Applehead Siamese vs American Curl - Breed Comparison

As the traditional Siamese cats from Siam, now known as Thailand, this ancient breed of cat goes back to 1350AD. It is believed that these Traditional Siamese cats were first exported to the west in the 19th century.

The Applehead is a Siamese cat that looks the way Siamese looked when they were first brought out to the United States in the 19th century. Breeding with other cat breeds is what developed the Applehead Siamese.

The Applehead seal point was also imported to Britain. Breeders have developed other point colors and head shapes by cross-breeding long- and short hairs, but all Siamese are essentially bred from the Applehead seal point.

The American Curl is well known for its unusual shaped ears and for being one of the youngest cat breeds.

It developed in California. The first of these cats appeared to have been strays that arrived in California in 1981. The black female’s name was Shulamith, and she gave birth to a litter with the same curled ears, and was the ancestor of the American Curls of today.

Appearing in a cat show in 1992 for the first time, the longhaired American Curl was then given championship status by TICA and it was also admitted to the Cat Fanciers Association’s championship class in the long- and shorthaired divisions.

There is no denying that the very recognizable Siamese cats are one of the most popular cat breeds there are, known also for being very vocal.

The female Applehead weighs between 3 and 5kg and the male might weight a bit more, as much as 6,8kg.

Siamese cats are all born white but as they mature they develop their deeper color points. There are actually 3 types of Siamese cats, with the Traditional Siamese being known as the Apple Head - the original breed of Siamese.

This particular Siamese is a bit bigger and larger-boned than the modern Siamese, with the body being more muscular and heavier. The head of the cat is fairly round- or apple-shaped with the eyes also being somewhat rounder than other types of cats.

The legs are long and the tail long too and the cat has a fairly short, silky coat.

Temperament:

These cats look intelligent and they are, so much so, that it will be important to present them with lots of toys that make them think and require some skills.

They also love receiving attention from their human owners and although they are also vocal, they don’t talk as much as the modern Siamese cats.

They're curious and playful and don’t like being left alone for too long. They also get on well with children and other pets in the home but are inclined to become more attached to one particular person, wanting to follow their favorite human around.

The American Curl is a medium-sized cat weighing roughly 2.3–4.5kg. Its a cat that stands between 21 and 27cm in height.

It’s also a cat that takes a fairly long time to mature, reaching maturity about 2 or 3 years of age. The most distinctive feature of this cat is its unusual ears that curl backward as opposed to standing up like most other cats. At birth the ears are straight but they gradually start curling back, staying in a tight bud position.

The American Curl's coat is soft and silky and doesn’t require too much grooming. The fur comes in colors such as grey, white, apricot, black, and the coat can be a solid color or in a host of different patterns such as bi-color, triple-color, tabby, ticking and others.

The head is round, the eyes of the cat are large, giving the cat an alert, friendly look. The eyes can be many different colors from blue to green, amber, copper, hazel, and yellow.

Temperament:

The American Curl Cat loves his human family and gets on well with children too. He is an adaptable cat, settling into different lifestyles. You’ve got to watch him around small children who might manhandle him and pull his sensitive ears.

Nonetheless, he is sociable and loving. He is an intelligent cat, being active and alert and will even follow you around to see what you’re doing that he can be involved in too. He isn’t a particularly talkative breed but he loves to play and can even learn to fetch a smallish ball.

Applehead Siamese cats are very friendly and loving pets. They are intelligent and very beautiful too, with their amazing blue eyes.

You will enjoy their friendship as they are prepared to become totally devoted to you, and of course, your playful cat will provide you with lots of laughs and entertainment too. The Applehead Siamese is known to make a splendid pet for you and once you've owned one, you'll think twice before getting another cat breed.

You’ll find your American Curl to be a friendly, loving cat that will easily bond with his human family. They’re adaptable cats and will happily adjust to your lifestyle.

Despite their affection, however, American Curls aren't the type of cats to want to be pampered and petted - they are quite happy just to sit next to their owner and relax, or play with their toys.

Because American Curls are highly adaptable, they're suitable for a number of different home types, and homes with other pets or children, making you a splendid feline pet and companion.

These are a healthy breed of cat and they have always been known to live longer than the modern Siamese cats.

With good care they can live to be up to 20 to 25 years of age. Good nutrition and a loving environment can help to eliminate diseases that the Siamese might have to endure. Some of these can be a blockage in the stomach, skin cancer, feline diabetes, hip dysplasia, and disrupted visual pathway which causes a squint.

This is a healthy breed of cat that with good care can reach 9 – 15 years of age.

You need to be careful with their ears – perhaps damaging the cartilage if you brush him too hard.

Like many cats, the Curl is susceptible to ear issues so always be sure to check and clean your cat’s ears weekly.

Diet:

These cats have special nutritional needs and you want to be aware that obesity is a growing problem with modern-day cats. Make sure your Applehead has a healthy diet to maintain a healthy weight so that he keeps his lithe, lean looks.

You might want to try a little bit of homemade food to enhance your Siamese cat's commercial food which is a mix of top quality meat-based wet- and dry food. You can speak to your vet about feeding your Applehead Siamese because you want to know which food is best for such a cat.

These days the best cat food manufacturers make sure that their cat foods are made up of tasty ingredients such as real chicken and whole brown rice formulated with the right balance of vitamins and minerals to meet the dietary needs of every cat breed and the season of life they are in.

Grooming:

Because of the Siamese cat’s short hair with no undercoat, the cat requires less brushing than other cats.

The Curl’s coat can be either short or long, but with a gentle brushing, the coat can be well maintained. The shorthaired variety sheds a bit more during the year than the longhaired variety and this is why grooming and brushing becomes necessary.

You can brush your cat’s teeth to avoid periodontal disease.

Trim your cat’s nails every other week if they don’t wear down naturally.

Check inside- and outside the cat’s ears for parasites and dirt. The cat’s ears have a unique shape and they may well be born with narrowed ear canals that can trap dirt and wax and this results in ear infections.

Like all cats breeds, your lean, muscular American Curl can be susceptible to obesity and heart disease. Speak to your vet about a special cat food for your feline friend as cat food is specially formulated to deliver the exact level of natural vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants needed. Understand the amount of food your Curl requires by checking out the feeding instructions on the food labels. Always talk to your vet if you're not sure how much and what you should feed your cat.

Remember, that if you don’t want to do these grooming routines for your cat for fear of hurting him or not doing it properly, the vet or your local pet groomer will do it for you.

Make sure to provide your intelligent American Curl with toys and exercise. You can buy toys and games that will challenge his mental and physical abilities.