Care for Siamese Cats

Siamese cats are much beloved by owners for their distinctive personalities. Many people liken the Siamese to being the feline equivalent of a dog, with their love of human company and willingness to engage in games of fetch. The Siamese is also an intelligent breed, but be warned they are happy to use their powers of reasoning to problem solve and steal treats. They are also renowned for being vocal and having a piercing cry which they use to get attention from their owner. Understanding how to take care of your Siamese cat can enhance your relationship and your cat’s life.

Choosing a Breeder

 * 1) Buy your Siamese cat from a proper breeder. Choose a breeder who is a cat lover as well as a breeder making a living by selling kittens. This means they are more likely to treat their breeding stock like pets, which causes better socialization for the kittens since they are more likely to be raised in the home.[[Image:Care for Siamese Cats Step 1.jpg|center]]
 * 2) *Avoid breeders who keep their breeding stock in outdoor runs, since this means they are less well socialized.
 * 3) Prepare a list of questions for your breeder. Before you go to a breeder to buy your cat, prepare a list of questions, such as why they breed Siamese in particular. Ask to view to facilities and meet the mother cat. [[Image:Care for Siamese Cats Step 2.jpg|center]]
 * 4) Find a breeder who has socialized the cat. If possible, find a breeder who goes out of his way to have the kittens handled from the age of three weeks up, and handled by many different people. This gets the kittens used to people and means they will make better pets.[[Image:Care for Siamese Cats Step 3.jpg|center]]
 * 5) *Never buy a kitten from a pet shop or a place where you cannot see the kitten with the mother.
 * 6) Purchase your cat at the proper age. Most kittens are completely weaned by eight weeks of age, and they are spending much more time away from the mother. It is reasonable to adopt a kitten from around nine weeks of age. Around 12 weeks, the kitten's ability to adapt to new situations and environments begins to drop off. [[Image:Care for Siamese Cats Step 4.jpg|center]]
 * 7) *Be suspicious of anyone wishing to home kittens at less than eight weeks, as they are unlikely to have the kitten's best interest at heart.

Getting Your Siamese Cat Proper Health Care

 * 1) Vaccinate your cat. You should vaccinate your Siamese cat against common infectious diseases. These include cat flu, feline infectious enteritis, and feline leukemia virus. [[Image:Care for Siamese Cats Step 5.jpg|center]]
 * 2) *There is also a legal obligation in most states to vaccinate against rabies.
 * 3) *The initial kitten vaccinations require two doses to be effective. The first should be given around nine weeks of age, and the second should be given three to four weeks later.
 * 4) *The rabies vaccine is a single dose which is given from 12 weeks of age.
 * 5) Keep up with your cat’s vaccinations. To keep the vaccinations up to date, your cat requires booster injections, usually given once a year. [[Image:Care for Siamese Cats Step 6.jpg|center]]
 * 6) *For the rabies virus vaccine, depending on the vaccine manufacturer, a once every three year booster is appropriate.
 * 7) Neuter or spay your cat. Your Siamese cat should also be desexed. Prepubescent desexing can take place at 10 to 12 weeks; however, a more common age is around five to six months. Getting your female cat spayed this young helps to catch her before she is likely to fall pregnant. [[Image:Care for Siamese Cats Step 7.jpg|center]]
 * 8) Fit your cat with an ID chip. You should consider getting your Siamese cat fitted with an identichip. A great time to do this is when you have your cat spayed or neutered. ID chips are a permanent way of identifying your cat. [[Image:Care for Siamese Cats Step 8.jpg|center]]
 * 9) *Each chip has a unique number, which is transmitted to the scanner as it passes over the cat. That number is held on a database, which is where your contact details are registered. If the cat is lost or stolen, passing a scanner over the cat provides the unique number and then database is contacted to find out who the owner is.
 * 10) Protect your cat from parasites and worms. You need to give your cat flea medication and have her dewormed. There are many excellent products that are effective against fleas, but not all products marketed as flea products do the job, so speak to a veterinary clinic for suggestions.[[Image:Care for Siamese Cats Step 9.jpg|center]]
 * 11) *Deworming is an important part of keeping your Siamese cat healthy. Typically this should be done every three months. If the cat lives outdoors and hunts vermin, then deworming should be at least monthly. A good broad spectrum multi-wormer tablet will get rid of round, tape, and hookworms.
 * 12) Monitor for genetic diseases. The Siamese cat has very few genetic problem. However, the breed is prone to a congenital form of nystagmus, a condition where the eyes track from side to side, but no treatment is necessary if your cat has this. The breed can be prone to a form of fatty liver disease and problems with the outflow from the stomach, but these issues are rare. [[Image:Care for Siamese Cats Step 10.jpg|center]]

