1936 History of the Siamese Cats in America

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History of the Siamese Cats in America

By Mrs. Martin K. Metcalf MAY,1936

At least two and perhaps three centuries of history is back of the royal sacred Siamese cats. In Siam the Siamese cat is both royal and sacred, dwelling in the palaces of the little country and also in its temples. More than a half century ago the first Siamese cats were brought to England . The change of climate caused a high rate of mortality among the first arrivals and it was a number of years before either the imported Siamese or their offspring gained a foothold in England .

The first Siamese cat imported to the United States came from England shortly after 1890 and most of the imported Siamese cats brought to this country since that time have come from England, although there are a few which have been imported directly from Siam.

This first Siamese cat of which there is any record, and this record is not complete, in the United States was bred by Lady Marcus Beresford, in England and was imported by a Chicago cat fancier.

However, it was many years before the Siamese cat became widely enough known in the United States to figure in the shows. The first Siamese champions listed by the Cat Fanciers' Association are Ch. Siam de. Paris , owned by Miss Jane Cathcart of Oradell, N. J. and Ch. Romeo Ananda, owned by Mrs. H. G. Dykehouse of Grand Rapids , Mich. in 1908 and 1909. Next came Ch. Lady Sonia and Ch. Burnham Chang, both owned by Mrs. F. Y. Mathis of Greenwich , Conn.

How slowly the Siamese took hold at first in this country is shown by the fact in 1909 the C. F. A. stud book contained the names of but two Siamese cats and the following volume contained only one Siamese registration. The next volume, however, has five registered, three of them from California , indicating perhaps that the Siamese was coming in from his native country through the Golden Gate, as well as from England .

Even as late as about 15 years ago, a Siamese cat owned by Mrs. Dykehouse traveled round to a number of midwest cat shows advertised as the "$5,000 Royal Sacred Siamese Cat," its owner in this way helping a number of shows to make expenses from the paid admission fees of persons who came to the show to see this unusual animal.

However, from these somewhat slow beginnings, the Siamese cat has gained rapidly in popularity and, although still not as numerous as the Persians, has made a distinct place for itself in the cat fancy. From two Siamese registered by the C. F. A. in 1909, there were 167 Siamese cats registered in 1934, 25 years later.

Following Mrs. Dykehouse and Mrs. Mathis as breeders of Siamese cats was Mrs. H. E. Naatz of the Siamese Star Cattery of Cleveland, Ohio, who imported and bred many famous Siamese cats. Included in these were Imp. Ch. Siamese Star Prince Favo and Imp. Ch. Siamese Star Miskin of Petaling. One of Mrs. Naatz' Siamese cats, Ch. Siamese Star of Adamins, a blue point, was judged best cat in the all-breed show at Detroit in 1925.

Next to establish Siamese catteries were Mrs. Karl B. Norton and Mrs. E. B. Bearden, which brings the Siamese cat down to the last few years when a number of Siamese catteries have been established in the United States and a few in Canada.

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