Siamese descend from the pointed Wichianmat cats of Thailand, once called Siam, and reached the United States in the late 1800s. The pale body with a darker face, ears, paws and tail, and the vivid blue almond eyes, come from a temperature-sensitive pigment gene. The coat is short, fine and close-lying, with no undercoat, so grooming is light.
The personality is what most adopters remember: talkative, smart and devoted, often following one favorite person from room to room. Bored or lonely Siamese can turn loud or mischievous, so they do best with play, puzzle toys and company. Many cats in adoption listings are Siamese mixes with similar coloring, and since only pedigree papers confirm a breed, it's smarter to judge each cat by how it acts.