I swear, the first thing everyone notices about Siamese is how dang chatty they are. My Mochi doesn’t just meow when he wants food or attention – he has full on conversations with me. If I tell him he can’t jump on the kitchen counter while I’m cooking? He’ll sit on the floor right by my feet, yowling nonstop for 5 whole minutes like I just committed a crime against him. Last year I was on a super important work Zoom call with my boss and 20 other coworkers, and Mochi decided that was the perfect time to jump on my desk, stare directly into the camera, and let out the loudest, most dramatic yowl I’ve ever heard from him. One of my coworkers thought I had a small kid throwing a tantrum in the background, and to this day they still call Mochi my “official work sidekick”. I’ve even had friends come over and ask if I’m sure he’s not a parrot trapped in a cat’s body, he’s that vocal.
And don’t even get me started on how clingy they are. My best friend Lila has a blue point Siamese named Noodle, and that cat follows her literally everywhere she goes in the house. Bathroom? He’s right there sitting on the sink, watching her brush her teeth. Shower? He plops down on the toilet lid the whole time, meowing softly like he’s scared the water is gonna hurt her. Last spring Lila had to stay overnight at her sister’s place for a family thing, and she left Noodle with plenty of food, water, and toys. When she got home the next day, her roommate told her Noodle refused to eat a single bite the whole time she was gone, and just sat by the front door waiting for her. You’d think he’d be all happy to see her right? Nah, he rubbed all over her legs for 2 minutes, then ran to her bedroom and peed right on her favorite hoodie as punishment for leaving him. Siamese don’t play when it comes to holding grudges, y’all.
They also got the weirdest little quirks that I’ve never seen in other cat breeds. Mochi is obsessed with warm spots, like, more than any other cat I’ve ever met. In the winter, he’ll literally sit on my laptop while I’m working just because the keyboard is warm, even if I’m in the middle of typing an email. He’ll just plop his whole body down, push my hands away with his paw, and stare at me like I’m the one being rude for disturbing his nap. I bought a heated blanket last November, and Mochi claimed it as his own the second I took it out of the package. If I wanna sit on the couch and use it? I gotta pet him for at least 10 minutes first, otherwise he’ll lay right on the spot I wanna sit and refuse to move. And they’re way smarter than people give them credit for! I taught Mochi to fetch his little fuzzy ball in 3 days, and now he brings it to me every single evening at 7pm sharp to play. If I ignore him to scroll on my phone? He’ll drop the ball right on my face while I’m laying on the couch, no warning at all.
I feel like there’s so many weird misconceptions about Siamese cats too, right? A lot of people I talk to think they’re mean, or aggressive, or super high maintenance for no reason. But that’s just ‘cause they’re so expressive, they don’t hide how they feel like other cats do. If they’re annoyed, they’ll let you know, but they’re also the most affectionate little guys ever. Mochi sleeps curled up on my chest every single night, purrs so loud it’s like having a tiny lawnmower next to my ear. Last month I had a really bad flu, I was stuck in bed for 3 days straight, and Mochi didn’t leave my side the whole time. He even skipped his favorite tuna treats a couple times just to lay next to me, and would nudge my hand with his head every few hours like he was checking if I was okay. I cried a little, not gonna lie, that’s the sweetest thing any pet has ever done for me.
If you’re thinking about getting a Siamese cat yourself, there’s a few things you should know first. First off, don’t get one if you’re gone from home for 10+ hours a day every day. They get lonely super easy, and they can get destructive if they’re bored for too long – scratching furniture, knocking stuff over, all that fun stuff. You can get them another cat friend to keep them company, or leave lots of puzzle toys and window perches for them to play with while you’re out. Second, be ready for lots of noise. Siamese don’t do quiet, if you want a cat that just hides all day and never makes a sound, this ain’t the breed for you. Third, they live a really long time, usually 15 to 20 years, so it’s a super long commitment. But honestly? It’s 100% worth it. I can’t imagine my life without my silly, sassy, chatty Mochi, and every Siamese owner I know says the exact same thing.