Boop, thanks for the response. Our current kitty is very shy around men, although she loves dh and my son. I would rather that a new pet like everyone, and I actually read that the Siamese/Balinese may prefer men.

I also read that the Balis are quieter than the Siamese. I hope we like their activity level and noisiness. We definitely want cats that like to play.

I will look into the Oriental shorthair breed. Do they like to be held and cuddled?

Here are my guys together.

And on my lap...

I wish I had more experience with Siamese to help you. I will say everything I have read they do seem to favor one person, but I have also read that oriental short hair are very similar in temperment.

All of my cats have a preference for me, but the oriental shorthairs love everyone and will sit on anyone's lap.

They LOVE to cuddle and actually need a lot of it IMHO. it does help a lot to have two. They really like to sleep with you too.

I think that my siamese was just a shy kitty, we could tell that at the breeder though, which is why I was saying I think it would be good to go see them if you can before getting them. We felt bad for such a shy kitty and took her home.

I miss her! she ate the bad pet food when there was that issue with China and melamine a long time ago. She was a fighter though, after a few vet stays and thinking we would lose her she got somewhat better and was good for another five years before her kidneys finally gave on her. ( I still curse those food suppliers) She was only 7 :(

I will tell you that I think my next cat (if I ever get another one) would be a Siamese. I just think they are so beautiful, and I know I like their general personalities since I have had the Siamese and Oriental shorthair.

Jan have you looked into this rescue organization? They have cats fostered all over WI and northern IL. I wouldn't hesitate to contact them and explain the details of your situation. From the descriptions, the foster families put a lot of time into describing personalities of their fosters and would know if they have a cat that is a good fit for you. There are a couple there that are calling my name and I haven't owned a cat in 30+ years!!!

Here is a link that might be useful: Purebred Cat Rescue

I should add, I don't find the noise to be too much most of the time. they mostly talk when they are hungry, or want to get on your lap, etc.

Sometimes it is a bit much though -For example, my cats used to sleep with us before we had kids. I cosleep, so having the cats in the room too was not an option. Poor kitties did cry outside the door off and on for probably 2-3 weeks before they gave up. I dont know if that is normal since this is the only breed I have ever had.

They also alert us to problems, like if someone doesn't open the water right on their auto water thing, or if one is in a closet. I can always count on my oldest (the real boopadaboo) to let me know there is a problem :)

I bet you could find videos on line of how they "talk to you"

Here's a beauty on Petfinder....

Here is a link that might be useful: Balinese Siamese

You might consider a retired show cat. These cats are very well socialized and are used to being handled. I too have a 12 year old on the spectrum. I always know when he is up because I hear our Somali talking to him!

Have you thought about a Burmese? One of our neighbours has this breed and he is the darling of the neighbourhood. He is so friendly, he is almost dog-like and actually plays fetch with the kids. I looked up the breed on Wikipedia and it says they tolerate being left alone better than Siamese and have a "sweeter" meow.

We had a Siamese cat growing up. She lived to be 18 and was like the matriarch of the family. She bonded with my older sister (they were babies together), but was very stand-offish to the rest of the kids.

Here is a link that might be useful: Burmese cats

I've no experience with breeders as I've always taken in stray or rescue cats. For some reason I decided when one of my cats died a couple years ago that I wanted a Siamese cat. I had one as a kid but didn't remember much about it so I did some reading about them. Lots of great feedback including how much they can be dog like - which is great for DH since he would love a dog but our lifestyle isn't conducive to that.

So I kept looking for one on Petfinder and finally found a two year old traditional applehead at a shelter - not purebred I'm sure but he has that appearance. The great thing about getting a shelter/rescue cat that isn't a little kitten is that you can tell what their personality is like. It seems like that would be especially good in your case.

The Siamese we got is the sweetest lover boy and he loves everyone. He is dog like in that he fetches, greets you at the door and is always your buddy there for you no matter what.

This year another one of my old cats died so I again searched for a Siamese mix on Petfinder. This time I got one that is younger so it would be more likely to get along with my existing cats - had a little trouble trying to bring in a five year old who was too aggressive toward my cat. Anyway, this little girl is also very sweet and loving snuggler and follows us around everywhere. She gets along great with the other Siamese cat.

