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CATWALK
MODELS
Theglamourpuss looks of Siamese
cats conceal aplayful, affectionate
nature, writesRoger Crosthwaite.F
rom their regal looks, you might
assume that all Siamese cats
are much like their on-screen
personifications inLady and the Tramp.
“We are Siamese if you please,”sang
the snooty feline pair, Si and Am, in
the animated Disney classic.“We are
Siamese if you don’t please.”
But in reality, Siamese are quite the
opposite. For all their icy blue-eyed,
supermodel-on-the-catwalk style, they
are playful, affectionate and thrive on
human company.
Valda McDermott is known as one of
Australia’s most experienced breeders
of traditional Siamese cats. (Their
modern counterparts are distinguished
by elongated bodies and wedge-shaped
heads.) She’s been hooked ever since
she met her first in 1968.
“I didn’t know much about them, but
that started the ball rolling,” says Valda.
She began breeding elegant Siamese
seal points, with their distinctive dark
brown face, legs and tail, and now sends
her cats all over the world from her Jingili
Cattery in Baulkham Hills, NSW. Many
are destined to become stars of cat
shows but, given their sociable nature,
they also make very good pets.
“They get very attached to a family or
to a single person,” says Valda. “They
can be a bit needy for company, which is
why some people like to have two.”
Something that all Siamese owners
soon become aware of is the breed’s
conversational skills. They have a
distinctive voice – half miaow, halfsheep-like baa – that they use to get
attention, or sometimes just to ‘chat’ to
their owner. That sociability extends to
other breeds and even other species,
according to Valda. “People often send
me photos of their Siamese cuddling
with their dogs,” she says.
That makes sense. Siamese are
somewhat dog-like in their demeanour.
Even adults enjoy a game of fetch and
retain a playfulness that other breeds
grow out of. They’re also one of the few
cat breeds that will, without a huge
struggle, submit to being taken for a
walk on a harness and leash.
“If given free rein outdoors, they’ll go
for a wander like any cat,” says Valda. “If
you let them into the backyard, I’d advise
you to put mesh over the area to stop
them getting out, or build them a cat
run. But they’re quite happy indoors.
They’re very good in flats.
“And their coat, being so short, can be
taken care of just by running a damp
hand over it to take off any shed hairs.”
So there you have it: the looks of
a feline supermodel, without the
maintenance or the attitude. #Pets
BREED ALL ABOUT IT
Siamese cats are available in other coat
variations including chocolate, blue and
tortie (tortoiseshell). They usually live12-14
years, although it’s not unknown for them to
reach their twenties. Grooming needs are
minimal. Siamese kittens from Jingili Cattery
(jingilicattery.com) sell from about $800,
but be prepared to join a waiting list.
Photograph from Alamy.