According to legend,
the king of Siam owned Siamese
cats who were trained to roam
the palace and jump on the back of intruders.

The cats played an important role
in guarding the temple, and
their role in the transmigration of souls
was even more important.
It was believed that the soul
of someone who died
lived on in the body of a
sacred cat for a period
of time before going on to
total perfection in
the next life.

The dark mark on the back
of a Siamese cat's neck is
said to have been left
by the touch of a god who reached down to
pick up the cat.

Siamese cats were treasured among
the wealthy and titled
Owners kept them inside to
protect them, and they rarely allowed
an unaltered cat to leave the country.
Not surprisingly, legends about
the Siamese cat abound.
One myth is that they
developed crossed eyes after
staring long and hard at the
Buddha's gold goblet. Another
is that the Siamese cat's
tail is kinked because she knotted
it to remember something.
One more is that one of the duties of the
Siamese was to hold the queen's rings while
she bathed and the cats kinked
their tails to hold the rings on.

The first known record of a Siamese cat in America
was reported to be a gift to President
Rutherford B. Hayes.

Siamese have been one of the more popular
breeds of cats for quite some time.
Though their popularity waned in
the 1950's, there have always
been many people who admire
this wonderful cat.

The Siamese cat is extremely intelligent,
playful, and very vocal. They will
answer, when talked to, in a voice
that is loud and demanding.
They are one of the most loving
cats I have ever seen.
Siamese seem to be very selective
about the people they associate
with. They almost have the personality
of a guard dog when it comes to strangers.