Thai cat: history of the breed, character, care

Origin story

Thai cats are close relatives of Siamese cats.
A breed similar in appearance was first described in the 14th-15th centuries, in ancient manuscripts about cats, and it was called Vichien Mae. According to legend, they lived only in the royal chambers, protecting members of the royal family not only from snakes and dangerous rodents, but also from evil spirits. They had an amazing feature: a very dense skin, which contains a minimum of nerve endings, which made them particularly insensitive to bites and wounds. Due to this, the pain threshold was lowered, and the infection did not spread as quickly as in others. Cats were forbidden to be exported outside the state, but once the king of Thailand himself gave a couple of clear-eyed purrs to the British ambassador as a sign of special favor. The kittens created such a sensation that the ruler sent several dozen cats to the British court.

Initially, the breed was called the “Royal Siamese”, but during active breeding work in the 19th century, another breed was developed, differing in body shape, facial features and color. The first standard was drawn up in 1990, and registration with the WCF organization was carried out in 1991.

At the first exhibitions in Leningrad and Moscow, Thai cats were exhibited under the name “Old Siamese”.

Buying a Thai cat

Despite the fact that this is an unusually amazing breed of cats, its breeding is practiced in many breed nurseries located in many regions, especially large ones.

What to pay attention to

When buying a kitten from well-known or little-known breeders, first of all you should pay attention to the appearance of the animal, which is characterized by:

• The color of the coat and its quality.
• Color and set of eyes.
• General characteristics of the structure and proportions of the body.
• The degree of grooming, activity and fatness.

Important point! In any case, regardless of the purpose for which the animal is purchased, you should inquire about the presence of various hereditary diseases, the presence of injuries or surgical interventions, both of the kitten and its parents. It is equally important to obtain information about the vaccination and deworming carried out, also assessing the conditions of detention.

If there are certain defects in the exterior that are transmitted at the genetic level, then such animals will not be able to take part in exhibition shows, as well as in breeding work, although this does not mean that such a kitten cannot become a pet. The presence of special accompanying documents is proof that his breed standards have been confirmed.

Thai cat kitten price

The cost of animals depends on a number of factors, such as:

• Gender, age, and class of the kitten.
• Achievements of his parents.
• From the rarity of its main color.
• From the fame of the nursery and its prestige.

The average cost of purchasing a Thai cat kitten is estimated at $500-700 if you buy the animal from a cattery. If you buy a kitten without documents, although it is known that its parents are purebred Thais, then you will have to pay 300 dollars for it. For 50 dollars you can buy a kitten that is similar to the Thai breed, but there is no documentary evidence of this fact.

Standards

The standard approved twenty years ago is open, which means that any cat that matches its appearance can be classified as a Thai cat. If the registration documents contain 2 expert signatures, the animal is allowed for breeding.

Disadvantages of the breed:

• Too plump cheeks;
• Round eyes;
• Strong slant;
• Long neck (especially in cats);
• Lack of undercoat;
• Coarse or soft wool;
• Stretched body, long legs;
• Wedge-shaped head;
• Noticeable “stop”;
• Angular features of the muzzle and head.

Animals that have:

• Different eye color;
• Long wool;
• White spots on the body, head, paws or tail.

Specifics of tabby point color

Cats with tabby point color are very impressive. In the USA it is better known as links point. Instead of the usual solid points for Thais, the markings on their body are formed by clearly visible stripes, the colors of which can be varied. The name of such a cat always indicates color:

• seal tabby point if the stripes are black;
• blue tabby point with bluish-gray markings;
• red tabby point when they are reddish-gold.

The tabby point color is characterized by a distinct pattern in the form of the letter “M”, into which the stripes on the animal’s forehead are folded. They also cover the fur around the eyes, clearly highlighting the nose. Specks are visible in the mustache area. On the front paws, the markings take the form of torn rings.

They originate from the fingers and head upward. Contrasting stripes clearly appear on the hips. The fur on the hind legs at the back is solid color. It is limited by the hock joint.

The ears are monochromatic; on the outside there is always a light spot on them, reminiscent of a thumbprint. If the animal's color is diluted or weakened, it will be less noticeable. The inside of the ear is lighter. The tail is covered with stripes in the form of unfinished rings. The skin on the nose is pink, outlined by the main color. On the bottom of the paws, its tone matches the color of the markings.

