Your guide to finding and caring for an Applehead Siamese in Des Moines
An Applehead Siamese suits a Beaverdale brick bungalow or an apartment near Drake, as long as someone's around to talk back. These cats are chatty, curious and attached to their people, so they're happiest with company through the day. A sunny windowsill gives them a view of the squirrels, and Des Moines's long indoor winters are easy on a cat that would rather be on your lap anyway. Expect conversation, especially around dinnertime.
Give an Applehead Siamese a home
F, 5 mo., 292 miles
Siamese, Domestic Short Hair
M, 5 mo., 292 miles
Siamese, Domestic Medium Hair
M, 6 mo., 292 miles
Siamese, Domestic Short Hair
M, 6 mo., 292 miles
Siamese, Domestic Short Hair
M, 3 mo., 292 miles
Siamese
F, 7 mo., 292 miles
Siamese, Domestic Short Hair
F, 1 y., 293 miles
Siamese
M, 0-6 mo., 295 miles
Domestic Short Hair, Siamese
F, 2 y., 295 miles
Siamese
M, 6 mo.-2 y., 298 miles
Snowshoe
Applehead Siamese is the popular name for the traditional, old-style Siamese: a sturdier, rounder-headed cat than the long, wedge-headed Siamese of today's show rings. Some registries recognize the type separately as the Thai, though many cats called appleheads are simply pointed cats of Siamese ancestry. Most weigh 8 to 14 pounds, with a pale body, darker points and vivid blue eyes.
Their personalities are talkative, clever and strongly people-focused. Many follow their humans from room to room and dislike long stretches alone, which is worth thinking through if your workdays take you out of the house. The short coat is easy to care for, and pointed Siamese-type cats are fairly common in shelters. Like any breed, each cat has its own quirks.
Having an Applehead Siamese in Des Moines
Expect a pointed coat, blue eyes, a rounder face than a show Siamese and a big voice. In Des Moines, where winter keeps cats indoors for months, their need for company, play and mental stimulation is the main thing to plan around.
Applehead Siamese cats tend to be affectionate, social and very talkative, following their people from room to room and seeking laps. That suits Des Moines households where someone is home often. Some get demanding or jealous, and many struggle with long, empty workdays. Each cat's personality differs, so meeting one in person helps.
Daily interactive play does most of the work: wand toys, fetch, climbing trees and puzzle feeders. In Des Moines, where January cold can keep everyone inside for days, plan two or three short play sessions to head off bored meowing and cupboard raids. Some learn harness walking for the warmer months.
Siamese-type cats can be prone to dental disease, asthma and other respiratory problems, progressive retinal atrophy and liver amyloidosis, and some have crossed eyes. Not every cat is affected. Keep up with dental care and regular checkups, and have a veterinarian examine a newly adopted cat's teeth, breathing and eyes.
An Applehead Siamese adapts well to apartments and houses, since it needs attention more than square footage. Cat trees and window perches help, and its loud voice can carry through thin walls in older Des Moines buildings. Indoor living is safest, and a second cat or a home with someone around often suits it.
| Expense | Typical cost | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Food | $25 to $50 per month | $300 to $600 |
| Pet insurance | $25 to $50 per month | $300 to $600 |
| Routine vet care | $150 to $350 per year | $150 to $350 |
| Other* | $465 to $1,165 per year | $465 to $1,165 |
| Estimated yearly total (after year one) | $1,215 to $2,715 | |
Other costs are estimates and vary with size, age and health.
* Litter, the $15 Des Moines license for a spayed or neutered cat, flea prevention, a dental cleaning allowance, toys, scratchers and other supplies, and occasional at-home brushing.
Now that you know more, let’s find you a new best friend. These rescues and shelters below have cats available in and near Des Moines.
Des Moines's shelters and rescues help cats find homes, and pointed Siamese-type cats can turn up among them. Here are the rescues & shelters in the Des Moines area with cats available for adoption, worth asking whether an Applehead Siamese is coming in.
Often, yes, if you're home a fair amount or can add a second cat. Des Moines winters mean many indoor months, which suits a cat that wants lap time and play. The harder part is long workdays away, since these cats are vocal and social. Each Applehead Siamese differs, so spend time with a cat first.
Yes, an Applehead Siamese adapts well to apartments because it needs attention more than space. Give it a cat tree, a window perch and daily play. Its voice can carry through thin walls, so think about neighbors, and confirm the lease allows cats before you commit. Someone home often, or a second cat, helps.
Yes, as indoor cats. Des Moines has about 128 freezing nights a year and plenty of snow, and an Applehead Siamese's short single coat offers little insulation. Provide a covered bed away from drafts, a sunny perch and plenty of play. Warm the car before vet trips, and don't let the cat outside in the cold.
No. Des Moines's DART is a bus-only system, and it doesn't allow pets other than service animals aboard; no carrier exception is known. Plan vet visits by car, with a sturdy carrier secured on the seat. A vocal Applehead Siamese may protest the whole drive, so a familiar blanket can help.
Weekly brushing is usually enough for the short coat, a bit more in spring and fall when the weather shifts. Trim nails every couple of weeks and brush teeth if the cat allows it. Professional grooming is rarely needed, so the cost stays in the brushing and dental allowance of the Other line.
You can adopt an Applehead Siamese through local shelters, humane societies and Siamese-specific rescue groups, which often list pointed cats of traditional Siamese type. Adoption fees typically run from about 50 to 200 dollars and usually include spaying or neutering, vaccinations and a microchip. Searching adoption listings for Siamese or Siamese mix cats widens the options considerably.
Applehead Siamese cats commonly live about 12 to 20 years, and many reach their late teens with good care. Indoor living, a healthy weight, dental care and regular veterinary checkups support a long life. Like other Siamese-type cats, they can be prone to dental and some inherited conditions, so watching for changes as they age helps.
An Applehead Siamese is a traditional or old-style Siamese cat with a rounder head, a sturdier body and less extreme features than the modern show Siamese. It keeps the classic colorpoint coat, with darker ears, face, paws and tail, and striking blue eyes. These cats are typically talkative, affectionate and social, and they are often found in shelters.
No, Applehead Siamese cats are not hypoallergenic. Their short coat sheds relatively lightly, but cat allergies are triggered mostly by a protein called Fel d 1 in saliva and skin secretions, which Siamese cats produce like other cats. Some people with mild allergies may react less, but anyone with allergies should spend time with the cat before adopting.
Plan on roughly $25 to $50 a month for food and $25 to $50 for insurance, plus $150 to $350 a year for routine vet care. Other yearly costs, including litter, flea prevention, dental care, supplies and the city license, run about $465 to $1,165.
Looking for a different breed? Browse other cats available for adoption in Des Moines.
