A Siamese, Oriental, Balinese or a Foreign White should be purchased only from a reputable breeder.

Do not be tempted to buy from a pet store, no matter how much you feel sorry for the kitten, as no breeder who cares about their kittens will sell through a third party. These kittens normally are not always fully vaccinated, will not be desexed, have not been raised in a loving home environment and usually cost more than buying from a breeder.

If you can, it is a good idea to visit the breeder’s home to see the conditions in which the kittens are raised. While breeders differ in their methods, the environment should be clean, uncrowded and relatively odourless.

The kittens and other cats in the house should appear healthy and active. Check to make sure that the eyes, ears and noses are clear. If buying the kitten from interstate, try to obtain references for the breeder in their home state or ask for testimonials.

Reputable breeders work to improve type and health within their chosen breed and are active in exhibiting their cats at shows. This makes a cat show a great place to see cats and kittens and meet their breeders. Although you will often find kittens offered for sale at cat shows, not all breeders like to sell kittens from a show hall. They prefer to make initial contact with potential buyers at the show and arrange for a home visit at a later time.

A good breeder cares about the kittens they raise and will screen you, as a potential buyer, to determine which of their kittens, if any, would be best suited to your personal situation. You should expect to be asked questions about you, your family, other pets (past and present) and your lifestyle.

You might also be questioned about your expectations in a kitten’s personality as there can be a variety of temperaments within the breed -- or even within a litter. An outgoing, fearless and extremely playful kitten will thrive in a home with an active family while another person might prefer the quiet, slightly timid kitten who wants nothing more than to be the centre of one person’s life and who will bond to that one special person with all their heart.

Siamese are extremely social cats who crave companionship from you and/or other animals. Most do not do well if left alone for long periods of time. If you don’t have another cat (or dog) in residence, consider getting two kittens to keep each other company. Two cats are really not much more work than one and you will be doubly rewarded.

Prices for a pet-quality Siamese will vary based on geographic location and individual kitten's bloodlines and type. Kittens designated as “pet quality” may have some minor flaw that makes them unsuitable for showing or breeding although often the difference between pet and show quality is not always apparent to the untrained eye. Although breeders will usually keep their best kittens to breed or show, they are often quite happy to sell a kitten to be shown in the class for neutered cats provided that the kitten does not have any major or disqualifying faults.

Most kittens will be available to go to their new homes between twelve and sixteen weeks of age. After twelve weeks, the kittens have had their basic vaccinations and have developed the physical and emotional stability needed for adapting to a new home. These days some breeders are taking advantage of early desexing practices and will have already had their pet kittens desexed before they go to their forever homes. Both male and female kittens make excellent pets when desexed at the appropriate age.

A responsible breeder will encourage the kitten buyer to keep in touch and they will make themselves available to answer questions during the adjustment period.

Grooming

Siamese cats require subtle grooming, rather than an intensive effort. Being both extremely shorthaired and of a long elegant style, grooming is used sparingly to enhance the characteristics, rather than to camouflage.

Most of the showy characteristics of the Siamese come from breeding and conditioning. Long slender legs and a tubular body, the large ears, chiselled wedge, violet-blue eyes and striking colour pattern are the result of breeding, not grooming. A hard sleek physic and a short glossy coat come from proper diet, exercise and inheritance. However there are certain things that breeders can do to emphasis and enhance these natural characteristics.

One of the areas that lend themselves to grooming is the ears. Siamese are most dramatic when their ears are large and exaggerated. Trimming the hair inside of the ear will help to enhance the size. This must be done carefully with a blunt end pair of scissors, or a safety razor. All that is required is to remove the longest hairs, leaving a very short length of hair for the most natural look.

Bathing is done "as needed" with this breed. Many Siamese show cats never need a bath. Others, particularly entire males, may need to be bathed once a week.

Usually they will be bathed at the beginning of the week so that the coat has a chance to reclaim its natural oils without the heavy feel that an unwashed coat can have. The preferred shampoos are usually of the human variety; anything that will make the coat lay smoothly without fluffing up.

Brushing of the Siamese must be done sparingly, as too much brushing can damaged the colour of the coat. One technique for removing loose hair is to dampen your hands and rub them backwards in the cat's coat. This will remove loose hair without damaging the new coat.

The most popular grooming item for brushing is a small rubber brush that can be bought at most pet stores. If this is used carefully once a week during the spring and less often at other times of the year, it can also safely remove dead hair without damage to the coat.

A stripping comb can also be used sparingly to remove the thicker hair on a Siamese, such as the kind a male will develop under his jowls. A stripping comb must be used very carefully as it is easy to remove too much coat so that skin shows through and the coat is damaged. It is recommended that the stripping comb be used for a short period of time every other day until the correct look is obtained, in order to prevent overuse.

Breeders also use a variety of products to enhance the look of the coat. These range from witch hazel and bay rum to professional grooming coat conditioners.

Most exhibitors find that what worked on one cat does not help another, so finding the perfect product for this year's Siamese show cat can be a challenge.

The key to successful grooming of the Siamese show cat is to always keep in mind that less is the best way to achieve the objective of presenting the cat in its fullest beauty. Using the above tips will help each Siamese breeder to present their cats to its fullest potential, emphasizing the drama and elegance of the breed by letting the natural characteristics shine through.