The Thai cat catches your eye from far away, thanks to the striking blue eyes nature gave her. So where did Thai cats, which look so much like Siamese, come from? What sets them apart, and what are their key traits and quirks?
Breed History
The breed’s story began in Thailand (as the name suggests). The Thai cat comes from the traditional Siamese breed: these are the cats that kept the original, rounder look of the Siamese, while the modern show Siamese was bred to be longer and slimmer, with a different head and body. The standard for the Thai breed was approved in Germany only in 1990 (by the World Cat Federation).
In the US, Thai cats are also known as Old-Style, Traditional, or Classic Siamese, and the rounder-headed ones are nicknamed “appleheads.” TICA granted the Thai championship status in 2010, but the breed is still fairly rare in America.
Read about proper nutrition for your kitten.
Thai Cat Breed Overview
People very often confuse the Thai cat with the Siamese. That makes sense, since Thai cats come from Siamese cats, and the two breeds share some similarities.
You can see how the Thai differs from the Siamese, and what she looks like, in the photo. As you can see, there are quite a few differences, and you don’t even need to look closely:
- The Thai’s body is much sturdier, while the Siamese is slim and long, with a special kind of grace.
- The tips of a Thai’s ears are slightly rounded, while a Siamese’s are pointed.
- The face is clearly different. The Thai has a round face, the Siamese a long one.
- The eye shape differs too: a Thai’s eyes are rounded, while a Siamese’s are more slanted and pointed.
- A Thai’s legs are shorter and stronger than a Siamese’s.
Now you’ll be able to tell which breed a cat is, but it’s still worth learning the breed description and its key features. That way you’ll know how to recognize a Thai cat if you want to buy such a charming pet for yourself or as a gift.
Check out our articles on names for boy cats and names for girl cats.
Appearance and Personality
- A slim but well-muscled build, elegant legs, a round head, bright blue eyes, and a soft coat with no undercoat: these are the traits you’ll notice in a Thai cat. They’re medium in size and weight. Adults can weigh from about 7 to 18 lb. The color can vary (read more below).
- Cats of this breed are affectionate and easygoing. They bond with their owners easily and will happily follow some commands (if you train them). Thai kittens are very curious, smart, and playful, and they sleep very little compared with other breeds (since they’re so active). They’re very “chatty” and love to meow and purr. Thai cats are also excellent mousers, as many owners’ reviews confirm.
- They live 10–14 years, but some Thai cats have reportedly lived to 28.
Care and Living Conditions
Caring for a Thai cat is pretty easy, since these cats are generally quite healthy and their coat needs no special care (it’s enough to wipe it with a damp hand a couple of times a week).
Feeding is standard: choose one of two options. Either a natural diet, keeping seafood and liver to a minimum, or dry and canned commercial food.
Thai Cat Colors with Photos
A Thai cat can come in several color shades, but there’s one rule: the body is one color, while the paws, tail, ears, and face (the mask) are always a different color from the body. Let’s look at photos of the possible colors nature has given the Thai breed.
- Chocolate point: an ivory body with milk-chocolate-brown face, paws, ears, and tail.
- Blue point: a bluish-white body with dark gray tail, paws, face, and ears.
- Cream point: a white body with a cream tint and darker (sometimes striped) points on the legs and face.
- Tortie point: tortoiseshell points with a standard (white or light brownish) body. The tortoiseshell can combine black with red, gray, or cream.
- Lilac point: a cool-toned color with lilac on the legs and face.
- Fawn point: a white body with grayish-bluish shades on the face and legs. It’s fairly rare.
- Red point: red on the legs, ears, and face with a white body.
- Tabby point (lynx point): the legs, ears, and face are striped, and the body is white.
- Seal point: a very striking color, with dark brown legs and face. The face of a seal point cat is almost black.
The Bottom Line
Fearless and independent: that’s the main description of the Thai breed. The cat also has a good memory, and if someone hurts her, she’ll remember it for a long time. She (probably) won’t take revenge, but whoever offended Her Majesty will lose her favor almost forever.
A Thai cat’s curiosity is stronger than her sense of self-preservation. She isn’t afraid of heights, fire, or an open front door, so owners need to think about keeping their pet safe.
Thai cats are very talkative, and their vocabulary includes a couple dozen quite distinct “words.” People have also noticed that Thai kittens have very expressive faces, and the faces they pull leave no one indifferent.
Thai cats respond well to gentle training but don’t tolerate outright pressure on their personality, sometimes reacting with aggression.
Although Thai cats are long-lived, they have a number of hereditary diseases:
- amyloidosis of the liver, which leads to liver failure;
- dilated cardiomyopathy (an enlarged heart muscle);
- hypertrophic cardiomyopathy;
- mammary tumors;
- gingivitis.
Thai Cat Owner Reviews
Stas: “Our Thai bandit. We got our Thai cat three years ago and haven’t regretted it once. Not even when we said goodbye to the curtains (no, seriously, how long can shredded drapes hang there? Better to have none at all). Not even when we gave the rest of our houseplants to the neighbor (of course, sweet kitty, we understand they’re very tasty). Not even when we were paying for the neighbor’s dachshund’s vet visit after our little guy left bloody scratches on her face (of course, kitty, the dachshund started it: what was she doing out in the shared hallway?). But overall he’s a good cat: sometimes he even lets us pet him! I think we got lucky!”
Karina: “I found my Thai on the street. It was clear he was a house cat who’d somehow ended up in a hostile world. My heart melted, and I brought him home. It took about a month for him to warm up, when he started jumping into my lap and purring like a mid-sized tractor. That’s when our friendship began. He sees me off to work and watches for me at the window as I walk up to the house. I’ve even noticed something mystical about him. He once helped me find my lost passport. While I was rushing around the apartment looking for it, the cat sat by the dresser, looking at me with a touch of irony. When I caught his eye, I looked under the dresser, and there was the passport.”
Natasha: “I’m a big fan of this breed, but I want to warn anyone just thinking about getting a Thai kitten: are you ready for a clingy kitten? Thai cats aren’t the type who walk by themselves; they literally hang on their owner, purring for endless affection! But in general, you’re never bored with Thai cats. You can go wild with them, talk with them, and even gossip!”
Where to Buy a Thai Kitten in the US
If you want a loyal friend like a Thai cat, look for breeders who work with Thai or Old-Style (Traditional) Siamese cats. Large, well-known catteries charge more because of pedigree and other factors, but you can also find smaller home breeders.
Here’s where to start your search:
- TICA (The International Cat Association) breeder listings, under “Thai” – https://tica.org/find-a-cat/find-a-cat-breeder-listings/;
- PREOSSIA (the US Old-Style Siamese preservation club) and its breeders list – https://oldstylesiamese.com/;
- Permes BaliSi (Washington State; breeds old-style “applehead” and lynx point Siamese).
Since there aren’t many Thai breeders in the US, be ready to travel or to have your kitten flown in from another state.
Price
Wondering how much a Thai cat costs? We can only give a rough figure, since many factors affect the price of a kitten of any breed. Color has a big effect on a Thai kitten’s price. In the US, a Thai kitten usually costs about $600–$1,200.
Get a Thai cat, and she’ll become a true friend who’s always happy when you come home.
