Bailey at the breeder
The Bailey Chronicles
Introduction
"Not even a goldfish..."....that's what Debbie and I had always said whenever the subject of pets was brought up. It's not like we were strangers to having animal companions, we had both grown up with them and had them in our own families as well...we just felt it wasn't time for us to consider bringing a cat or dog into our home, and right up until it "happened" we both felt we would probably never actually do it...but things DO change, don't they...?
So why did we decide on Siamese cats...why not a dog? My mother breeds dogs - dachshunds and shih-tzus - we could have easily had one of those, or literally any breed we desired with my Mom's contacts in the dog breeding circles...so why not a dog...?
We like dogs just fine, we've both had some great ones in our past...but we're currently living in a 2nd floor apartment...we have no "yard" to speak of - the prospects of taking a dog out for a walk 3 or 4 times a day/night rain or shine, or in the middle of an old-fashioned New England "Nor'Easter" winter blizzard did not hold a great deal of appeal for us. Not so for a cat, they're much more suited to living exclusively indoors...but that's the easy answer - there are many reasons beyond that. Even if we had the right residential conditions to own a dog, I'm quite sure we still would have decided on a cat.
But why a Siamese...? Aren't they noisy, mischievous, always looking for trouble...? If that's what you've heard about Siamese, you probably heard it from someone who doesn't much care for cats anyway...! I grew up with two Siamese and was familiar with the breed and its traits before Deb and I made the decision to get our own, so allow me dispel these notions as best I can: "Noisy" - yes, they DO talk...and on many occasions you can have a running conversation with them...after spending a very short time with a Siamese in your home, you will come to know exactly what they're saying to you - and it goes much deeper than almost all other breeds, whose "verbal" communication most often consists of little more than "I'm hungry - feed me" or "let me out/in". "Mischievous" - that's a tough one, because there is probably some truth to that (probably..??)...but it also points to one of the most desirable qualities of a Siamese: intelligence. Siamese are quite possibly the most intelligent breed of housecat there is...it takes intelligence and a reasoning mind to be "mischievous", and perhaps the reason they may be more so than other breeds is due to the fact that they're simply "smarter than the average cat". This is not to say that other breeds of cats aren't intelligent, aren't "the sharpest pencil in the box", because that's not always true...but if you have ever had contact with a Siamese, I think you'll know what I'm talking about. "Always looking for trouble" - this points to another Siamese trait - an insatiable curiosity about their world and everything in it (and by logical extension - YOUR world and everything in it..!). Siamese seem to be on an eternal quest to understand the "why" and "how" of the universe they inhabit...and if that isn't the evidence of a reasoning mind, I don't know what is...! This is exactly what we were looking for in a companion animal - intelligence, communication, affection, a joyful willingness to participate in our lives....this is why we have Siamese cats...and if you need yet another reason, I can only offer this:
"Dogs don't purr..."
Inside you will find the pictorial story of Bailey and Ribbons - our two "meezers". We do hope you enjoy your visit!
Miles
Note: only the first link is currently working...this site is brand new and under construction - we'll be adding more pages and features daily - thanks for your patience...! (Miles, 5/3/02)
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