Can Siamese Cats Have Long Hair – Understanding Coat Length

Siamese cats are some of the best low-shedding cat breeds around. This makes them particularly great for those with allergy concerns. Although we all know about the shorthaired version of the cat, is there a longhaired version out there that sheds way more? Can Siamese cats have long hair?

No, a true Siamese Cat cannot have long hair. Instead, a longhaired cat that looks like a Siamese cat might be a Balinese, a closely related breed. Some other breeds, like Ragdoll cats, have long hair and may have similar coloring to Siamese cats. But no pure Siamese cat will have long hair.

Balinese cats are the descendants of Siamese cats naturally mutated to have long hair after the Siamese cat coloration and breed were well established. That means that Balinese cats are one several times that long-hair has developed on its own through mutation, but they’ve been given their own breed and breed standards that are separate from Siamese cats.

Technically both breeds are descended from pure-bred Siamese cats, so they are very similar, but separate breeding has made the Balinese breed more distinct over time.

How Can I Tell If My Siamese Cat Is Purebred

It’s hard to tell for sure if your cat is a purebred unless you get them genetically tested or get your Siamese from a breeder who certified them. However, you can get a pretty good idea by looking at your cat.

For one thing, a short-haired cat with a long tail, blue eyes, and the characteristic colors of a Siamese cat is likely to be Siamese. Most Siamese cats also have triangle-shaped faces and large ears, which can make them distinctive.

Siamese cats also tend to be relatively lightly muscled and can be prone to getting overweight. Those traits alone might not tell you if your cat is purebred Siamese, but it can help if they also have the other traits.

Do Siamese Cats Have Different Fur

Yes and no. Siamese cats have a very distinctive coat color and texture, but that doesn’t mean their fur is very different from other cats. There are silky-coated cats from other breeds, so Siamese fur’s soft and smooth feeling isn’t unique.

Siamese coloring is a little more unique and can make their fur look different, but it’s not a big difference. The only change in your Siamese’s fur coat that produces their color is that they have a kind of albinism that prevents their coats from producing much melanin anywhere that’s warm.

Siamese cats all have that albinism, but it’s a genetic mutation that only affects color. It doesn’t change the texture or length of your cat’s fur, which is how Balinese cats eventually developed long hair through a natural mutation that still preserved the albinism.

Do All Siamese Cats Have Blue Eyes

Most Siamese cats have blue eyes, but it’s not truly universal. Green eyes are rare in Siamese cats because most Siamese doesn’t have enough pigment to create green ones.

However, some Siamese cats have eyes so pale they look white or silvery gray instead of blue. These cats are a little less common than blue-eyed Siamese but still relatively common.

A Siamese cat will also never have brown or yellow eyes or any of the darker colors.

Is My Kitten A Balinese Or A Siamese

Balinese and Siamese cats can be hard to tell apart when they are kittens. Most kittens look very similar when they are younger, and it can take a few weeks to tell if your kitten will grow up to have long or short hair, which is the primary way to tell Balinese and Siamese cats apart.

However, there are a few clues.

For one thing, while Balinese cats are as sleek and muscular as Siamese cats, they tend to be just a little longer through the torso and often grow up to be bigger cats.

Balinese kittens may also start putting on muscle sooner than Siamese cats, which can make them look thinner until their fur starts growing longer.

Otherwise, these cats are very similar in temperament, coloring, and build. However, since Siamese cats are older and slightly more popular, breeders and shelters should be able to tell you if your kitten is Siamese or Balinese since Balinese cats are rarer.

Are Long-Haired Siamese Cats (Balinese) Hypoallergenic

Long-haired Siamese cats, which are recognized under a different breed name, Balinese, are one of the most hypoallergenic of the long-haired cats. That doesn’t mean that Balinese cats won’t cause an allergic reaction in some people, just that the likelihood of a severe reaction is relatively low.

Siamese cats are also considered hypoallergenic and are a little more so than Balinese since their shorter coats help prevent allergens from forming.

Long Haired Siamese (Balinese) Cats Vs. Ragdoll Cats

Some people have noticed that Balinese cats and Ragdoll cats can have similar coloring and even similar traits, so they might wonder what the differences are between the two breeds.

For one thing, Balinese cats look very similar to Siamese cats, just with longer hair. Their fur may also be shorter on their necks and heads, which can make their thin triangle-shaped faces very identifiable. Balinese cats also tend to be lighter colored than Ragdoll cats.

On the other hand, Ragdoll cats tend to have a little bit more fat, especially low on their bellies. Ragdolls also have broader, rounder faces and are usually fluffier on the neck and head, making them look a bit like smaller Maine Coon or Norwegian Forest cats.

Balinese cats also tend to be a little needier and more demanding than Ragdoll cats, though both breeds can be particularly affectionate and friendly.

Things To Consider

Just because Siamese cats don’t have long hair doesn’t mean that they don’t have some variation in fur length. Siamese cats can have fur ranging from very short, less than an inch, all the way to the max length of a shorthair cat. Most Siamese cats tend to have shorter hair, but a slightly longer or thicker coat doesn’t always mean your cat isn’t a Siamese.

It’s also worth noting that Siamese cats are one breed that often benefits from warm cat beds or cat (or small dog) sweaters since they can get cold in the winter. Thin Siamese cats are more prone to getting cold than overweight Siamese, which may mean that it’s harder to help your Siamese stay healthy when it gets cold.