If you’ve decided upon a Siamese, you need to think about the Siamese you will bring into your home. Siamese cats are a breed known for longevity. You want the right fit and even though you’ve narrowed down the breed, you’ll need to find that specific Siamese. As you know, I’m taken.
Do you want a pet quality Siamese cat? A show quality Siamese cat? An adult Siamese? A kitten?
Older Siamese can be a delight to adopt. Although Siamese are typically popular at shelters and find homes quickly, adult cats are often harder to place than a kitten. If you aren’t enamored of the idea of a kitten, think about a young adult adoption.
Breeders often “pet out” adult cats. This means they look for a home were it can be cared for as a pet. Some breeders will charge as little as the fee to spay the cat. Imagine, a show quality cat for the cost of the spay. Be sure to get the history of any adult cat you might choose. Some breeding cats are allowed the full run of the house, familiar with the the other cats around and love to have company. Others are much less enthusiastic about other cats.
If you have a dog, you will want to know if the adult cat has been socialized around a dog. Many adult cats that you find haven’t been around dogs and it’s very difficult to socialize a cat to a dog if they haven’t been raised with one, especially if they spent any amount of time as an outdoor stray.
The Cat Fancier’s Association (CFA) website offers listings of breeders if you are looking for an adult that might need a home (or for a kitten). The Siamese Cat Rescue also has a great list of Siamese cats that are looking for home. Not all of them are “purebred” but many have the Siamese coloring and the endearing personalities of these cats.
If you go to a breeder, either for an adult Siamese or a kitten, be sure to check them out. Stay away from breeders who seem to be in it for the money or if they offer a cat to you too quickly. A reputable breeder wants to know where their cats are going and will want to check your home out. Check with the CFA, with the veterinarian the breeder uses and with other people who have cats from that breeder.
If you are choosing a kitten, make sure that it’s eyes and ears are clean. It should be bright and alert and playful. It should look interested in it’s surroundings and it’s eyes should follow moving objects (and perhaps it’s paw). Siamese are usually pretty friendly when they are young, so beware the cat who hangs back in the crowd. It could just be an unusually shy Siamese but it could be a sickly kitten.
It’s not a good idea to adopt a kitten before 8 weeks of age and 12 weeks is even better. Although kittens are weaned quite young and can survive on their own, they learn a lot of good social skills from the mother cat. This includes good litter box habits. Avoid taking home a kitten who is younger than this, no matter how cute.
Once home, be sure to have your cat or kitten checked out by your local veterinarian. They can set you up with a schedule of vaccinations. Be sure to take any records you get from the breeder or rescue to give to the veterinarian.