Highly sociable, curious and very communicative, Siamese cats are considered to be among the most intelligent of felines.
Along with Abyssinians, Burmese and Bengals, their cerebral prowess is well-known among experts and owners.
But to understand just how smart these beautiful cats are, it’s important to understand cat intelligence and how it manifests itself.
What is Cat Intelligence?
While it’s difficult to measure precisely, cat intelligence is usually attributed to breeds that are sociable, trainable, curious and communicative.
The ability to adapt to different environments, to solve problems and to respond to human cues can be factored in too.
While research on Siamese intelligence is scarce, there’s a plenty of anecdotal evidence from owners, behaviorists and vets.
This evidence emphatically indicates that Siamese cats perform are very smart, performing particularly well in most of the following areas.
Sociability
There’s not doubt that dogs form different kinds of bonds with their owners to cats.
Yet, scientific studies have found that purebred cats such as Siamese, are often closer to their owners than non-pedigree felines.
Usually, the Siamese cat gravitates towards one person (often the main care-giver) with whom they form an extremely close bond.
This tends to be the same across traditional Siamese breeds such as Blue Points, right through to color variations such as Lynx Points.
Needy and attention-seeking behavior is highly typical of this beautiful breed as well.
It’s not unusual for Siamese to follow their owners around the house or be waiting for them at the front-door.
When left alone for long periods, they often become depressed – separation anxiety isn’t uncommon either.
To compensate for this, a lot of owners adopt Siamese cats in pairs.
Responding to Human Cues
Underpinning the above social skills is the moderate ability of cats to respond to human cues such as hand gestures and speech.
Although there’s no research to indicate that Siamese breeds are better at responding to human cues than other breeds, a lot of owners would say otherwise.
House-training also tends to be relatively straightforward if performed properly.
A Craving for Stimulation
Siamese crave mental stimulation which is another strong indicator of intelligence.
If they’re not engaged mentally, they tend to become bored and even depressed.
The best way to avoid any such issues is to play with the cat and ensure it gets plenty of exercise.
Food puzzles, toy mice and scratching posts are therefore highly recommended.
Trainability
Siamese cats aren’t just dog-like because of their loyalty or affectionate nature. They’re also very trainable.
By using the reward-consequence process, it’s possible to train them to do tricks, sit or approach on command and even perform high-fives.
Curiosity
Curiosity is closely linked to intelligence be it human or feline. And there’s no doubt that Siamese cats are inquisitive by nature.
In fact, curiosity it’s one of the breeds main traits. Turning on faucets, exploring closets and generally getting up to mischief around the house are typical antics.
Communication
Siamese are extremely vocal when it comes to communicating with humans.
So vocal in fact that they’re more than happy to provide their owners with constant narratives about their daily activities.
Their distinctive, loud calls are employed regularly to voice their feelings, express affection and to make demands.
In comparison to other felines, these communications are far more elaborate, expressive and sophisticated.
Are Siamese the Most Intelligent Cats?
Actually no. According to experts, Abyssinians are thought to be the most intelligent breed, with Siamese cats placed second. Here’s the top ten:
- Abyssinians
- Siamese
- Burmese
- Singapura
- Bengal
- Cornish Rex
- Scottish Fold
- Korat
- Turkish Van
- Japanese Bobtail
