a winery, and he would climb up on the rim of a vat and run around and around the edge. One day he finally slipped and fell into the vat full of wine. He couldn't get out again, so he swam around in the wine and shouted, "Help! Help!"A cat heard the mouse's cries for help, climbed up onto the rim and sat looking down at him. The mouse cried, "Please, Mr. Cat, help me! I'm drowning!"The cat said, "Well, if I save you, what do I get?"The mouse said, "Anything! Help me!"The cat said, "Well, if I save you, can I eat you?"The mouse said, "Yes! Yes! Anything you want!" So the cat reached down with his paw and hooked the mouse back up to safety. The mouse immediately shook himself dry and then darted back into his hole.The cat said, "Mr. Mouse, you're not keeping your word! You said I could eat you!"The mouse said, "Well, Mr. Cat, what do you expect? I was drunk at the time!"
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The Cat and The Husband
A man absolutely hated his wife's cat and decided to get rid of him one day by driving him 20 blocks from his home and leaving him at the park. As he arrived home, the cat was walking up the driveway. The next day he decided to drive the cat 40 blocks away. He put the beast out and headed home. Driving back up his driveway, there was the cat! He kept taking the cat further and further, but the cat would always beat him home. At last he decided to drive a few miles away, turn right, then left, past the bridge, then right again and another right until he reached what he thought was a safe distance from his home and left the cat there. Hours later the man calls home to his wife: "Jen, is the cat there?" "Yes", the wife answers, "why do you ask?""I'm lost," says the man, "and I need the cat to give me directions home."
Persian cats origins and behaviours
PERSIAN (LONGHAIR) ORIGINS
Long-haired cats are thought to have originated in Asia. Specimens were first brought to the West by travelers during the 16th century. They reached Italy first ant then France and finally Britain. They were probably from Turkey, for they were commonly called Angora (the old name for Ankara). Later specimens, which came from Persia and Afghanistan, had a longer and denser coat and more cobby body. As breeding programs developed, the two distinctive types that we know today, the Angora and the Persian emerged. A book published in 1876 referred to long-haired cats as Asiatic cats. However, breeders were selecting for the more thickly coated and cobby type, increasingly known as the Persian, which was gaining favor over the Angora. By 1901 there were 13 recognized colors which had increased to 160 varieties by the end of the 20th century.In Britain the name was changed to Long-hair, but many countries have continued to call the breed Persian.
PERSIAN CATS PHYSICAL APPEARANCE
A long-haired cat of cobby type with relatively short legs. A distinctive snub nose makes it appear stern, but this is offset by large round eyes that enhance a sweet expression. The head is round and massive, with a great breadth of skull, round face, with round underlying bone structure, set on a short, thick neck. The nose is short, snub and broad, with a dip. The cheeks are full, the jaws broad and powerful and the chin is full and well developed. The ears are small, round-tipped, tilted forward and not unduly open at the base. They are set far apart and low on the head, fitting into (without distorting) the round contour of the head. The eyes are round and full, brilliant, set far apart, giving the face a sweet expression. The tail is short but in proportion to the body length, carried without a curve and at an angle lower than the back. The body is cobby. Large or medium in size, set low on legs. The chest is deep and equally massive across the shoulders and rump, with a short, well-rounded middle piece and level back. The legs are short, thick and strong.
The coat is long and thick, standing out from the body, of fine texture, glossy and full of life. It is long over the body, but a slight shortening of the coat across the shoulder area is not uncommon in older kittens when the coat is changing. The ruff is immense and continues in a deep frill between the front legs. The ear ad toe tufts are very full.
PERSIAN CATS CHARACTERISTICS
It is generally amiable, docile and good-natured, with a soft voice. The Persian’s languid nature has earned it a rather undeserved reputation for laziness.
Long-haired cats are thought to have originated in Asia. Specimens were first brought to the West by travelers during the 16th century. They reached Italy first ant then France and finally Britain. They were probably from Turkey, for they were commonly called Angora (the old name for Ankara). Later specimens, which came from Persia and Afghanistan, had a longer and denser coat and more cobby body. As breeding programs developed, the two distinctive types that we know today, the Angora and the Persian emerged. A book published in 1876 referred to long-haired cats as Asiatic cats. However, breeders were selecting for the more thickly coated and cobby type, increasingly known as the Persian, which was gaining favor over the Angora. By 1901 there were 13 recognized colors which had increased to 160 varieties by the end of the 20th century.In Britain the name was changed to Long-hair, but many countries have continued to call the breed Persian.
PERSIAN CATS PHYSICAL APPEARANCE
A long-haired cat of cobby type with relatively short legs. A distinctive snub nose makes it appear stern, but this is offset by large round eyes that enhance a sweet expression. The head is round and massive, with a great breadth of skull, round face, with round underlying bone structure, set on a short, thick neck. The nose is short, snub and broad, with a dip. The cheeks are full, the jaws broad and powerful and the chin is full and well developed. The ears are small, round-tipped, tilted forward and not unduly open at the base. They are set far apart and low on the head, fitting into (without distorting) the round contour of the head. The eyes are round and full, brilliant, set far apart, giving the face a sweet expression. The tail is short but in proportion to the body length, carried without a curve and at an angle lower than the back. The body is cobby. Large or medium in size, set low on legs. The chest is deep and equally massive across the shoulders and rump, with a short, well-rounded middle piece and level back. The legs are short, thick and strong.
The coat is long and thick, standing out from the body, of fine texture, glossy and full of life. It is long over the body, but a slight shortening of the coat across the shoulder area is not uncommon in older kittens when the coat is changing. The ruff is immense and continues in a deep frill between the front legs. The ear ad toe tufts are very full.
PERSIAN CATS CHARACTERISTICS
It is generally amiable, docile and good-natured, with a soft voice. The Persian’s languid nature has earned it a rather undeserved reputation for laziness.
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