For decades, people have been fascinated by the colorpoint fur of Siamese cats. Hailing from Thailand, this beautiful Asian cat breed is also popular for its sleek physique and piercing blue eyes. It is really not surprising that so many cat fanciers count the Siamese among their top favorites.
While a typical Siamese has dark-colored paws, a distinctive mask, and a cream-colored body, did you know that there are many different Siamese coat colors? From the solid color points like chocolate, to the tortie and tabby variations, there is sure to be a Siamese cat color that will captivate everyone’s heart.
So, what are some of the popular Siamese cat colors? Let us find out!
How many Siamese cat colors are there?
You might have recognized a Siamese cat because of its color points. Unlike the other parts of the cat’s body, these points are a darker shade, and are visible around the paws, face, ears, and tail. All purebred Siamese cats have the same coat pattern; just their coloration varies.
In total, there are 32 known Siamese cat colors and patterns. This includes the seal point, chocolate, lilac, fawn, caramel, red, cream, tortie, and tabby variations. However, not all color variations are recognized by the US and UK cat registries. Different organizations may have different classifications of a Siamese. So, if you are planning to purchase a purebred Siamese cat, it would be best to check with your local cat registry whether the colors of your chosen kitten are officially recognized.
Common Siamese cat colors
1. Seal point
The seal point is considered the classic Siamese cat color that we are all probably familiar with. Typically, a seal point Siamese will have dark brown or black hues on its face, ears, paws and tail. In fact, this is the darkest Siamese colorpoint. Siamese cats with seal point coats are originally black, but due to their genetic coding, the dark color only appears on their extremities while the rest of their body is covered in cream-colored fur.
2. Chocolate point
Compared with the seal point, a Siamese with chocolate point coloring is lighter, like milk chocolate. The body is mostly ivory or creamy white, while their points are chocolate brownish. This lighter shading creates the perfect contrast between their body, their points, and their hypnotizing eyes. You will also notice that a chocolate point Siamese has a pinkish-cinnamon colored nose and paw pads.
3. Blue point
Blue point Siamese cats have a bluish-white hue to their fur. Their ears, face, tail, and paws have slate or silvery dark-gray hues, which perfectly contrast their light-colored coat. Some fading shades of blue are also visible on the cat’s chest, belly, and backside.
4. Lilac point
Also referred to as ‘frost point’, the lilac point coloring is considered the lightest. The points do not contain colors like fawn, chocolate, or blue; they are mostly glacial white without any actual shade. This Siamese color has a frosty, pinkish-gray tone, hence its name, ‘frost point’.
What makes lilac point Siamese extra cute is their soft, pinkish paw pads and noses. Overall, these kitties are like pale versions of blue and chocolate points. Unlike the other Siamese colors, the lilac point coat will likely retain its light color as the cat ages.
Other popular Siamese cat colors
1. Tortie point
Siamese cats with tortie points are mostly females. These cats are a beautiful combination of black and red hues that form flecked or mottled points similar to those of a tortoiseshell. The tortie mix was not originally recognized as a purebred Siamese until 1966, when the cat was finally granted a breed number.
2. Red point
Also known as a flame point or fire tip Siamese, the red point Siamese cat is a mix between a red tabby and a tortoiseshell. These cats are undeniably beautiful, thanks to their reddish-gold points and warm white body fur. Their paw pads and noses are tinged with pink, which perfectly matches their fire points and white coats.
3. Cinnamon point
The cinnamon point Siamese can look like the paler version of the chocolate point due to its warm, rusty-brown colors. The legs are light-colored while the body is covered in ivory fur. You might also notice the rims around their eyes are cinnamon, while the paw pads are tinged with a pink or cinnamon-brown color.
4. Lynx point
The lynx point Siamese has a somewhat wild appearance, thanks to its pointy ears, piercing blue eyes, and tabby-patterned points. These traits are inherited from its domestic tabby and seal point parents. Lynx point cats can come in a variety of colors, including cream lynx, seal lynx, lilac lynx, seal tortie lynx, blue lynx, red lynx, and chocolate lynx.
5. Caramel point
The caramel point is one of the newly-recognized color variations of this breed. The unique coat color comes in two versions – lilac-based and the blue-based. Both of these were the result of the dilute modifier gene which appeared in the gene pool at the same time the tabby points were developed. Kittens usually have blue or lilac points that gradually turn into a brownish overtone as they grow into adult cats.
6. Cream point
The cream point Siamese is a mix between Siamese, red domestic shorthair, and Abyssinian cats. As the name suggests, its body is covered in delicate white fur while the paw pads and nose leather have a soft, pinkish color.
7. Apricot point
The most distinctive feature of the apricot point Siamese is its creamy-white points with a slight metallic sheen. The cat’s legs and feet are paler in color, while the other points like the tail, ears and mask are slightly darker. As the cat becomes more mature, the apricot color points become darker as well. You might also notice their nose leather, paw pads, and ears developing freckles.
8. Fawn point
A fawn point Siamese is an adorable variety of this breed featuring a magnolia-colored coat with soft, rose-pink or mushroom points. The paw pads and nose are mostly pinkish-gray, while the legs are either of the same color tone or slightly paler.
9. Tabby point
If you love the popular tabby coat pattern, then you are in luck, as Siamese cats can have tabby points, too! But, unlike on a typical tabby cat, the striped pattern is only found on the mask with the ‘M’ marking, on the ears, legs, and tail. The rest of their body is one of the Siamese primary colors.
The tabby point also comes in several solid and tortie varieties, such as the seal and seal tortie tabby, blue and blue tortie tabby, apricot and apricot tortie tabby, chocolate and chocolate tortie tabby, and lilac and lilac tortie tabby.
10. Fawn tortie point
Siamese cats with fawn tortie points are expected to have light, rosy mushroom points with an off-white coat color. Their pale, warm-colored points often look like a lighter version of the cinnamon tortie point.
11. Caramel tortie point
Caramel tortie points have shades of apricot or brownish-blue on the legs, tail, ears, and mask that contrast the off-white color of their coats.
12. Cinnamon tortie point
On a cinnamon tortie point Siamese, you will see points of a cinnamon brown shade with a tinge of red. The overall body coat color is ivory, which may or may not have some shading.
13. Foreign white
A foreign white Siamese will have most of the popular features of the cat breed, except for its all-white fur without any color patterns. The unusual coat color is attributed to the cat’s dominant white gene, which removes the other shades from the coat. The foreign white cat will also retain its pure white color as it ages, without developing the primary point colors of a Siamese.
What is the rarest Siamese cat color?
The foreign white Balinese is considered the rarest type of Siamese cat. This cat breed is a mix of the genetically-modified white-coat Siamese and a long-haired Balinese, both of which are extremely rare.
Are there gray Siamese cats?
Yes, gray Siamese cats exist and they are called frost point or lilac point Siamese. A cat having this color tends to have a light gray tone. One might also see a pinkish tone on their gray points, making it a dilute version of the chocolate point Siamese.
Conclusion
Siamese cats can come in many different color points. While the seal, chocolate, lilac, and blue are the most popular and classical colors of the Siamese breed, there are also gorgeous variations like the tortie and tabby patterns that can make a Siamese stand out from the rest. If you want a pure Siamese, we recommend first checking the recognized colors of the breed in your country.
Image: istockphoto.com / ahloch