Am I always destined to have my heart broken by a Siamese?

[janelle]

I have been owned by 2 Siamese cats and both have had sensitive stomachs. Both would throw up so much I felt sorry for them. My first one lived until he was 18 but he always had a sensitive stomach. My second one died at age 6. His problem got worse over time and he finally stopped eating. The vet said it may have been cancer but he diagnosed it as irritable bowel syndrome.

If I get another cat I would like to get a Siamese but don't think I can go through that heartbreak again. Are all Siamese known to have this problem? My sister's Siamese cats had kidney problems. They had crystals in their urine and died at an early age.

Are all Siamese known to have health problems? TIA

[moosmom]

I'd ask your vet. He'd be the best person to answer that question. Every cat is different. Every health issue is different. It COULD be the reason why they original owners gave them up. I had a hairless cat, MooShoo, who was a rescue. He lived to be 10 1/2 years old and died on my birthday of a blood clot. I was devastated. He was my soulmate. My vet told me that in cats such as orientals, Siamese, etc., can carry a clot around for years. Then one strong pump of the heart can dislodge it and it'll travel to either the brain or the legs. In MooShoo's case, it went to his legs. He couldn't be saved. By the time I got him to the vet at 2 a.m. he was gone.

[catmandu]

Of My Siamese Six Pack, Almond Rocca had a stroke at 9 and had to be PTS as the damage to her system was irreperable
Benjamin James got up, stumbled over and passed on from a heart attack at 10.
Handsome John Hancock passed on at 11, probably from a stroke or heart attack.
Sam and Precious both live until they were 15 though, and Precious may have longer had she had pined away for her Sam Aka Shemp
My Bo Bo was my longest lived Siamese, she passed on at 17.
I have heard that Pure Breed Cats do not live as long as Mixed Breeds as they have not the genes that Mixed Breeds have froom heridity, but that could be wriong. Good Luck in finding a New Cat Companion, Meezer or Not.

[janelle]

Yes, I got Simon from a breeder as a kitten. I heard the ones who are a mixed breed do better than a pure breed. They are just so intelligent and pretty, I love them. I still have a short hair domestic and she seems to be healthy with no problems to speak of. My husband says no more pets though---he was so broken up with we had to put Simon to sleep.

Thanks for your replies.

[aTailOf2Kitties]

my Meezer-esque guys have slightly sensitive tummies, but the Purina One Sensitive Systems seems to be working for them. Granted, they are only a few years old, plus Havoc is a mix. I monitor the litterboxes closely for impending outbreaks if I do happen to add something new to their diet (different type of treats or whatever)

[krazyaboutkatz]

My RB Starr was a sickly cat from day one. He was a Siamese Flame Point mix so he wasn't even a pure bred. He later had severe diarrhea and he was diagnosed with IBD/Colitis and he had to be on pred or else he'd have problems. The pred made him gain so much weight that his poor little body couldn't handle it and he could barely get around so I had to let him go. He was only 4 years old at the time.

My Pearl is a Lynx Point Siamese mix and even though she has Eosinophilic Granuloma Complex she's doing well. In her case she'll break out on her chin and lips unless she's on a grain free diet. She's now 5 years old and the vet said she's in excellent health.

My cat Storm who is just a DLH without any Siamese in him, has urinary problems. He had struvite crystals and blocked twice so he needed to have PU surgery. Now he has to have a lot canned food with added water to make sure that he gets enought moisture in his diet and he's also on a grain free diet and doing well.

Many cats can have urinary crystals, kidney problems, heart problems,and thyroid problems. They don't have to be pure breds or even siamese to get these horrible things.

[Catty1]

Janelle, if you go to the "Look what I found on my back porch" thread by momoffurryfaces (MOFF), another mom kitty just showed up on her back porch with 3 kittens. Two look like meezer mixes. Are you close to Kansas or Oklahoma?

I am a believer in a no-grain, non-vet diet for my boys. Oscar is about 8 and still playful (more so since he and his brother are on weight management food! ). I also split 1/4 can of quality wet food between them in the morning, first mixing it with a squirt of Omega 3-6 or salmon oil (from vet or good pet store) and hot water. I put this over the dry food and they love it!

Nothing can make our furbabies live forever, no matter what we do - but I believe and hope that my boys are having healthier and longer lives, and that I have had to pay for fewer vet visits. The only ones I pay for are their yearly checkups.

Condolences on your losses...I hope you find another kitty or two to love.

[Sonia59]

It's difficult to say whether Siamese are more likely to have these problems than other ones. It is known that breeding has introduced specific pathologies that non-bred cats did not have, for instance kidney failure. Food could be a factor too. Asking a vet would be a good idea, indeed, because a vet meets so many breeds that he could have an opinion. But if your first siamese lived 18 years, it's not bad at all.

[Karen]

Pets always break our hearts a little because they live shorter lives than we do, but I think the joy they give us more than makes up for it. In My Humble Opinion.

[janelle]

I always had both cats on Science Diet from advice of the vet then Simon went on the AD food from the vet's. It helped for awhile but he became sensitive to all food. He went from throwing up once in awhile to almost evryday.

I made sure both cats had tons of water at all times and both liked to drink it. I didn't want them to develop the kidney problems and I know they do if they do not have enough water in their food or otherwise.

My one cat lived a long time but he was always bothered by a sensitive stomach. It would be nice to know if any cat I get in the future is free of this problem.

[catmandu]

I have a sad feeling that there a few bad breeders , who put profit first.
I dont think my friend is like that as the Cats I bought were given to me at cost as she knew that they would have a hime where they were cared for.
I bought Miquelito and Pouncierge for the price of spaying and neutering about 400 dollars to get them out of that crowded house and because they are Great Cats
Sadly where I live is not a good place for a cattery , as this city is not doing well and premium Cats are not in demand at all.
I have not been in touch and wonder how those other Cats are doing
There were at least 40 , maybe more.

[Catty1]

janelle - none of the vet food is grain free. When I looked at putting my boys on a grain-free diet, I called my vet's office to double check. The vet that called me back was thrilled that my boys liked the no-grain food. I asked if there was any chance a vet-supplied food would be grain-free. Her reply? "I wish!"

Having said that, I used the vet food for a long time, as the one food got rid of Oscar's urinary crystals in less than a week. However, there are excellent non-vet foods out there. Some folks here have had great luck with Purina, and there are the others that are grain free.

Good luck with your kitties in the future...and bless you for looking after the sick ones. That is love!

[Barbara]

I always believed the story about the mixes who are healthier. So I have Filou, Abyssinian, who is sick with renal failure since he is 9. He is 14 now and while he is really old and frail now he still lives. And there was Tigris, Aby-Siberian mix of whom we thought he was the healthiest cat we've ever seen- and he passed away last September from cancer within 3 weeks
So- if your heart is with a Meezer- go for it.

[Vermontcat]

If you love Siamese cats so much, I see no reason for you not to get another one to love.
Have you gotten your other cats from breeders or from rescues?
I think I must be lucky with getting my Siamese cats, they have both been healthy so far with only the problem of getting rid of fleas and worms when I first got them.
My cat Milly does have a high food drive and will tend to overeat until she throws up but we monitor her food intake and don't free feed her so she doesn't throw up very often now.
I know Siamese cats are special, one option you may want to try is to find a mix like a Snowshoe that has many of the Siamese traits with less inbreeding.
Have you looked at the cats at Siamese Rescue?
I'm sure you will be able to find a new kitty to love there.
http://www.siameserescue.org/

[catmandu]

The Days of Auld Lang Syne, I pray for My Siamese Angel Every Day