Do Siamese cats change color over the summer time??

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Do Siamese cats change color over the summer time??

by Charlotte
(Newberg, Oregon)

Gorgeous ChinMan's winter face

My 2-year old Siamese cat, ChinMan, has lost a lot of his dark brown coloring from his face and front legs this summer. Is this a normal warmer-weather transition for Siamese cats to go through? This is my first Siamese cat. I know their dark coloring is body temp related, so maybe the seasonal warmth also affects their coloring, and he'll darken up again once the cold weather of the Pacific Northwest comes back?

Thank you for your advice!

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Do Siamese cats change color over the summer time??

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Oct 13, 2011

Changing colors
by: Anonymous

I volunteer for a cat rescue. We have a beautiful Siamese cat who is experience quite the opposite. She was very tan throughout her body with her semi dark points but now her whole body has turned brown and you can't even tell (except for her blue eyes) that she is a siamese. It's pretty interesting. That's what brought me here, I was wondering of others had experienced that.

Oct 13, 2011

Sep 07, 2011

fading
by: kath

i've had siamese cats all my life (seal point) and the one i have now is the first one who has ever faded! it's pretty dramatic, too. last year, when he only 1, i even brought him to the vet because i thought he was sick. it's very hot in the summer where i live, and despite that he's an indoor cat with a/c, he still fades-- ears and face, especially around the eyes. maybe some are more enzyme-sensitive than others?

Oct 15, 2010

Thanks
by: Charlotte

Thank you Lynn & UnderGrad for your answers! I really appreciate your help

Charlotte & ChinMan

Oct 13, 2010

my two-cent worth...:)
by: science undergrad

hihi,thanks for asking this question as I was wanting to confirm if siamese cats' color do fade at warmer temperature..and indeed it is in your case:)
Lynn has the correct answer, however if you want to know more in terms of scientific perspective,let me try to simplify it:
Siamese cats have this temperature-sensitive allele,unlike most cats which do not.This causes it to produce the color coating enzyme known as tyrosinase to only works better at low temperature. Hence, that's also explain why you would likely see the black color at the colder regions(tail,paws,nose,ears) of its body:)

Perhaps, you might want to put it in an air-con room?

Jul 27, 2010

Siamese points
by: Lynn

Yes the points are temperature sensitive. Its the colder temps at the extremities of the body that causes the darker coloration. During the summer ChinMan may get lighter due to it being warmer. Its neat that during the winter the opposite will happen, he will get darker. Its pretty amazing and what makes the Siamese so unique.

Lynn

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Do Siamese cats change color over the summer time??

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Do Siamese cats change color over the summer time??