Animals

Thai is newly classified cat breed, similar to but distinct from the modern Western Siamese cat.
There is little dispute that the cats that were imported from Siam to Western countries in the 19th and early 20th century were broader in features than today’s Western Siamese. While the Thai, known in Thailand as the Wichien-Maat, has common ancestry with the Western Siamese, generations of separate breeding of these two cats have spearheaded the development of two distinct breeds.The International Cat Association (TICA), approved the look of the Old-Style Siamese to be shown as Thai in the Preliminary New Breed category, February 17, 2007.

For breeders and Siamese lovers who’s countries lost all their old time Siamese to the progression of show breeding, Thai cats is an option for registering cats who have no registered pedigree. They can be examined and registered as foundation stock and the rebuilding of the breed can move forward. As an example, in the Netherlands a Traditional Siamese lover turned breeder returned from a trip to Ecuador with old-fashioned type Siamese, one male and two females. Most of their Thai cat lines are now based with these Ecuadorian Siamese of unknown parents. They, like Siamese breeders with years of experience, have learned that Siamese of the old type with registered pedigrees that go back more then 50 years are very rare. Breeders in the workgroup are adding lines from other countries including old time Siamese from America to build and produce a genetically healthy cat with the characteristics of the old style Siamese. A breeder of the WTSN selected one of our kittens to be their foundation stud. When taken to a NEOCAT show he was not allowed to compete as a Thai Cat. They would not allow a full blooded Siamese with a registered pedigree to be shown as a Thai Cat. NEOCAT is the equivalent of our CFA.

In Thailand this elegant cat is known as the Wichien-Maat which means “moon diamond”. The Wichien-Maat, along with other cats, is named, described and illustrated centuries ago in the “Tamra Maew” book of cat poems transcribed by Martin Clutterbuck in the book Siamese Cats: Legends and Reality (2004). Over the years, the Wichien-Maat has stayed true to its original breeding, which is still seen today in Thailand, and it remains a popular cat.