We are Siamese, if you please. We are Siamese, if you dont please. The Siamese Cat Song Peggy Lee & Sonny Burke, 1955 Sneaky. Sly. Self-Absorbed. Stand-offish. Boy, do Si and Am have a lot to answer for. Once audiences saw those two sinister Siamese slinking their way through Disneys Lady and the Tramp, the consensus was clear: Hmmm. Maybe not the ideal family pets. Pshaw. Lets talk about what Siamese cats are really like. Due to their sculpted appearance, these regal and intelligent felines are often associated with ancient Egypt, and the cat-headed Bast, goddess of the moon. However, Siamese actually made their first documented appearance in the mid-1300s, in, where else, Siam (modern-day Thailand). There are two distinct types: Traditional (Old Siamese), and Modern. Coloring and behavior are similar, although traditional Siamese are somewhat larger and are distinguished by their rounded, apple-shaped heads. Modern Siamese (like Si and Am), are identifiable by their wedge-shaped heads and more sinewy build. Favorites of the royal family of Siam, the cats even figured in mythic lore. Early Siamese cat traits (since uncommon) included crossed eyes and crooked tails. According to legend, this came about when a royal Siamese was assigned the task of guarding Buddhas golden goblet. Dedicated to this mission, the Siamese wrapped its tail around the cup, and stared intently. The result: a crooked tail and crossed eyes, passed on for generations to come. Unlike their Lady and the Tramp counterparts, real-life Siamese cats are noted for their affectionate natures, and devotion to their human companions. The first Siamese to pad its way onto American shores arrived as a gift to President Rutherford B. Hayes in 1878. Siamese cats are record-setters, too: Scooter, a 30-year old Siamese, made it into the Guinness Book of World Records in 2016, while in 1971 a Siamese cat mother gave birth to a litter of 19 kittens! Thanks to their sleek angularity and enigmatic expressions, Siamese have proven reliable subjects for artists working in varied media, including ceramic, glass, wood and stone. During the postwar vogue for Asian influences in modern design, which reached its heyday in the 1950s, Siamese cat figurines could be found languidly reclining on household shelves throughout America. Design names of the era offered buyers varied interpretations. There are realistic Goebel Siamese, futuristic Howard Pierce Siamese, and eerie Roselane Siamese. Other designers werent content with just creating one or two depictions. Take California ceramist Brad Keeler, who offered up an entire cattery, and often put his creations to work. While some Keeler cats lounge about in typical Siamese leisure, there are also plenty of Brad Keeler Siamese serving dishes and ash trays. Particularly eye-catching are Keeler creations that present his ceramic Siamese among accouterments in the artists signature Ming Dragon Blood glaze. Prior to Keelers development of that glaze in the mid-1950s, true red coloration in ceramic was nearly impossible to achieve. Cold-painted red, added after firing, often chipped away. Ming Dragon Blood remedied the situation, and Keelers Siamese, nestled among deep red pillows, or watching over ruby red trays, are some of his most arresting pieces. Also embracing usefulness were Siamese cat figurines designed by Betty Harrington and Ulle Cohen (Rebus), for Ceramic Arts Studio of Madison, Wis. Each of the studios three Siamese pairs was released as a salt-and-pepper set. The CAS Siamese also offer good contrasts in their representations of Traditional and Modern Siamese. Harringtons Siamese Mother and Kitten are fuller and more rounded. Rebus Peek & Boo and Thai & Thai-Thai are exercises in Modern angularity. Prices of Siamese cat figurines are as varied as the companies that released them, with those by name designers in greater demand than unmarked imports. Fortunately, almost all remain readily available at well under $100. And, as so many appealing Siamese cat figurals were mass-produced over the years, finding those most appealing (and affordable) is never a financial cat-astrophe! National Siamese Cat Day was observed on April 6, 2025. Photo Associate: Hank Kuhlmann. All photos by Donald-Brian Johnson. Donald-Brian Johnson is the co-author of numerous books on design and collectibles, including Postwar Pop, a collection of his columns. Asia, a traditional Siamese, allows him full run of the house. Please address inquiries to: donaldbrian@msn.com.