We received LOTS of feedback to our article “9 Cat Colors – Best to Worst: Where Does Your Kitty Rank?” dated September 12, 2016, much of it from readers partial to their own color of feline. However, one demographic took exception to our findings more than all others – Siamese owners. Siamese, of course, is a breed, not a color, but in the 9/12 article, our team did refer specifically to gray cat rankings being dragged down significantly by the inclusion of Siamese in the category. So, intrigued by the volume of comments, we decided to do a little further investigative research on the topic and determine if Siamese are all that or if they deserve the shade thrown at them in the previous report.

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Siamese are Buttholes!

There is no shortage of evidence or opinions about our subjects being high maintenance pains in the rear.

From mean streaks…

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…to property destruction…

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…to relationship killing… (read this, seriously)

…to discipline ignoring…

…to this… (Oh, Gawd, no!)

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…Siamese cats have their detractors.

We asked our followers directly – good pet or butthole?

So you can see, Team Butthole is strong!

Siamese are Great Pets!

Yet, as we became ever-so-aware after the color rankings piece, Siamese have a great deal of support among pet lovers and experts alike, many of whom describe them as affectionate, loyal, playful, full of personality and intelligent.

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Oh, the dichotomy!

And there are many who describe Siamese as feline Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hydes – both good AND bad.

So, you may see, an official decision on “Buddy or Butthole?” is essentially unreachable. However, we weren’t quite done. Our research revealed a shocking twist to this story.

Wait! What?!?…

From the Cat Fanciers Association:

Seal points, still the best known of the four CFA Siamese colors, were the first to be recognized. With their seal brown, almost black extremities and their pale fawn bodies, they were sensational. While chocolate points, with creamy white bodies and milk chocolate legs, tail, mask, and ears did appear from time to time, it was the blue point that gained CFA recognition in 1934. The blue point has a bluish-white body with slate blue points. The chocolate point was recognized next. In 1955 the lilac point followed and completed the breed. The lilac point has pinkish grey points with a white body, which makes it most ethereal and delicate in color.

From cattime.com

At first, only the cats with seal points—a dark brownish-black—were shown, but blue, chocolate and lilac-point Siamese were soon developed and accepted in the show ring. Today Siamese come in many different point colors and patterns, including tabby points and smoke points.

“Smoke points” notwithstanding, to the professional cat community, Siamese fur is not recognized as “gray.”  Ultimately, our research team has determined that the Gray category in the OSU Veterinary School/Cat Fancy rankings should not have taken Siamese into consideration because…they are NOT GRAY! The publicized results of the rankings are now highly questionable.

Our feline-loving readers smelled something fishy so we looked around and uncovered it for them!

Heeeeere, kitty!

Via Black Cat Lovers

 

Photo credit: via Flickr – Jamie McAffrey /CC BY 03