Siamese Cat History

Siamese cat history goes all the way back to the early 1300s, but it wasn't until the late 1800s / early 1900s that they were introduced to Europe and North America.

Siamese cats are originally thought to have come from Thailand. It is believe that because they were held in such high regard by the royalty there, the only people who were allowed to have these "royal" cats were monks, and members of the royal family. They became known as Royal Points.

Siamese cats were said to be the guardians of the temple.When a person of high rank died, a cat was selected to receive the deceased person's soul. The cat was then taken from the royal household, and brought to a temple where it would spend its life in the lap of luxury, with monks and priests serving it. They ate the finest food off golden plates, and rested on cushions made from the finest materials around. As a temple cat, the Siamese cat was thought to have a power that enabled it to intercede the souls of dead people.

In 1884 a man named Owen Gould brought two Siamese cats to England as a gift for his sister Lillian. These cats had no actual "pedigree" or specific information about them, all that was known was that they were imported from Bangkok. Their names were Pho and Mia.

From 1884 to the end of the century, a number of Siamese cats have been imported to England, and have been recorded in the British Siamese Cat Registers. The first Siamese cat to come to America was a gift from the American Consul in Bangkok to the President's wife, Mrs Lucy Webb Hayes.

Whilst there is some confusion and debate with regards to the exact history and origin of the Siamese cat, these creatures have become extremely popular and much loved across the Western world.

They make wonderful pets and the fact that they have such a regal air about them makes it very easy to imagine them being on par with Royalty in a bygone era.

-- Siamese Cat History --

 
JustAnswer.com




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