Thai (traditional Siamese)

This is the Siamese as it was until the 1950s, before show breeding refined it to the extreme. While the modern Siamese grew ever longer, a group of European breeders kept breeding the old type, with an athletic body, a rounded head and well-proportioned ears, and the WCF recognised it in 1990 under the name Thai. It is the look of the pointed cats you see around Thailand, and the one many people remember from their grandparents' house. It is every bit as clever and chatty as its cousin, although a little less intense and with a softer voice.

A weekly brush and little else: it sheds lightly and does not need baths. What matters is company and play. It loves wand toys, tunnels and learning tricks for treats. It tolerates being alone somewhat better than the modern Siamese, but ten hours on its own every day is not for it. Watch its portions: being sturdier, it puts on weight easily once neutered if the bowl is left full. Annual dental check.

Because it shares genes with the Siamese, it can inherit progressive retinal atrophy (rdAc, DNA test available), dental problems and asthma. Its moderate build spares it some of the drawbacks of the extreme type, such as very narrow jaws with crowded teeth. On the whole it is a healthy, long-lived cat; ask for the parents' PRA test results.