Do Siamese Cats Have Slanted Eyes?

The Siamese cat, loved worldwide by millions for their unique and lovable personality. What few realize is that these wonderful felines actually come in two common shapes and sizes.

The extreme Siamese, also known as the ‘wedgehead’ is the more distinctive of the two, with an angular face and a long, slender body. Their neck and tail are much more elongated, and their wedge-shaped head (hence the name) is smoother, topped off with two large ears. The wedgehead Siamese has slanted eyes and they appear much more piercing than their applehead brothers and sisters.

Traditional Siamese, also known as the ‘applehead’ is usually heavier than the wedgehead. They also have rounder faces and bodies. They still have bright blue eyes, but they’re not slanted like their counterparts.

Do all Siamese cats have crossed eyes?

Siamese cats who have crossed eyes are actually a rare find these days. Cat Fancier Associations are condemning breeders around the world from breeding the cross-eyed variation of this feline. Since Siamese cats originate from Thailand, it is much more common to find cross-eyes Siamese cats there.

If you’re specifically looking to bring a cross-eyed Siamese cat into your home, it may be difficult for you to find one in the west. The Siamese kitties who don’t show signs of crossed eyes are fortunate to not display repercussions of mass breeding. While many breeders purposely avoid this, this imperfection can’t always be completely avoided.

The cross-eyes on a Siamese is actually a natural trait, and they gained them through a genetic flaw in their eye structure. While it may be seen as a disadvantage to us, they can see perfectly fine with their crossed eyes, and it helps them form a clear image in their brain.

Why do Siamese cats have crossed-eyes?

There are a few reasons why these goofy looking cats have slanted eyes:

The Legend

Now, this is exactly what it says on the tin: a legend. Whether or not you choose to believe it is your choice, there is no denying this myth is incredibly interesting!

Legend has it, Siamese cats were instated as a guard to protect a royal, golden goblet. According to the tale, these intelligent felines dedicated their everything to take good care of this precious item.

The reason their eyes are crossed is due to constantly watching over this goblet both day and night. They wrapped their tails around this goblet for extra security, so naturally, over time, they permanently became kinked. 

Of course, this can never be proven. But there’s no denying these unique kitties certainly have a royal and important vibe about them, maybe that’s why they’re so good at protecting their owners!

Albino Genes

Siamese cats have a very interesting genetic structure surrounding their albinism inheritance. All Siamese cats initially contain this albino gene – that’s the reason all Siamese kittens are white at birth. 

Siamese spots are determined by the temperature of the skin. When a part of their body goes below 100%, it attains a color. A Siameses’ face, neck, and paws are the coldest part of their body, therefore that is where a Siamese will attain these spots. The cross-eyed trait in these felines is caused by that albino gene, and it is actually a genetic flaw.

Though Siamese kittens are all white at birth, is it possible for a black cat to be part Siamese? I found out the answer which you can read by simply clicking on the link!

Scientific Reasoning

The optic nerves are also controlled by the albino gene. This gene disrupts the optical nerve and causes a Siamese cat’s eyes to be crossed. 

Just like humans, cats have forward-pointing eyes. They process images just like we do; by taking two inputs of the same image and stitching them together to allow the brain to process it correctly. 

Humans have 20/20 vision thanks to our retinas being exactly opposite our iris. Siamese cats, however, have retinas that shift slightly inwards. This isn’t a bad thing, though. Their crossed eyes help them form images clearly and they can see perfectly ordinarily. 

Strabismus is the scientific name for this genetic flaw, specifically horizontal strabismus in Siamese cats.

Do crossed eyes cause Siamese cats problems?

If your Siamese cat is crossed-eyed – don’t fret! This is a natural trait in Siamese cats, and if they have developed this condition early in their life, chances are it won’t affect their vision one bit. To ease your worries further, read here to know why Siamese cats are crossed-eyed and what made it completely normal.

However, if your Siamese cat develops crossed eyes in a later stage of life, this can happen for a few reasons. Viruses and nerve trauma can trigger this condition. 

Some Siamese kittens can also be born with this condition therefore it is congenital.

If your Siamese cat suddenly develops strabismus, then this could be a cause for concern and you should contact your local vet. Otherwise, you should just think of this as another one of their quirky little traits!

It is common for Siamese cats in Thailand to continue to show this trait, unlike their brothers and sisters in the west. Due to line-breeding, the cross-eyed variation of these cats is slowly dying out. You may be able to find one in a shelter if you’re looking to adopt one of these cross-eyes, kinked-tailed beauties!

It’s a common concern for many Siamese owners to be worried about their cats well being when it comes to this gene flaw. But, the good news is, as long as your Siamese hasn’t developed this condition later on in life, it’s completely natural. All you have to do is accept this as one of their lovable traits!

Do all Siamese cats have blue eyes?

Both parents have to have blue eyes in order for their offspring to have blue eyes. But the general consensus is if a Siamese is purebred, they’ll have blue eyes. 

The Himalayan gene is present in Siamese kitties and that is what is responsible for that dazzling blue eye color. The albinism gene that causes Siamese cats to be crossed-eyed also causes their blue eyes.

The same as their human parents, Siamese cats have two Iris membranes in the eye. For us, we have the Epithelium and Stroma pigment cells that dictate our eye color. However, Siamese cats do not possess these pigment cells due to the albinism gene.

Technically, Siamese cats do not have an eye color. As strange as it sounds, Isaac Newton’s Rayleigh Scattering theory can explain the idea behind this. Blue is the color that contains the shortest wavelength. Therefore, it scatters more than any other color. Technically Siamese cats have blue eyes for the same reason the sky is blue. It is the predominant color for the human eye.

Are all blue-eyed cats Siamese though? Answers can be found by clicking on the link.

Do Siamese cats have unique eyes?

Siamese cats do indeed have unique eyes! From their slanted shape to their cross-eyed gene to their iris’ as blue as the sea. These days, Siamese cats have been bred out of their traditional features, meaning it’s harder to find them in western countries.

However, one trip to Thailand and you will come across the Siamese in all their crooked tailed, slanted-eyed glory!

Want to immerse yourself more in the captivating world of Siamese cats? I’ve got all the information you need from their distinct color points to their fun personalities: Siamese Cats: Unique Features and Personality