Highly recommend a shelter/rescue kitty.

boop, your babies are adorable! I love how they seem to love each other so much too.

bestyears - Mr Fuego is so cute!

nan, I have considered a retired show cat. Some of the sites I have visited have retirees, although, as I mentioned, most breeders are going with the modern wedge-style Siamese, and I much prefer the traditional applehead Balinese.

daisy - I hadn't considered a Burmese, but I am open to the options. I definitely don't want an obnoxious cat, that's for sure, and it sounds like the Burmese is more mellow.

gibby - Your cats are gorgeous. I would consider a rescue cat as long as it is fairly young and has a great personality. All of our previous cats were rescues, and while all were sweethearts, only one liked to be held. And, I definitely want a cat that likes to be held. The one that did like to be held (our current 20-year old) has been with us from kitten on. So, I guess I think they are more likely to bond and be well socialized if they have been with their people from a young age. I'm impressed at how well your cats are getting along when introduced as adults. I am going to continue looking at all options.

boop, your babies are adorable! I love how they seem to love each other so much too.

bestyears - Mr Fuego is so cute!

nan, I have considered a retired show cat. Some of the sites I have visited have retirees, although, as I mentioned, most breeders are going with the modern wedge-style Siamese, and I much prefer the traditional applehead Balinese.

daisy - I hadn't considered a Burmese, but I am open to the options. I definitely don't want an obnoxious cat, that's for sure, and it sounds like the Burmese is more mellow.

gibby - Your cats are gorgeous. I would consider a rescue cat as long as it is fairly young and has a great personality. All of our previous cats were rescues, and while all were sweethearts, only one liked to be held. And, I definitely want a cat that likes to be held. The one that did like to be held (our current 20-year old) has been with us from kitten on. So, I guess I think they are more likely to bond and be well socialized if they have been with their people from a young age. I'm impressed at how well your cats are getting along when introduced as adults. I am going to continue looking at all options.

Jan - I grew up with an applehead Siamese, named Sultan, and he was a great cat. He loved to play; even as he got older he was always ready for the game of "peek around the corner and I will come jumping sideways at you". He was very friendly with anyone who came to visit; he was very talkative, and he loved to be petted, although I wouldn't call him cuddly.

One day my mother called my father and me to come into the back bathroom; she was slightly annoyed. We went and found her looking into the toilet, which had been left uncovered, and in it were two small poops. "Did either of you forget to flush?" she asked, and we both pointed out that our poops were certainly larger than what was floating in the bowl. "Can it be?" Surely not!" But yes, this was the work of Sultan. We left the toilet open and some days later another discreet poop appeared in it. I was henceforth assigned the task of toilet inspection along with cleaning the seat if the bowl had been used. When the toilet lid was down, Sultan always used his litterbox - he was such a gentleman, and very smart. And for the rest of his days he pooped in the toilet whenever possible.

Just saying - Siamese cats deserve their reputation for intelligence!

I have had many cats and kittens throughout my life and I totally agree with you that you should get TWO kittens. Few things compare to the absolute delight of watching two young ones grow and play and bond together. Furthermore, two will take out their need to play-fight on each other; all that clawing and nipping and hind-leg raking that they need to do to learn how to hunt and catch prey will occur between them and not with their human family. They wlll save their cuddliness and purring for their people - in this case, for your son!

Ten years ago we adopted two ten-week old kittens from our SPCA; it was the first time I'd ever adopted two at a time. And we had a decade of joy with them, from their hilarious kittenhood to the pleasure of their purry cuddling with us (and with each other). Sadly, we had to have the male put to sleep two weeks ago, and it was a terrible grief. So I know what you are facing. I wonder if you would consider getting the kittens before your granny cat passes. We adopted our two kittens about six weeks before our then 17-year old granny cat passed away. We mostly kept them separate from her and it worked out well. From long experience I can tell you that it really does help to have another animal in the house, if the older cat can tolerate it (ours did). But I guess it would also depend on your son and his personality and how he would handle losing a cat he loves, plus the excitement of new kittens. Only you know him and whether or not he needs a complete experience with one animal before going on to others.

BTW, the male kitty that we just lost was BY FAR the most cuddly and purry cat that I have ever had, and he was a DSH black and white tuxedo, of dubious parentage and born in the SPCA. I don't think that we can predict just how physically loving a cat will be. Some of that is in the individual nature of the animal. But there's no doubt that Siamese/Burmese/Birmans/etc. are beautiful, intelligent and special creatures!

