Traditional Siamese vs Cheetoh - Breed Comparison

There are now three types of Siamese cats. The Traditional Siamese is said to be the original cat imported from Thailand.

The Classic was the type that was common in the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s. The original Siamese cat became one of the most popular breeds in Europe and North America in the 19th century.

The Traditional Siamese is also called an applehead Siamese.

The Cheetoh is a beautiful cat whose parent breeds are the Ocicat and the Bengal.

It was in 2001 that these two breeds were crossed by breeder Carol Drymon. Drymon was wanting to develop a new cat that would have characteristics similar to that of a wild cat but that would behave like a domesticated cat.

The Cheetoh became a recognized and registered breed with the United Feline Organization in November of 2004.

The Traditional Siamese cat is medium-sized, lean, and muscular and weighs between 3 and 6kg. The coat is short and he is considered a medium shedder.

The kittens of these cats are born white and the coloring comes in over the next days and weeks. The head of the Traditional Siamese is well proportioned to its body size.

The medium size ears are slightly rounded at the tip and the eyes are large and bright blue in color.  

The coat is short, sleek, and soft and accepted colors are cream with chocolate, brown, lilac, red, tortie or blue points.

Temperament:

The personality of the Traditional Siamese is loud, vocal, and demanding. These cats let you know precisely what they want and it is almost like having a human companion in the house.

They love to give their human owners lots of attention as well. They’re intelligent, curious, playful, and energetic.

The Traditional Siamese cat isn’t really recognized by the Cat Fanciers Association (CFA) anymore as the breed’s temperament has changed so much.

For a housecat, the Cheetoh is a muscular and large breed. In fact, this is one of the largest breeds of all the domesticated cats, with males being bigger than females. They can weigh anything between 7 and 10kg.

People want to own an animal that looks like a wild cat and the Cheetoh looks like a Cheetah. The coat of the cat can be several different colors and can be in different patterns with spots and stripes. He gets the spots from both the parent cats - the Ocicat and the Bengal. He definitely getd the longer legs from the Ocicat.

The purpose of the Cheetoh breeding program was to create an exotic, intelligent cat with a wild look and that would also be larger than your regular domestic cat. You could say it's the cats wonderfully soft, a velvety coat that makes it such an attractive cat.

Also, another notable feature with the cat is the way it walks - it looks as though it is stalking and prowling.

The cats are bred in 6 colors referred to as the black- or brown-spotted sienna, the black-spotted smoke the black- or brown-spotted gold, the black-spotted silver and the gold-spotted.

Temperament:

Your fascinating Cheetoh is a fun-loving cat, being playful and energetic and he will require a large yard and require being exercised.

They’re gentle cats but are talkative, being quietly friendly and social.

They make great family pets. They become devoted to their human family, being loyal and companionable. He is an affectionate, loving cat and his intelligence allows him to learn some simple commands and tricks.

He is the kind of cat that will do well in a family with kids and pets as he loves playfulness and fun, but he also wants to receive lots of love and attention.

The Traditional Siamese cat is such an amazingly intelligent animal and sometimes they can become quite human.

These are not your traditional cool, independent, sleep all day kind of felines and people liken them to having a dog as a pet. They love to play, and they are so active you could even put a leash on one and take it for a walk.

They are energetic, local, and lively. They are such affectionate cats too and they get on well with children and with other pets.

When you bring a Traditional Siamese cat into your life, it is like you are bringing in a human companion, except that the Traditional Siamese is far more amicable than many humans.

Cheetohs are a wonderful breed of cat and will love a busy household of adult humans, kids, and other pets.

Remember that because of their wild side they have a high prey instinct and might like the idea of going after your small pets such as fish and birds.

Intelligent and playful you will need to keep your Cheetoh entertained and exercised with both mentally and physically stimulating puzzle-type games. One thing is for sure, with a Cheetoh in your home, you're never going to have a dull moment.

These are robust cats and you won’t find many health issues with it.

Avoid obesity. Siamese cats are prone to obesity and these slim cats can’t afford weight gain. Extra weight can put a whole lot of pressure on the cat’s joints and they can also develop other problems such as diabetes. The label of the commercial cat food you give your Traditional Siamese will indicate how much food your cat should get a day based on your cat’s weight.

Diet plays a massive role in the health of a cat, and inferior cat foods can mean you spending more money at the vet because of digestive issues.

If you are in any kind of doubt as to what to feed your cat, rather speak to your vet about what and how much to feed him. Your cat is a carnivore and it is most important to feed your cat foods high in protein.

Take your cat to the vet whenever he is sick and also just for a general check-up. You want to make sure that your Traditional Siamese is free from any health problems as well as parasites.

Also, make sure your cat is always up to date with his vaccinations as there are some cat illnesses such as feline panleukopenia, also known as distemper, that can kill your cat.

It is always a good idea as well to spay or neuter your Siamese to prevent unwanted pregnancies.

If your Traditional Siamese has any health conditions, your vet can help provide you and your pet with a treatment program.

Whenever you buy a pet, particularly an exotic type of pet where you’ve spent a lot of money, make sure to check out potential health issues from the breeders.

Always make sure to buy your cat from a reputable source to avoid health issues that could drastically shorten your Cheetoh cat’s life.

As with all cats, there are potential genetic problems in their ancestry that might reveal itself in your cat.

Certainly, if you suspect something is wrong, get your cat to the vet immediately.

To care for your Traditional Siamese, you need to feed him a high protein diet. Always read the labels of the cat food you buy to ensure that the proteins included come from animal sources and not from plants.

All cat food should contain taurine.

Provide your active cat with a climbing tree or perch.

Brush your Traditional Siamese cat regularly. He has a short coat so once a week will be enough to keep it shiny and clean.

You can feed your cat and provide all he needs, but nothing will be more important to your cat than showing your love for him by spending lots of time with him and showering him with love.

Although the Cheetoh is considered to be a hypoallergenic cat, no cat is really so, but nonetheless the coat is lovely and velvety and is shiny and short, being low shedding as well.

He will need lots of exercise, but luckily with his dog-like attributes, he can be taught to walk on a leash,

Ensure your cat has a nice dry, warm sleeping area.

Diet:

These are energetic cats and he will need a complete commercially manufactured cat food that is high in protein, after all this is a carnivore and they require meaty diets.

If in any kind of doubt as to what to feed your Cheetoh, speak with your veterinarian if you have any concerns.

Make sure that your cat is never without a constant supply of fresh, cool water. A water fountain, with moving water, always encourages water drinking with cats.