Thai
The Thai is the formal breed name for the Traditional or "Old-Style" Siamese — the cat that resembles the original Siamese imported to the West in the late 1800s, before decades of selective breeding narrowed the head and elongated the body into the modern extreme Siamese type.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Origin
Thailand
Lifespan
12–16 years
Weight
3–5.5 kg (6.5–12 lbs)
Height
25–30 cm (10–12 in)
Diet
Obligate carnivore — high-quality wet and dry food.
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Mammalia
Order
Carnivora
Family
Felidae
Genus
Felis
The Story
The Thai is the formal breed name for the Traditional or "Old-Style" Siamese — the cat that resembles the original Siamese imported to the West in the late 1800s, before decades of selective breeding narrowed the head and elongated the body into the modern extreme Siamese type. The Thai has a more rounded, moderate head (sometimes called "applehead"), a less extreme body, and the same colourpoint pattern as the modern Siamese. Many enthusiasts of the traditional Siamese type argued that the modern breed had been taken too far from the original, and the Thai was formally developed as a separate breed preserving the historical Siamese type. It shares the Siamese's vocal, demanding personality.
Also Known As
Quick Facts
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Physical Profile
Source: wikimedia
The Thai has a medium-sized, well-muscled body of moderate foreign type — less extreme than the modern Siamese but not as rounded as the British Shorthair. The head is a rounded wedge — sometimes called applehead — with a definite stop between forehead and nose. The eyes are vivid blue, oval to almond-shaped. The colourpoint coat pattern is the same as the Siamese.
Grooming
Low
Shedding
Low
Coat Colors
Recognized By
Source: wikimedia
Temperament & Personality
Same vocal, demanding, social personality as the modern Siamese — the Thai is a Siamese in personality with a more moderate body. They are excellent with families and other social cats.
Living Profile
Care & Wellness
Professional Care Protocol
- •Minimal grooming. High social needs — pairs recommended. Regular dental care.
Vaccination Schedule
Vaccination Schedule
Health Overview
Same profile as Siamese — amyloidosis, PRA, HCM. Generally healthy. The more moderate body type means slightly fewer structural health concerns than the extreme modern Siamese.
Common Conditions
Fun Facts
The Thai is the result of a deliberate effort to preserve the "original" Siamese body type — the cats imported to Britain by the Consul-General in 1884 had the rounded, moderate build of the Thai, not the extreme wedge of the modern show Siamese.
In Thailand, the traditional pointed cat is called the "Wichianmat" — the Thai breed is the Western formal recognition of the historical Thai cat type that predates Western selective breeding.
