I . The Sacred Cats of Siam 



The Siamese cats' colorful background is as unique as this 

 exotic breed itself. In ancient Siam (present-day Thailand), 

 Siamese cats were held in such high esteem that only persons of 

 royal blood were allowed to own them. However, the Siamese cats 

 were not merely pampered ornamental pets. They were considered 

 sacred, and were used as guard cats in the temples and shrines 

 throughout the land. 



Until the late 1800's, Siamese cats were found only in Siam, 

 but at that time the ruling potentate gave some to the English 

 royal family as a mark of his esteem. Shortly afterward, in about 

 1880, Siamese cats began to appear in English cat shows, achieving 

 moderate success. 



A few years later the king of Siam gave some Siamese cats to 

 his American friends. In 1903, at their first public showing in the 

 United States, the Siamese cats gained immediate acceptance. 



It was in 1924 that the first scientifically planned strains of 

 Siamese were bred. These long-haired animals, called Malayan 

 Persians, resulted from crossing Persians and inbreeding them. 



KINDS OF SIAMESE 



Today four types of Siamese cats are recognized in the United 

 States : Seal Point, Blue Point, Chocolate Point and Frost Point. 

 These names are applied in accordance with the color of the cat's 

 "points" feet, tail, ears and mask. 



The Seal Point is the most popular because of the striking 

 contrast between its cream body and the dark brown points. 



