All About Siamese Cat Eyes

Siamese cat eyes are known for being a brilliant sapphire blue and the legend says that they were given as a gift from god. In ancient times only royalty were permitted to keep Siamese cats, as they were believed to have special powers and those who owned them received good fortune.

They were kept to offer protection and the legend goes that Barbarians threatened to destroy the temple alter in Siam.

The cats managed to chase off the invaders and as a reward for their bravery and loyalty were blessed with their brilliant blue eyes.

Cats are known for their ability to see in the dark, and are renowned for their nocturnal hunting skills. Siamese cats however have very poor night vision and this is due to a lack of tapetum lucidum. This is a light reflecting surface that is found at the back of the retina.

This helps cats to see very well in dim light. If you ever shine a light on to cats eyes in the dark you will see a bright reflection from them.

Siamese are the only breed of cat that doesn’t have a tapetum lucidum and so this makes them unique.

However unlike other breeds of cat that have white fur and blue eyes the Siamese doesn’t suffer from any deafness.

Siamese cats eyes can often look crossed, and this is because the centre of the retinas are not aligned in the usual way. The centre of the left retina is shifted towards the right, and the centre of the right retina is shifted towards the left. Like us, Siamese cats eyes point forwards, So in order to see things properly they turn their eyes inward, making them look cross eyed.

Genetic disorders in Siamese cats can include glaucoma, a disease that is common in older humans. Pressure builds up in the eye that can cause pain and discomfort. If left to develop it can cause blindness. As with people medication can be given to reduce the pressure.

Siamese cats eyes can develop a condition called progressive retinal atrophy. This is an inherited disease that leads to a deterioration of the retina and eventual blindness. This is eye disease is more common in certain breeds of cat and some breeds of dog.

Siamese are very extrovert, vocal and love human company. They make loving and loyal pets, but do require a lot of time and attention.