How Long Do Siamese Cats Live? Know The Truth Here

Siamese cats are known for their beautiful coat and blue eyes. They are often described as having a “personality of their own.”

Siamese cats have lean figures, distinct vocalization, playful nature, amazing blue eyes, and point coloration that made them one of the popular cat breeds. The world appreciated them for these distinct features.

While all these sound convincing to take home a Siamese cat right away, some would still want to know how far and long they will be around.

If you are wondering how long Siamese cats live, you’ve come to the right place.

We’ll tackle all about Siamese cats’ lifespan and everything you will love about them.

Life Expectancy of a Siamese Cat

The average lifespan of a domestic cat lies between 10 to 20 years, however, different breeds have entirely dissimilar life expediencies.

In particular, Siamese cats can live at least 15 years and may carry on until their early 20s.

Proper care like regular visits to the vet, routine checkups and examinations, interventions, good nutrition, and a happy and healthy lifestyle contributes to their long life.

The Siamese Cat

Now that we know how long a Siamese cat can live, let’s find out more about this breed. Understanding their breed is the first step in contributing to their longevity.

Siamese cats – the beautiful, blue-eyed, fur ball is one of the most sophisticated-looking cat breeds.

Their strongly slender body shape and stunning white body with dark markings at all the right places make you want to take that camera and make a model out of the cat.

This breed is one of the first breeds that is distinctly recognized as Asian. They come from the Wichianmat landrace –classified among the numerous varieties of cat that are native to China and brought to Thailand which was at that time “Siam,” thus the term “Siamese.”

You must have seen the most iconic portrayal of Wichienmaat(Siamese cat), from the classic film The Lady and The Tramp.

Their features are very distinct in that it lets them stand out among other cat breeds.

Siamese cats’ light fur range from white to cream color. As they mature, their light hair can darken a tad bit.

They have an elongated, muscular, and slender body that has dark parts which are called points. These points include their face, ears, and their extremities.

What Affects The Siamese Cats’ Life Expectancy?

Asian cat breeds, in particular, the Siamese tend to have a longer life than most breeds.

They can live up to 20 years and even more if provided with the right conditions and proper care.

The oldest that a Siamese cat lived and got recorded was that of Scooter – a tomcat who lived up to the age of 30 and held a Guinness Book of World Records.

Some other factors that have effects on the Siamese cat’s lifespan include breed, genetics, whether they are outdoor or indoor cats, and their overall health.

Breed

Generally, purebred cats have a propensity to live shorter than crossbreds. They are more susceptible to ailments because of the many years of selective breeding.

Based on the study of the Royal Veterinary College, purebred’s lifespan averages at 12.5 years, while that of crossbreds is 14 years.

Genetics

As with most living creatures, the Siamese cat’s longevity can be largely established by their genetics.

If the parents live a long life, expect the kitten to likely be the same. Sadly, along with the genetics that can be passed on to kittens are diseases like heart disease and asthma.

Environment

Outdoor cats are at a greater risk than indoor cats. Their longevity is affected by the dangers they are exposed to the outside like car accidents, pollution, diseases, and animal attacks. Statistics show that the majority of death in cats are caused by car accidents.

Overall Health

Perhaps, the biggest aspect that influences the cat’s lifespan is its overall health. Wichianmats, by nature, are healthy cats.

Then again, as most pets do, this breed requires regular checkups with the veterinarian.

Common Health Issues Among Siamese Cats

Overall health is the biggest factor in a Siamese cat’s lifespan. As they grow, they may develop health problems that can shorten their existence. Some of the most common health problems in your cats are:

Amyloidosis

This genetic disease is prevalent in Siamese cats more than in any other cat breed. It occurs when a substance of folded proteins, amyloids gets dumped throughout different parts of the body.

It damages the normal cells and can lead to serious problems like liver disease and internal bleeding.

Cancers

One of the top causes of death in middle-aged and older cats is cancer. Siamese cats are among the number of breeds that suffer from it.

The most common type of cancer that attacks this breed is Lymphoma, wherein the body forms abnormally high amount of white blood cells.

Another type of cancer that is common in Siamese cats is adenocarcinoma. This type causes the growth of the tumor around the intestines.

As the tumor gets bigger, it restricts the natural flow of the digestive tract and leads to various complications.

Asthma

As deadly as it is to humans, asthma causes chronic inflammation of the cat’s respiratory tract and could be fatal for them too. In an asthma attack, your cat may have difficulty or impossibility to breathe.

Behavioral Disorders

Siamese cats are highly sociable and it is a must for their breeds. If they do not get to mingle with others, they experience depression and other behavioral disorders.

Extremely stressed-out cats may develop compulsive disorders like psychogenic alopecia where they often overgroom themselves leaving bald patches in different parts of the body.

Conclusion

The Siamese cats we live with have been around for more than 10 years. The longer I’ve ever lived with any cats.

From my experience and based on my fellow cat lovers who own a Siamese cat, it appears to be true – that they tend to live longer than most breeds.

The most important thing, whether you have a Siamese cat or a different cat breed, is to make sure we give them the love and attention they need to ensure a longer life.

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