Siamese Temperament

No wonder Kiko loved riding on my dad's shoulder! Now that I've read extensively about the Siamese breed, it is reported that "they delight in riding on their owner's shoulders." The Siamese cats are active, and their minds seem to be whirling with activity. If they do not have a playmate, they will create one out of anything. Height beckons a flight up or down; they delight in jumping and have been seen to leap five feet (!) in any direction with ease. They demand attention and affection, and most will sleep under the covers with their head on the pillow as close to you as possible. Achoo!

Fan Tee Cee

Some believe that the Siamese breeders were greedy in their desire to obtain that "certain look." In the 1960s and 1970s if the cat had that look it most probably had a cat named Fan Tee Cee in its background. Tee Cee was reportedly the Siamese that changed the whole concept of the Siamese. He abruptly appeared on the show scene in the early 1960s and blew every other Siamese clear out of the field. His head and body were very long; his eyes were almond-shaped; his coat was short. Some judges and breeders could not stand his extreme look, while others longed for it. To have Tee Cee in their cats' pedigrees was good; a double-up of Tee Cee was even better. The risk is always high, in doubling up, of bringing two unwanted recessive genes together. And the more inbreeding, the more chances of offspring becoming smaller and smaller.

Siamese Origins

The Siamese cat is reported to have originated in Siam (Thailand). Old paintings show a cat with darker color on the ears, face, paws and tail. There were large classes of Siamese shown in the U.S. in the 1960s. The large Cat Fancier's Association show in Houston, TX, quite often had as many as 65 to 70 Siamese. This is not true in the 1980s in the U.S. Eight or ten Siamese are considered a large class; two or three is an average entry for most shows. What happened?

Remembering Kiko

Kiko, a beautiful female Siamese, was one of our family's first cats when I was growing up. She was pretty, and she knew it. Her coloring was tan and chocolate, and her little face had the exotic look of the Siamese breed. She favored my Dad, and would hold out for him when it came time for jumping up onto his shoulder and looking smugly down at us. She outlived him, and when he died, her affections were transferred to my mom.

More Allergy Advice

Cat Fancy's May 2007 issue suggests that to further prevent allergen collection, experts recommend replacing curtains and drapes with blinds, verticals or solid shades. (already have those) "Make the home easier to keep clean," says James M. Seltzer, an Oceanside, Calif-based allergist and chairman of the Indoor Allergy Committee of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. He suggests replacing carpet with hardwood or tile flooring (have that), minimizing upholstered furiture (forget that) throughout the home, and using throw rugs that are washed easily. Above all, keep bedrooms off-limits to cats--aha--there's my plan! My house is tiled but has carpeting in the bedrooms, and shades on the windows. I'm going to try to clear Gigi out of my bedroom and see if that helps. The problem is not keeping her out at night, but during the day. Her princess pillow is on the windowsill in there. . . and I don't know if I have the heart to move it.

Allergy Answers

Well, it may be difficult, but possible to keep Gigi out of my bedroom. But there are some other things I can do to minimize my discomfort. Cat Fancy's May 2007 issue reports that one of the easiest solutions may be giving your cat a bath(!) Researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis say that regular baths have been proven to reduce Fe1 d1 amounts in a cat's skin and pelt.
Well, I don't think it would be so easy to give Gigi a bath. . .unless of course I hire someone else to do it. William Ambler, owner of a pet grooming salon in California says that many of his allergic clients gain relief from having their pets groomed and bathed regularly. Something to consider I suppose.

Banned from the Bedroom

I'm thinking about banning Gigi from my bedroom, since I am allergic. However, according to Cat Fancy's May 2007 issue, cat allergens are sticky, adhering to walls, bedding and other surfaces. And, allergens accumulate over time. Carpet (which I have) and upholstered furniture are reservoirs for pet allergens where, according to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, they can remain for weeks. What's an allergic person to do?

The Cat Allergy Culprit

The cat allergy culprit is a protein that cats produce naturally. It is invisible to the naked eye. For the most part, the protein spreads freely about the house attached to tiny particles of skin flakes, or dander, which cats shed while grooming themselves. Medical science calls the allergen Fel d1.
"The allergen is found in cats' saliva, on their pelts and in their skin," says James Sublett, clinical professor of Allergy and Immunology in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Louisville School of Medicine. "One problem in particular is that it's a small allergen, something like two microns in size."
Sublett uses the analogy of ping-pong balls vs. basketballs. "The bigger balls fall out of the air and settle," he says, "but imagine a fan hitting a bunch of ping-pong balls and blowing them all around. Cat allergens stay in the air." Thus, he says, some people can be deathly allergic to cats but not to dogs, because the dog allergen is heavier. (Courtesy Cat Fancy, May 2007)

Magnetic Cats

How are cats able to detect these earthquakes? "Animals can detect the change in the Earth's magnetic field," geologist Jim Berkland explains. "Nearly every animal has the mineral magnetite in its body; before an earthquake, the magnetic field gets distorted." The magnetite allows animals to detect changes in the Earth's magnetic field. When this happens, cats and other animals realize something wrong will happen. Many cats and dogs flee. (Sounds sort of out there, doesn't it?) (Courtesy of Cat Fancy, June 2007)

Cats Help Predict California Earthquakes

Geologist Jim Berkland has predicted earthquakes in California for the last 30 years. His work is chronicled in the book, "The Man Who Predicts Earthquakes," by Cal Orey. Berkland believes the alignment of the moon and Earth affects tidal waves, movement in the Earth's crust and magnetic fields. Berkland also observes the behavior of cats and dogs: specifically, the number of lost cats and dogs listed in local newspapers. He claims that for thousands of year, people in China successfully predited earthquakes based on the behavior of animals before the quakes. Berkland's first prediction involving cats occurred in 1980.
"On Nov. 7, 1980, there were 14 missing cat ads, the most of the whole year. There are usually 3 or 4 missing cat ads," he says. Based on that and other factors, Berkland predicted a 7.4 magnitude earthquake. Within days there was a 7.4 earthquake in Eureka, Calif. Since then Berkland allegedly predicted more than 25 earthquakes based on missing cat and dog ads. (Courtesy of Cat Fancy, June 2007)

Kitty's Own Washroom

Another holiday cat gift is the "cat washroom." It's a cabinet that holds a litterbox. Here's what the ad says-- "Excellent way of hiding the litterbox--clever design. It easily could match a person's room decor without standing out." (But do odors get trapped inside the cabinet?) It's offered by Merry Products, Corp, for $99.99. (Courtesy of Cat Fancy, December 2007)

Lazy Feedings

Pillar Pet Products, Inc. advertises a Perfect Petfeeder--a programmable feeder that doles out the amount of food at the mealtimes you set it to. Here's what they say--"The only way our intuitive, "no manual required", programming interface could be any easier is if it could read your mind. In less than a minute, you will have the Perfect Petfeeder programmed and ready to dispense the precise meal portions you want, when you want. Just as important, adjusting the program is a snap. Our patent pending Quick Change feature allows you to adjust all meal amounts in seconds. There's an option for a pleasant meal chime, and you can enter into "suspend mode" to temporarily stop its daily operation while retaining all program settings." The cost is $499.95. Hmm. $500 dollars for automatic feedings... (Courtesy of Cat Fancy, December 2007)