Can Siamese Cats Be Orange? Coat Colors And Genetics

Siamese cats are a beautiful, talkative, and often entertaining pet to have. They have some of the most interesting genetic traits of all cats, which results in their beautiful photogenic appearance and unique coat colors. There are many colors beyond the distinctive black and silvery coat though. So, can Siamese cats be orange? 

Siamese cats can be orange. Orange Siamese cats are rarer than other colors. Siamese cats have a gene that causes temperature-reactive albinism which can result in orange fur and various orange shade combinations.

Because the Orange coat gene is rare, it’s more common to see Siamese cats pictures with black, brown, or silvery markings than brighter cat colors. Genetic traits create their distinctive fur pattern, but the pattern isn’t determined by the same gene as color. In this article, we’ll discuss how the orange color gene works as well as the various 32 different colors that Siamese cats have. 

What Are the Different Colors of Siamese Cats

Siamese cats come in a ton of different colors, not just orange. In fact, there are 32 different colors that are recognized in Siamese cats. When it comes to cat colors, the distinctions are very technical, so for casual cat lovers, it doesn’t look like there are that many colors because the differences can be pretty subtle.

The most commonly accepted and most prized Siamese cat colors are:

• Blue (a gray to blue color that darkens with age)
• Seal Point (brown edging toward black points)
• Lilac (light gray with slight pinkish undertones)
• Fawn (off white with pale brown and pinkish areas)
• Caramel (pink-gray points that may be less pronounced)
• Cinnamon (warm orangey-brown points)
• Red (This is the most orange color, it’s a pink to reddish-orange, and often fairly light at the points. A result of crossing a Siamese with a red tabby and tortoiseshell colored cats)
• Tortie (A result of the same cross as Red Point Siamese cats, these cats have more mottled brown/black markings occasionally with some orange sections)
• Cream (very pale point markings that may tend brown or pink)
• While this color is less popular and less widely accepted, Apricot Siamese cats also have orange coloration, though often paler and more mottled or striped than Red Siamese Cats.

Siamese cat colors are determined by their temperature, as we mentioned at the beginning of this article. They have a form of temperature reactive albinism that responds to the cat’s own body temperature. So, for a cat to be orange, a very unique combination has to take place genetically. 

Siamese cats are naturally paler and whiter near the warmest parts of their body. The exact color of those pale sections varies a little from individual to individual and varies slightly depending on their fur’s natural pigment. For instance, Orange Siamese cats often have whiter orange silver-based body fur than Seal Point or even Lilac cats.

Is It Rare To Have An Orange Female Cat?

Yes! Orange female cats are relatively rare, but it isn’t an impossible coloration. Whether it’s a Siamese cat or another breed, orange female cats are just not as common as males. It does happen though, although usually not as a full-colored cat, but a colorpoint. 

You may be wondering now; why are female cats less likely to be orange than their male counterparts? It’s all down to the genetics of color.

Scientists are reasonably certain that cat color is closely linked to genes on the X chromosome. Since female cats have two X chromosomes while (most) male cats only have one, female cat colors can be a little harder to predict than male cat colors.

Cat color genes are further complicated by the fact that two different color genes won’t necessarily be strictly dominant or recessive like you learned in your high-school genetics class. Some color genes will combine to create a new coloration that only exists when both genes are present, while other genes are more dominant and will usually overwhelm other genes.

Others are partially recessive and cause some changes to the dominant color but won’t fully express unless there are multiple copies of the same gene.

Many female cats with one orange gene will express as calico cats, tortoiseshell cats, or completely orange-free color.
But female cats that are lucky enough to get two copies of the ginger fur gene will be orange, just like human redheads!

The result is that only about 1 in 5 female cats that carry the orange gene will be orange or orange and white. By comparison, male Siamese cats don’t usually have a competing color gene, so when they inherit the orange gene, they will usually be orange or orange and white.

Do Orange Cats Have More Health Problems?

Orange cats usually don’t have any more health problems than cats with other coloring in their breed. That’s important to note because several different cat breeds can have orange or ginger coloring, not just Siamese cats. Looking at your cat’s breed is usually a better way to prepare for their future health.

However, the ‘orange tabby’ cat that’s so common doesn’t have any particular health issues. Like other cats, orange cats can be prone to overeating and gaining excess weight. Obese cats are also at greater risk of many other health problems like diabetes, arthritis, heart problems, and even eye problems.

Your cat being orange or any other color doesn’t necessarily pre-dispose them to obesity and overeating. Garfield aside.

Are Red Point Siamese Cats Rare?

Red point Siamese cats are beautiful, loving, and incredibly active and talkative. But they aren’t widespread.

These cats are still rare in part because not every Siamese breed registry considers Red point cats Siamese. That means that breeders aren’t necessarily going to try to breed orange cats into their lines to create healthy Red point cats.

Suppose you want a Red point cat specifically. In that case, it’s a good idea to look for Siamese cat shelters (unfortunately, Siamese cats are very active, need a lot of attention, and can be very talkative, which leads to many owners surrendering their cats.

We personally love those traits, but that personality isn’t what every cat owner is looking for.) or Siamese breeders who’ve produced Red point cats before. In fact, Red point Siamese cats are known for their unique personality. They also have a reputation for being some of the nicest orange cats you’ll ever find. 

It would be best if you also tried to be patient when you’re looking for a Red point Siamese. It might take a while before a cat is available, and you may need to travel to adopt them.

How Much Are Red Point Siamese Cats Worth?

Since Red point Siamese cats are fairly rare, they also come with a higher price tag than other Siamese cats. Younger cats tend to be the most expensive and can cost as much as $2,000 to adopt from a breeder. But even adult cats usually cost around $1,000, which the lowest breeder prices hovering around $600.

So, if you’re looking to get an orange Siamese cat, you can expect to pay quite a bit for one. There however are some ways you can still get one and pay significantly less. 

Adopting cats from a shelter is usually much cheaper than purchasing them from a breeder. However, many shelters charge more for rare cats and rare colorations to help cover their operating costs. Yes, they can recognize when they have an orange Siamese cat on hand, and they will look to profit from it. 

With Siamese cats, some of that extra cost is also to deter owners who don’t know what to expect from a Siamese personality from adopting a cat they may not keep.

How Can You Tell If An Orange Cat Is A Siamese Cat

If you come across an orange cat or colorpoint, you may be wondering if it’s actually a Siamese cat. Thankfully there are a few ways you can tell if you have come across one of these rare color combinations. Especially since orange Siamese cats are very uncommon, it’s important to know how to recognize one when you see one.

This Siamese cat recognition guide can help you determine in detail what kind of cat breed you have. 

Siamese cats are one of the more distinctive breeds out there, with a lot of clearly defined color markings that make them stand out. They also tend to have a distinctive personality, though not every Siamese cat will love exercise or spend their whole day talking.

Siamese cats have blue eyes, and most of their fur (for most colors) is creamy white, with more color in the points. Points for a Siamese cat are their face, the tip of their tail, and their paws.

Some Siamese cats will also have some sparse color along their back, but not all. Siamese cats also have a tapered tail that comes to a distinct point.

Some Siamese cats still have some of their older traits, though these are getting less common. Those traits include permanently crossed eyes and a crooked tail. Those traits can also present individually, so a cat with a crooked tail won’t always have crossed eyes and vise versa.