Siamese cats are one of the most loving and old cat breeds. Royal Siamese cats are loved for their striking appearances and affectionate personalities. Over the years, the traits of Siamese cats have evolved through selective breeding and as a result, we have got three distinct types of Siamese cats.
The main point to remember is that when breeders talk about “types” of Siamese cats, they are not referring to the cat’s color. Instead, they mean the shape of the cat’s body.

Siamese cats are divided into three types these three body shapes can be found in any Siamese cat color.

Today, we’ll discuss all the types of Siamese cat’s body shapes. At Siamese Cat World, we’re passionate about discussing types of Siamese cats.

A Glimpse at the Original Look of Siamese:

The above-pasted picture is the first Siamese cat that reached the Western world. The original one was heavier and bigger than most of the Siamese cats today.
The original Siamese cats had thicker necks, rounder faces and bulky bodies compared to the slim, sleek Siamese cats often seen in shows now.
Read further to dive into the details of all three types to discover their unique characteristics, history, and why they continue to captivate cat lovers worldwide.

1) The Applehead Siamese

The Applehead Siamese cats have rounded, shorter faces with more stocky and muscular bodies. They resemble most of the original Siamese first exported from Siam (Today’s Thailand).

Those original ones were more bulky and heavier than most of the modern Siamese cats worldwide. Over time, the selective breeding practices favoured to more a leaner and angular appearance. These breeding practices for extreme features have caused many health problems but the breeders made a good effort to restore the look and overall improve the health.
This effort led to the development of the Applehead Siamese cats. These cats were produced by cross-breeding Siamese cats with breeds like the American and British Shorthairs.

2) The Old Style Siamese (Classic)

The Old Style Siamese cats have finer and more triangular faces but are not as extremely angular as modern wedge-shaped Siamese. They also have the larger-boned features of the Applehead but have slimmer, longer bodies. They are often called Moderate, Classic, Thai, and Old-Fashioned Siamese.

This type is a middle-ground between apple-head Siamese and Modern wedge-head Siamese and is inspired by the cats that were popular back in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s.

Sometimes, it’s hard to distinguish Applehead Siamese and Old Style Siamese cats. However, organizations like the Old Style Siamese Club in the UK and the Prestwick-Beresford Old-Style Siamese Breed Preservation Society (PREOSSIA) in the U.S. are dedicated to maintaining and promoting these traditional cats. Their goal is to maintain the original appearance and health of the breed and save them from the extreme breeding practices that have sometimes led to health issues in modern Siamese cats. These efforts help to protect these beautiful and healthy cats for future generations of cat lovers.

3) The Modern Siamese (Wedge-Head)

The Modern Siamese have a very slim, fine-boned appearance with long, thin bodies, necks, and tails. They have sharply triangular heads and their ears are large and wide. Additionally, modern Siamese cats have longer muzzles and straighter noses compared to the more rounded traits of the Applehead and Old-Style Siamese.

This is the most extreme body type of Siamese cats and it’s commonly seen in cat shows today. The development of this extreme body shape has caused many health concerns in the past.

The focus on breeding for this extreme body shape has led to some significant health concerns in the past. The trend of breeding for smaller heads and larger ears sometimes led to serious birth defects, such as kittens being born with eyes positioned unusually on the sides of their heads. Moreover, health issues like cardiomyopathy (a heart condition) and kidney failure were more frequently seen in this type of Siamese, greatly affecting their overall life expectancy.

It’s important to note that many modern Siamese cats do not suffer from these health issues. With responsible breeding, healthy modern Siamese can have lifespans similar to those of Applehead and Old-Style Siamese.

How and Why Siamese Cat Body Shapes Transformed Over Time:

The transformation of body types of Siamese cats is the result of selective breeding practices by breeders to meet the standards set by cat show organizations. Earlier, Siamese cats have rounder faces and more muscular and heavier bodies, resembling original Thai Siamese cats. Over the years, the breeders started to practice breeding to develop a more sleek, elongated and thin body shape of Siamese that led to the development of Modern Siamese cats.
The breeder started to categorize three different body types of Siamese, in the 1980s. Yet, even with these classifications, many Siamese cats can seem quite similar, and no two cats will ever align perfectly with the same standards.

Which One Do You Like And Why?

Applehead, old style, or modern, all types of Siamese cats are beautiful. I don’t think there will be one best or worst but It ultimately comes down to personal preference.
I personally like Applehead Siamese because it’s the most similar to the original Siamese cat. Tell us about your choice in the comments below!