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The Seal Tabby Point color is relatively young, but this Thai cat quickly became popular. In Russia, its appearance coincided with the breeding of the Neva Masquerade. Selection work with Thais in England has been carried out for a long time. Many colors were obtained by the middle of the 20th century. The tabby point was born by chance.

At the end of the 90s, in a nursery in St. Petersburg, where Thai and Siberian cats were bred, a male and a female belonging to different breeds were mated. Her babies turned out to be white, like all Thais, and Siberian.

The owners of the nursery liked the unusual colored stripes on the kittens’ fur. Subsequently, the Seal Point and Seal Tabby Point Siberians formed a new breed - the Neva Masquerade. The tabby color also passed on to the Thais obtained from random crossing. The babies' fur was also different. Their parents had it short and half-long. The offspring turned out the same, but several kittens in the litter turned out to be “downy.”

Colors

There are many varieties of colors:

• Cream: the main color is white, the shading is cream, there are warm-colored points on the tail, muzzle and paws;
• Red: white main, reddish-golden points, apricot shading;
• Fawn: points – light pink, main tone – beige, shade – pink or pale lilac;
• Cinnamon: points – brown, main color – ivory;
• Caramel: points – gray-brown, body colored soft white;
• Gray-brown: body – white, points – pinkish-gray with a slight brown coating;
• Lilac: points – gray with pink, main tone – icy white;
• Milk chocolate color: points – chocolate, main color – ivory;
• Seal Point: The points are dark brown, the body is creamy yellow to light fawn.

In the photo there is a Thai cat of popular colors: cream, chocolate, gray.
The colder it is in the room where the cat lives, the more the color of its coat changes: it becomes darker.

Character and behavior

Smart and quick-witted Thais are not without reason called the “intellectuals” of the cat world. They are open to everything new, explore the world around them with curiosity, and until their death they retain childlike spontaneity and curiosity. And you can’t deny Thai cats a royal sense of dignity. Once in an apartment, Thais will immediately single out that same leader - the dominant member of the family, and will kindly give him most of their attention and generously shower him with affection. The cat will also not ignore the rest of the household, but it will only truly miss its leader when apart.

The talkativeness of Thais is a quality that can be viewed both negatively and positively.

The Thai cat masterfully knows how to convey all his emotions through a whole range of sounds and intonations: he knows how to thank for a delicious dinner, ask to change the tray, swear, rejoice, threaten, talk about what happened during the day each time in his own way. And believe me, this is indescribably funny.

Thais have a keen sense of their owner's mood. Having realized that a loved one is angry or sad, they will act exactly according to the situation: run to him to calm him down or hide further away to wait out the storm.

Which cat's smile walked on its own?

SiameseCheshire

Curious animals will not leave “blank spaces” on the map of their home. Everything will be examined: right down to the space under the bathroom and the piles of dust on the cabinet. Therefore, be prepared for the fact that your cat will either singe its whiskers from the stove, or get its nose pinched by a box, or fall from a height. But such an experience - even if it was painful - does not teach a Thai anything, alas, and he will stubbornly continue to do exactly the same thing.

Thai cats love to watch what is happening on the street from the window. And it’s not easy to watch: it often happens that an animal, trying to catch a bird or a butterfly, falls from a great height and falls to its death. Therefore, either do not open the windows, or install special strong nets in the openings.

Thais love children. Even small ones that can hurt the cat. Thai cats happily play with babies, hiding their claws, and you can leave even very small toddlers with them without fear.

Thais are great at entertaining themselves, but self-sufficiency borders on amazing affection for people. Therefore, the main thing is that he is nearby, then the cat will tolerate both short-term loneliness and a change in life environment.

Gets along well with other cats and dogs, but perceives rodents and birds as prey.

This breed is not recommended for allergy sufferers!

Expert opinion

Dusheba Vera Ivanovna

In 2010, she graduated from the Moscow State Academy of Veterinary Medicine named after K.I. Scriabin with honors, specializing in veterinary medicine. I regularly attend veterinary conferences, congresses, and webinars.

A fussy Thai cat can be calmed down by splashing cool water on it. There is definitely no need to behave aggressively, otherwise the cat will take note of this and begin to repeat after you. Hide valuables, important documents, medicines and wires away, buy your pet new toys from time to time - this will protect your environment from destruction.

History of the breed

The Thai cat breed was first depicted in manuscripts dating back to the 14th century in Bangkok.

At the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th century, it was Siamese cats that had the appearance of the Thais, but the export of the breed from the country and selection led to a change in the appearance - the Siamese had a wedge-shaped head, large ears and high slender paws.

