Cat legends - Siamese cats, kinked tails and other storiesWhere did the Siamese cat come from? Among other Siamese cat legends there's one that speculates on this. The Lion and the MonkeyThis was first told by George Cansdale (once the Superintendent of London Zoo, who must have known a thing or two about animals) in 'Animals and Man'. I read the story in Sally Franklin's 'The Complete Siamese'. The story takes place after Noah had selected two of each animal for his Ark. During the long weeks of the voyage, while waiting for the waters to subside, many of the animals got bored. A liaison took place between an ape and a lioness.
This mating resulted in the arrival of the first Siamese cat, said to have "the attributes of an ape and the bravery of a lion".
Of all the Siamese cat legends and stories, this is one I would love to believe! My own cat has the mischievous nature of a monkey, and definitely the bravery of a lion - he's been known to chase foxes twice his size! Some other popular Siamese legends ...Several Siamese cat legends imagine how the breed might have got the kinked tails and crossed eyes that it has become known for. Of course, these characteristics are seen as faults nowadays and have largely been bred out of Siamese genes, but the stories are fun. And there are still some Siamese cats with crossed eyes and kinked tails around. The Golden GobletOnce upon a time in the ancient kingdom of Siam (the story goes) there came a period of war when the men of the realm all went off to defend their country. They left behind a male and a female cat to guard a sacred golden goblet that had once been used by the Buddha. After a romantic few days, doing as cats do when left to their own devices, the male, bored of his guard duties, wandered off to look for further pleasures. The female, now pregnant, was left alone to guard the goblet. Overwhelmed with this responsibility, she wrapped her tail around its stem and fixed her eyes on it, never to let it out of her sight. She waited and stared, waited and stared, and hoped that the men would return before her kittens were due. With all the staring her eyes developed a squint, and her tail became permanently bent from holding on to the goblet stem. The men did not return, and eventually, of course, the kittens could wait no longer. They were finally born … … and all of them had inherited her crossed eyes and kinked tail. And to this very day, there are still some Siamese cats born with crossed eyes and kinked tails! The Princess and the Ring StandOnce upon a time (it starts, as all good legends do) in the ancient kingdom of Siam … … there was a Princess of the Royal Household who loved to swim. Each day, she would make her way to her favorite bathing pool accompanied by her faithful feline companion. Each day, she would take off her rings, and, for safekeeping, place them over her cat's tail. The cat would bend her tail to stop the rings from falling off, and gradually, over many years, her tail developed a permanent kink. And to this very day, there are still some Siamese cats born with kinked tails!
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