Could you please keep us posted? I would love to see your story have a happy ending, especially for your son.

And forgive me for the length of this post!

Jan, the http://va.siameserescue.org/ is an excellent organization for adopting a kitty. They really try to match up the right cat/cats to the family. I agree that if you get a kitten, you should adopt two. We rescued two from my husband's workplace and they are the most loving kitties. One is my lapcat. I can't sit down without her jumping in my lap. The other is a lynx point siamese (look) and she wants me to hold her while she hugs me. She likes to be held right after she wakes from her naps. They are littermates. Totally different personalities, but both are affectionate. They were so entertaining when they were kittens. We kept them in a rabbit cage when they were tiny, so they didn't get into anything. After work, we'd let them on our screened porch while we watched them, and they would entertain us for hours. We got them at 3 or 4 weeks and I had to bottle feed the siamese looking one. They didn't mind the cage. When they got bigger, they still slept in it at night, and would go get in it when it was time for bed. I kept a throw over it at night. We used a pie pan for a litter box.

sable, your story completely cracks me up about Sultan! That is something else, and certainly a testament to the breed's intelligence. You're right that each cat has his/her own personality, and it is somewhat of a game of chance in terms of what will happen, but I am hoping that with choosing this breed that it would be more likely to get the desired personality traits, and if we get kittens, we can be a part of their early socialization and learning/bonding. Still, I am open to other options as well.

I will definitely keep you posted.

I spoke with three breeders today, and there will definitely be waiting involved if we go that route. It looks like it could be late spring or early summer (at least) before any kittens will be available, as there are waiting lists and/or just timing issues. Also, living in Wisconsin, kittens cannot be shipped by plane in cold temperatures.

I'm sure my son will have a hard time with the waiting. He hasn't fully comprehended that our current kitty cannot be replaced as an individual. He wants to name the next cat the same name, etc. This is so hard right now.

He is so attached to that cat (and so am I, honestly). He has many pictures of her on his i-pod, and he must talk about her so much at school that his teachers even ask how our cat is doing.

Jeane, I will check out the siamese rescue option. I would like to have two cats (so they have company when we're at work and can have more stimulation/better quality of life). So, if I went that route, it would be important for the cats involved to be able to get to like each other. Plus, the waiting time might be less.

I've noticed in my Siamese petfinder search that there are many bonded pairs of kitties that must be adopted as a pair. Sadly I only had room for one more so they weren't an option for me. Some are still waiting for a home months later. So it doesn't seem that finding a pair of loving kitties would be difficult at all. Here's a cute pair that kept catching my eye but I couldn't take both of them.

This post was edited by gibby3000 on Fri, Dec 27, 13 at 10:01

We had a Siamese many years ago, and she was a very companionable, friendly cat. Went for walks with us, and generally liked being around people.

My next 6 cats were adopted from the pound. We lived on a ranch and they were inside/outside cats. Only one was unsuitable for us. We adopted them as young adults.

The next two I got as 8 month olds from relatives who had to move and couldn't find an apartment that would let them have pets (I don't think they really tried very hard). They were both lovely cats (gray tabbies). Unfortunately, over the years, I've become more and more allergic, so I can no longer have cats inside. I found them a home at a rescue shelter that keeps them for life if they're not adopted. We can't have outdoor cats here because of the predators, so I miss having one around.

Good luck with your search. I'm sure you'll find a great pet for your son.

Gibby, those two are sure cute.

Anna, I love that your Siamese went for walks with you. They are so smart and companionable.

After calling and talking with many breeders, I found one with an expected Balinese litter in early February that will be ready to go at the end of April. We are second on the wait list and are hoping for a male and a female from this same litter. A chocolate point would melt my heart. So it will be exciting for us over the next few months. My DS will have a hard time waiting, but it will be worth it. I know we'll enjoy the kittenhood and having a pair of them.

I've had an apple-head Siamese who was a real sweetheart and quite the talker! I've also had 4 'regular' Siamese, two that were bluepoints. Having had cats since I was a little kid, and always being my favorite pet, Siamese are a unique breed. Females do tend to be more aggressive and not as friendly, but males are over the top lovable. I had two i could put on a leash, since I don't believe in any animal running loose, unless fenced. One would walk, but the other just liked being outdoors. You can't go wrong with this breed!