The old type was relegated to the background, but thanks to enthusiasts and lovers of the old-type Siamese, the original breed was preserved and received the name Thai.

In Russia, an amazing animal first appeared as a gift for Nicholas II - the Siamese king Chulalongkorn presented the last emperor with 200 representatives of this breed.

Selection work on breeding Thais began much later - in 1980 - 1990. Currently the breed is closed.

Important! Only those cats that have received a breed confirmation certificate can take part in breeding. If the cat was unable to obtain a certificate, then it cannot be called Thai, but remains only similar to it.

Thais are very friendly towards all family members and towards animals, they always behave with dignity

Care instructions

There are no difficulties in caring for a Thai cat. Kittens get used to the scratching post and litter box instantly, but the curtains are used by little pranksters as swings. It is better to raise it higher at first.

Wool

Thai cats do not need to be brushed frequently. Buy a regular natural bristle brush or mitten, spend 10-15 minutes a week on your cat, and your pet will look quite well-groomed. Remains of fur can be collected with a damp hand.

Bathing

These cats do not like to bathe, so keep the number of procedures to a minimum. If a cat gets into the mud during a walk, before an exhibition or before giving birth - that’s all, enough.

No human shampoos! Only special products for animals: “Bars”, “Clandestine” or any imported shampoo.

Ears

The ears are cleaned weekly by soaking a cotton pad in cool boiled water (or hydrogen peroxide) and removing dirt and lumps of wax from the auricle that have accumulated there. You cannot pour anything inside, otherwise the cat will develop otitis media.

Claws

If your cat walks a lot and climbs trees, she doesn’t need to trim her claws; they grind themselves down just fine. But pets need help with this. Once a week, trim the claws a couple of millimeters, being careful not to touch a blood vessel.

Teeth

Domestic cats often have problems with their teeth. Under natural conditions, cats can clean themselves, but in an apartment they also need the help of their owner. Buy cat paste (for example, Beaphar, Zubastik, Hartz) and a toothbrush (you can also use a piece of gauze wrapped around your finger) at a pet store, and brush your cat’s teeth for 1-2 minutes, using smooth, gentle movements from top to bottom.

If your cat categorically refuses teeth cleaning procedures, or is very afraid, take her to the veterinarian for laser cleaning once a year. And for prevention, drop a special gel into the drinking water, and give cleansing pads or chewing sticks from time to time.

The photo shows kittens of the Thai breed

Caring for Thai cats

Thai cats are a fairly clean breed, so they won’t cause you much trouble keeping them. To care for the fur, you need to purchase a special brush. Brushing your cat once every couple of weeks is enough. Thais do not like to bathe, so only take them into the bathroom if absolutely necessary: ​​when they are very dirty or to prepare for an exhibition.

Feeding these cats is not particularly difficult. Choose high-quality ready-made food or create a menu of natural food if you have time to cook for your cat. However, it is undesirable to give some foods to a Thai cat, as they cause darkening of the fur. These include liver, seafood, algae and iodine.

Catering

Kittens under 4 months of age are fed 4-6 times a day, from 4 to 6 - 3-4 times, over six months - 2 times a day. Food should be fresh, at a comfortable temperature (not from the refrigerator or hot), in sufficient quantities. The same applies to water. Wash bowls daily.

Natural products

Natural food is not everything you eat yourself. Soups and cereals from your table are not suitable.

List of permitted products:

• Dairy products: curdled milk, kefir, sour cream, low-fat cottage cheese, Varenets, hard unsalted cheese, natural yogurt. You can give whole milk, but only if the cat does not have a negative reaction to it: constipation or diarrhea, vomiting.
• Boiled chicken yolk, whole boiled quail eggs.
• Raw or cooked (the first option is preferable) meat: chicken, veal, beef, rabbit, lamb or turkey.
• By-products: chicken necks (ground into minced meat), gizzards, hearts.
• Porridges from the following types of cereals: rice, oatmeal, lentils, buckwheat, millet.
• Stewed or boiled vegetables: carrots, pumpkin, zucchini, broccoli, green salad, asparagus, herbs (dill, parsley).
• Fruits: apples, melons, pears.

Seaweed, liver, iodine and some seafood (shrimp, squid, oysters) are not suitable for Thai cats, as they cause darkening of the coat.

