Siamese cats make wonderful pets for large and small families. They are talkative, intelligent, and friendly, often getting along with children and other pets. They are also healthy cats with a long lifespan, often reaching 20 years. However, it can be challenging to find a breeder, and they can be expensive, causing many pet owners to look for alternatives. If this sounds like you, keep reading as we list several cat breeds similar to the Siamese and tell you a little about them to see if they would work in your home.
How Is the Siamese Cat Breed Classified?
All cat breeds, including the Siamese, are classified based on specific characteristics and standards that distinguish one from another. These classifications typically consider various factors, including physical appearance, coat color, hair length, body shape, and temperament. For example, the Siamese breed is known for their distinctive almond-shaped blue eyes, slender body, and color-pointed coat. Cat breed associations like The International Cat Association and the Cat Fanciers’ Association are important in establishing and maintaining breed standards. They provide guidelines and criteria for classifying and recognizing different breeds.
The 9 Cat Breeds That Look Like Siamese Cats
1. Balinese
Origin: | Descended from Siamese |
Lifespan: | 15–20 years |
Height: | 9–10 inches |
The Balinese cat is similar to the Siamese, with the same color pattern and a similarly slender body. They also tend to be vocal and affectionate. However, they tend to have a darker color on the ears, face, paws, and tail, and they have long fur. They originated in the United States in the 1950s as a long-haired variant of the Siamese. Breeders created them through selective breeding of Siamese cats carrying a recessive long-hair gene.
2. Oriental Shorthair
Origin: | Descended from Siamese |
Lifespan: | 12–15 years |
Height: | 8–10 inches |
Oriental Shorthair cats share many similarities with Siamese cats. They have slender bodies and exhibit the same color points on their ears, faces, paws, and tails but can also have other patterns and colors. Both breeds are known for their vocal and social personalities and friendly nature, making them great family pets.
3. Javanese
Origin: | Siamese and Balinese hybrid |
Lifespan: | 12–15 years |
Height: | 8–10 inches |
Like the Siamese, Javanese cats often have striking color points on their ears, faces, paws, and tails, and this coat pattern is the main similarity between the two breeds. They are also social and affectionate like the Siamese, but they are also available in more colors and coat patterns, and they have longer fur that requires more frequent grooming.
4. Tonkinese
Origin: | Siamese and Burmese hybrid |
Lifespan: | 12–16 years |
Height: | 8–10 inches |
Tonkinese cats have the color-point fur pattern but are available in more colors. They are outgoing, playful, and affectionate like the Siamese, with the biggest visual difference being eye color and shape.
5. Snowshoe
Origin: | Siamese and American Shorthair hybrid |
Lifespan: | 12–16 years |
Height: | 8–10 inches |
Snowshoe cats share the Siamese color-pointed coat pattern and have a similar body style. They are affectionate, social, and vocal, but the unique white markings on their paws on their face set them apart. They are also a relatively new breed that got started in the 1960s, while the Siamese breed is ancient.
6. Himalayan
Origin: | Siamese and Persian hybrid |
Lifespan: | 12–15 years |
Height: | 8–10 inches |
Himalayan cats look similar to Siamese cats but have longer fur and are available in more colors. They also have flatter and rounder faces but are just as friendly and outgoing as the Siamese breed and make wonderful pets.
7. Seychellois
Origin: | Siamese and Persian hybrid |
Lifespan: | 12–15 years |
Height: | 8–10 inches |
Seychellois cats look similar to Siamese cats but come from Seychellois islands, where they get their name. You can find them in more colors than the Siamese, and they tend to have more white markings on their face, paws, and belly, which can contrast with the color-point pattern.
8. Thai Cat
Origin: | The ancestors of the modern Siamese breed |
Lifespan: | 12–16 years |
Height: | 8–10 inches |
Thai cats are similar to Siamese cats and result from breeders attempting to create a cat similar to the traditional Siamese, which has changed over many years of breeding. Thai cats are larger, with rounder features and more color options, but can have the color-point coat. They are friendly and vocal and form strong bonds with their owners.
9. Birman
Origin: | Burma |
Lifespan: | 12–16 years |
Height: | 8–11 inches |
Birman cats are similar to Siamese cats in personality and can also have a color-point coat. However, this breed has longer fur, is usually cream or fawn colored, and has a rounder face and a more muscular body. They are gentle and loving cats with deep blue eyes.
Summary
Quite a few breeds are similar to the Siamese cat, especially in appearance, with many having the color-point fur pattern that results in a light-colored body with a darker color on the face, tail, and legs. Some breeds, like the Balinese, Oriental Shorthair, and Tonkinese have Siamese ancestors and can closely resemble them. One of the biggest advantages of these alternatives is that most are available in many more colors and patterns than you can find on the Siamese, so you have more options without losing out on the friendly, outgoing, and vocal personality that many people want in a cat.
Featured Image Credit: Dasha Trofimova, Shutterstock