Siamois

The breed was first observed outside its Asian cradle in 1884, when the British Consul-General in Bangkok, Edward Blencowe Gould, brought a couple of Siamese cats to England for his sister, Mrs. Veley (who would later be the co-founder of the Siamese Cat Club in 1901). The cats were shown at the Crystal Palace in 1885 and, the following year, another couple of cats was brought back by a certain Mrs. Vyvyan and her sister. A small number of cats were brought in the following years; they thus formed the basis of the entire breed in Great Britain. A Frenchman named Auguste Pavie also brought back Siamese in 1885 as did a certain M. Oustalet, professor at the Museum of Natural History in Paris. The first standard of the breed was issued in 1892 by the GCCF. Two years earlier, the Siamese was exported to the United States. The creation of enthusiast clubs soon followed in England from 1901 onwards. From the 1950s, the Siamese experienced great popularity and its physique changed. The body and legs lengthened and thinned, the tail as well, the ears enlarged. From the 1980s onwards, the so-called 'traditional' Siamese became increasingly unpopular and the standard adapted to the new physique of the modern Siamese. However, some breeders campaigned for the preservation of the original Siamese. In the late 1980s, the creation of the Thai breed allowed breeders to present Siamese closer to the original physique, hence the nickname of old or traditional Siamese frequently given to Thai.

In general, the Siamese is very close to its owner. Some people say they converse with their Siamese; the latter can be very talkative and communicative. It is an intelligent and affectionate cat. It comes when called, quickly understands prohibitions and tends to follow its human companion spontaneously and in many cases systematically. It can easily be taught to walk on a leash and taken everywhere, even on vacation, because, unlike most other cats, it develops an attachment to humans rather than to territory. Very attached to its master, it tolerates solitude poorly. It generally chooses one person in the household and does not leave them. For all these reasons, they are said to be 'dog-cats'.