Sprouted wheat (oats) stands apart. A cat needs fresh grass to empty its stomach of fur accumulated there. While licking, the animal swallows a few hairs each time, and if they do not come out, they will turn into a trichobezoar and will cause inconvenience to your pet. When a cat eats grass, it burps and spits out fur.

You cannot give sweet, smoked, salty, spicy, fried, pickled foods. Chocolate, tomatoes, legumes, citrus fruits, eggplants are real poison for cats. Bones, even boiled ones, can pierce the stomach and intestines; lard and fatty meat are difficult and take a long time to digest.

Recommended food

When choosing ready-made food - no matter dry or wet - be guided not by advertising slogans, but by reason. Cheap food, by definition, may not have enough necessary components. Read the ingredients and see for yourself: instead of meat, there is meat waste (only the manufacturers know what is hidden under these), artificial preservatives, and added dyes and flavor enhancers. There are either no minerals, vitamins, real meat and vegetables at all, or their quantity is simply ridiculous. Such feeds belong to the economy and premium groups.

But the food from the super-premium and holistic groups makes a much better impression. Ingredients: dried vegetables, fruits and berries, a sufficient amount of fish and meat, only natural preservatives and no dyes or other dangerous chemical components.

Holistic foods include: Gina Elite, Naturea, Orijen. Super premium food: Arden Grange, Brit Care, Landor.

Below are recommended super-premium and holistic foods. Links with the names of the food are clickable, on them you can, within our website, get acquainted with the descriptions of the food and read reviews from owners of Thai breed cats.

Diseases

Thais, according to statistics, live 15-18 years, but many cases have been recorded where cats lived to be 20 or even 25 years old. They have strong immunity and good heredity, so don’t be afraid of genetic diseases. Exceptions: tail defects and strabismus (the latter can be a temporary problem, a so-called ailment “feature of childhood”, and goes away with growth, or due to severe stress).

But, like any other cat, the Thai is still susceptible to infections, may suffer from worms, and suffers during the spring “rut.” So remember:

1. Don't neglect vaccinations. Even if your pet has never been outside in its life and you don’t plan to take it out. Pathogens can enter the apartment along with the usual food, in water, on the soles of shoes or the edges of clothes, or on dirty hands. Therefore, vaccinate your pet on a regular schedule.
2. Thai cats mature early: at 5 or even 4 months. But this does not mean at all that you need to urgently look for a “groom” or “bride”. Early pregnancy will not benefit the animal, and it will certainly affect the health of the kittens. Wait up to a year.
3. There is also no need to rush into castration and sterilization. In any case, do not rush to put a kitten under the doctor’s knife until it is six months old: both the operation and the healing period are a burden on the body and a certain danger. But waving your hand at the cat, saying, let him yell at himself, is also not a method. Hormonal surges lead to the fact that with age, cats often develop oncology (in particular, mammary glands), and sterilization significantly reduces this risk.

The rest is the same as everyone else. Poor-quality nutrition affects the teeth, gastrointestinal tract, and appearance; excess food causes obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and poor-quality water causes kidney problems.

The lack of a full undercoat makes Thai cats vulnerable in cold weather, so prepare a warm vest or sweater (for walks on cool days). Protect from drafts and dry with a hairdryer after swimming.

Expert opinion

Dusheba Vera Ivanovna

In 2010, she graduated from the Moscow State Academy of Veterinary Medicine named after K.I. Scriabin with honors, specializing in veterinary medicine. I regularly attend veterinary conferences, congresses, and webinars.

When choosing a kitten, make sure that it has a straight, thick tail and fur without white spots, clear eyes, and no runny nose. Thai mother cats are very careful about the hygiene of their children, and if the baby’s tail is clean and dry, then everything is fine with his tummy. Chat with your kitten: if he is active, playful, not afraid of other people's hands and smells, and reaches out with curiosity to new toys and people - everything is fine. Look at the documents: a three-month-old kitten (you can’t adopt him before) must have his first vaccinations.

Hereditary diseases

Like Siamese cats, Thai cats are prone to a number of hereditary diseases, so their health must be carefully monitored. Among the most common diseases are heart disease (congenital), intestinal cancer, allergic bronchitis, strabismus, diabetes mellitus, skin asthenia, hydrocephalus, lung cancer, etc. Breeding cats

Thais mature sexually quite early. At 0.5 years old, the cat begins to ask to see the cat, but this does not mean that she is completely ready to bear offspring. It is advisable to crossbreed no earlier than 1 year and only with representatives of your own breed. Pregnancy lasts 65 days.

Video about the Thai breed

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