Thai Cat

• Thai Cat size: Medium-sized (between 30 and 35 centimeters at the withers)
• Classification: short-haired cat
• Color: Seal Point, Chocolate Point, Blue Point, Lilac Point are generally recognized
• Body care: Wipe with a soft brush or damp leather
• Character: They are intelligent and don’t like being alone. They are friendly and open-minded, people-loving and want affection.
• Thai Cat Origin: Thailand
• Weight: between 3 and 4.5 kilograms (female) or 4 and 5 kilograms (male)
• Eyes: oval eyes, exclusively blue
• Life expectancy: 15 to 17 years
• Nutrition: Species-appropriate food with a high meat content.

Thai Cat origin and history

The ancestor of the modern Thai cat is the so-called “Wichienmaat” (“moon diamond”), a breed of cat that has been around in the area of ??present-day Thailand for at least 700 years. The Wichienmaat has a natural point color and comes in many different shades. In the famous cat book “Tamra Maew” – a historical collection of writings created over several centuries – such velvet paws are called “jewel cats”. According to tradition, their fur is described as cotton-colored and only the point variants that are explicitly mentioned there were traditionally bred.

Starting from this “original” Thai cat, the establishment of a type of cat that we now know as the “Siamese cat” began around 200 years ago. In the 19th century, the first of these exotic cats reached Europe and the USA, where systematic breeding was established. Over time, breeders promoted physical characteristics in the Siamese cat that differ significantly from the original type. The Siamese cat is more graceful and slimmer than the Wichienmaat, has a more wedge-shaped head and a lower ear base.

Genotypically

Today, a distinction is made between the “modern” Siamese and the “traditional” Thai cat. Genotypically, both cat lines are identical, but their appearance shows noticeable differences, particularly in the head area. While Siamese cats became increasingly “angular”, long-legged and slimmer over time through breeding, breeders from around the 1960s onwards tried to make the animals look more like their historical counterparts: rounder, more muscular and more compact. Only the colors and the point markings were retained.

In the 1990s, a breeder in the USA presented the renewed “traditional Siamese cat” at exhibitions as “Thai”. However, not all pedigree cat associations recognize the Thai cat as a separate breed. Instead, the new, actually old type is listed as a “subspecies” of the Siamese cat. The Thai cat is recognized as an independent cat breed by WCF (World Cat Federation), EGCA (European Group Cat Association eV), WACC (World Association of Cat Clubs), LOOF (Livre Officiel des Origines Félines), TICA (The International Cat Association) and FIFe (Fédération Internationale Féline).

Character

The Thai cat cannot hide its close relationship with the Siamese cat : it is stubborn and temperamental, but at the same time affectionate and demands a lot of attention. If it does not get this, it will make its displeasure clear and can be very loud. It tends to be dominant and is notable for its strong assertiveness and “possessive” nature.

The Thai cat is a sensitive, affectionate little creature that seems downright “dog-like” in its relationship with people and is very fixated on its chosen “can opener”. Some people compare the pedigree cat to a small child that never leaves their side and chatters incessantly. The Thai cat usually has no problems with children and dogs in the household.

The beautiful point cat is always curious and open-minded: she examines everything that is unknown in detail and examines it in a “professional cat” manner. She is extremely adept at this: she quickly finds out how to open doors, for example. With a little patience, some Thai cats even walk on a leash and accompany their owners on walks outside.

Keeping and caring for the Thai cat

There are no known hereditary diseases in Thai cats as a result of overbreeding, but there are certain predispositions to diseases that affect point cats in general. These include strabismus (squinting) and nystagmus (eye twitching), both caused by a lack of melanin as a result of albinism.

Siamese cats are prone to a number of breed-specific diseases, including heart, kidney, eye and fat storage diseases. The close relationship between the two lines may also increase your Thai’s predisposition to these diseases. If your Thai stays healthy, its life expectancy is around 16 years.

Caring for the Thai cat’s short coat will not be a big effort: it is enough to brush its fur once a week with a rubber brush. Alternatively, you can use a slightly damp piece of leather. Since the Thai cat has hardly any undercoat, it reacts sensitively to cold and damp weather. A life as an outdoor cat is therefore not recommended for this breed of cat in our latitudes.

Alternatively, your Thai cat needs opportunities to let off steam indoors: it particularly likes climbing opportunities. Fast-paced hunting and hide-and-seek games also suit the temperament of this clever furry friend.

Colors of the Thai Cat

The Thai cat, like its counterpart, the Siamese cat, is a point cat. The permitted colors and markings are identical in both breeds. The “pointing” is a mutation that leads to what is known as “partial albinism.” The cat’s actual base color is shown on the mask, ears, legs, and tail. In the rest of the body, a metabolic disorder means that the enzyme responsible for the formation of color pigments only functions poorly. This enzyme also reacts with the cat’s body heat and causes the coloring on the slightly cooler parts of the body.

There are a number of possible point colors among Thai cats – however, only four of them are recognized in the breed standard: Seal Point (black base color), Blue Point (“diluted” black), Chocolate Point (chocolate brown), and Lilac Point (“diluted” brown).

Other variants such as Cream Point, Red Point, Fawn Point, Cinnamon Point, Apricot Point and Caramel Point are not accepted in most standards. The special variant “Foreign White” (pure white) is also not recognized.

The body color of the Thai cat ranges from ice gray to ivory to cream and bluish white. In addition to solid colors, there are also tabby, tortoiseshell and “torbie” (a tabby-tortoiseshell combination) patterns. However, these are only noticeable on the points.