Caring For Your Siamese Cat

 * 1) Feed your cat proper food. Feed your Siamese cat a good quality, protein rich food. This means that meat is listed as the first or second ingredient on the pet food label. Avoid foods where a large percentage is cereal based. Generally, Siamese cats do better on simple food that is not too rich. [[Image:Care for Siamese Cats Step 11.jpg|center]]
 * 2) *The choice between dry kibble or wet, canned food is largely a personal one.
 * 3) Regulate your cat’s weight. Make sure to regulate how much food your cat eats. The Siamese cat is a slender cat. Her body and legs are not made to carry weight. Being overweight can be dangerous to her health. [[Image:Care for Siamese Cats Step 12.jpg|center]]
 * 4) Provide a litter box. Make sure you put out a litter box for your cat. A larger litter box is better. Place it in a quiet spot where the cat feels safe to toilet without danger of interruption.[[Image:Care for Siamese Cats Step 13.jpg|center]]
 * 5) *There are many different types of cat litter, so it's a good idea to check which litter the breeder used, as some cats are reluctant to accept a type of litter they are not used to.
 * 6) Brush your cat regularly. The Siamese cat has a short coat, so she does not need a lot of grooming. However, you should brush her regularly in order to condition her skin and coat.[[Image:Care for Siamese Cats Step 14.jpg|center]]
 * 7) *Ideally this should be daily, as this will help a strong bond form between the two of you. Your cat will see this as affection, and so you can love your cat while grooming her.
 * 8) Brush your cat’s teeth. You should get into the habit of brushing your Siamese cat's teeth. This is best done by introducing the toothbrush to the cat as a toy, so she gets used to it. Teach her each step of the brushing process and allow her to become comfortable with each step before progressing onto the next. [[Image:Care for Siamese Cats Step 15.jpg|center]]
 * 9) *Start by lifting her lip, then touching the brush to her teeth, then wetting the brush with water and wiping it up and down, then adding a blob of cat toothpaste onto the brush.
 * 10) *Never use human toothpaste as the high fluoride content is toxic to cats if swallowed.
 * 11) Consider training your cat. Consider clicker training your Siamese cat in the same way you would a dog. The idea is that the cat associates the click-clack of the clicker with a reward. You mark desired behavior with a click, and then the Siamese tries to repeat the action to earn a reward. You can train your Siamese cat to walk on a leash.[[Image:Care for Siamese Cats Step 16.jpg|center]]
 * 12) *The intelligence and trainable nature of the Siamese means you can teach your cat to sit, come, jump up or down from surfaces, offer up a paw, or beg. You can train a Siamese cat to do a wide repertoire of tricks just like a dog.

Keeping Your Cat Active

 * 1) Embrace the Siamese cat’s energy. Siamese cats have an unusual amount of energy for a cat. They like to run around and be engaged in vigorous play. This means a Siamese cat may not be a good match for someone who wants a cat that is seen but not heard or that they can forget about for hours. The Siamese is liable to let you know that they are bored and demand you entertain them. [[Image:Care for Siamese Cats Step 17.jpg|center]]
 * 2) Set up a scratching post. A scratching post provides an outlet for the cat's natural desire to scratch. By giving your cat several posts, you have a better chance of the cat taking advantage of them and not scratching furniture or your house.[[Image:Care for Siamese Cats Step 18.jpg|center]]
 * 3) *Place scratching posts near entrance and exits and next to the cat's bed.
 * 4) *Some cats like to scratch horizontally, while others scratch vertical surfaces. Watch your cat and fix your posts firmly into the appropriate position.
 * 5) Give your Siamese cat affection. The Siamese cat is very affectionate. This means that you will need to pay a lot of attention to her and provide her with a lot of love and affection. This includes play time, as well as cuddles. [[Image:Care for Siamese Cats Step 19.jpg|center]]
 * 6) *It is helpful to schedule play sessions with your Siamese cat twice a day. You can get her to chase after a laser point, hunt a wing-on-a-string, and pounce after balls. Each session should last until the cat is pleasantly tired and lies down, unwilling to take part any more. This happens typically after about ten minutes play.
 * 7) Set up high places for your cat. Siamese cats love jumping and being high up. Indoor cats should be provided with a rich environment in which to play. Since the Siamese cat is intelligent and needs mental, as well as physical stimulation, set up places so she can watch what's going on around her. This means providing cat towers that overlook windows so the cat can watch the street, plus raised walkways for the cat to stroll along. [[Image:Care for Siamese Cats Step 20.jpg|center]]
 * 8) Give your cat toys. Siamese cats are active and love to play. Make sure that you place a lot of toys around your house for your Siamese cat. This ensures she doesn’t get bored or make toys out of things she shouldn’t. [[Image:Care for Siamese Cats Step 21.jpg|center]]

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