If you’ve ever visited a cat show, you’ve heard a spectator point at a Siamese and say, “That’s not the same Siamese my grandmother had!” Well, Siamese breeders would disagree… But Thai breeders sure wouldn’t! The Thai was developed in the 1980s as a response to the extreme, dramatic type that show-line Siamese were developing. They are moderate in style and seek to preserve the cobbier, moderate (but not “Applehead”) type seen in Thailand today and first imported to Europe in the 19th century. Although Thai were first developed as a response to Western show trends, negative feedback from the Siamese and Tonkinese communities shifted the goal of Thai breeders away from reactionary breeding and towards a pro-landrace, “preservation” style of breeding. Moderate Siamese lines were supplemented with fresh imports from Thailand in 2001, adding genetic diversity and true landrace type.

In terms of personality, these cats are just as Siamese as the most extreme, tubular Siamese to ever grace a CFA show bench. Loud, vocal, affectionate, outgoing and active… Everything you remember, and more!

Type & judging remarks
Medium-boned and foreign in type. Softly pointed “marten face” with round cheekbones and a face like a “tapering garden spade”. Body type and style far outweigh coat and eye colour in importance.