Wait! The Siamese is...Black?

Most people have seen a Siamese looking cat at least once. But what's the explanation for the Siamese's gorgeous look? First, this color point pattern can also occur in house cats. So not every pointed cat is a Siamese. Only the pedigree can confirm that. Still, these kitties have inherited the same fantastic gene. Believe it or not, these kitties aren't white. They're partially albino cats. Albino kitties lack color and simply reflect light. That's why they look white. The gene messes with a cat's color by completely erasing it. The eyes are also left with little to no pigment, and that's why these kitties' eyes are typically blue with a pinkish undertone. Still, the particular type of albinism found in Siamese cats is quite remarkable. And that's because it only shows up on the warmer parts of the cat's body. It requires a temperature above 38 degrees Celsius to show up, about the same as a cat's normal body temperature. However, the cat's extremities lose more heat than the rest of the body. Since they're colder, the albinism becomes inactive. This is how the gorgeous points appear. The extremities show the cat's real color. Plus, did you know that all colored point kittens are born entirely white? A simple reason for that is the heat from their mother's womb. It takes about two weeks for the kittens to develop points. Until then, it's impossible to know their color. In Siamese cats, the points can have multiple colors, the most common type being the seal point. That said, fawn is the most sought-after and rarest color. Unsurprisingly, these kittens are more expensive. And there's more. If you've ever had a Siamese, you know these cats' bodies tend to get darker over time. That's especially true for the seal point Siamese, the darkest Siamese type. Well, there's a simple explanation. As the cat ages, the blood flow to the body slows down, leading to a lower skin temperature. Thus, the albinism is slowly deactivated throughout the cat's body. Additionally, adult Siamese cats living in warm climates have lighter coats than those in cool temperatures. But a Siamese-related albinism isn't the only one that exists. The sepia pattern is often called the Burmese pattern, as cats of this breed typically display it. It has the least contrast, the body being only slightly lighter than the extremities. Sepia cats have eyes going from yellow to green. The mink pattern is often called the Tonkinese pattern, since it's prevalent among these kitties. It's an intermediate pattern between the Siamese and the sepia, having less contrast than the former. The body is lighter than the extremities, but it's never white. Mink cats have eye colors ranging from blue to green, the most common eye color being aquamarine, a turquoise shade. Here's a fun fact. The Tonkinese was created by breeding Siamese and Burmese cats. You can see on the screen the genes responsible for the color point patterns and how they can interact. Are albino and color point cats prone to any health issues? Unfortunately, yes. Albino cats are melanin deficient. For this reason, they can't tolerate sunlight as much as colored cats. Repeated exposure to sunlight can cause skin cancer that is painful and prevalent in areas with few hairs. For that reason, light-colored Siamese cats are more prone to this health issue. Restrict the kitties' time next to bright windows between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. when the sun is strongest. Plus, albino Siamese and blue-eyed Tonkinese cats can suffer eye damage from sunlight as the lack of melanin leaves the eyes defenseless to UV rays. They can even go blind if they spend too much time in the sun. Siamese cats are gorgeous, but they're not for everyone. Watch this video next to learn why the Siamese cat might not be for you. Don't forget to give this video a like if you enjoyed it and see you there!