Lynx point Siamese cats

How lynx points got their stripes

Lynx point Siamese cats, also known as tabby point Siamese, are named for their beautiful markings, which look like those of the wild lynx.

Lynx Siamese cats came about from the (accidental, I believe) mating of a purebred seal point with a tabby.

A kitten from this mating was then crossed with another purebred seal point, resulting in the first seal tabby point.


What do lynx point Siamese cats look like?

The combination of a Siamese coat and point pattern with tabby markings gives you pale-bodied, pointed cats with tabby-striped points in one of the Siamese point colors.

• Faces should have well-defined stripes around the eyes, nose and cheeks, spotted whisker pads and the 'M'-shaped marking on the forehead
• Ears should be outlined with the same color as the stripes on the face, but have a paler-colored central area that looks rather like a thumbprint
• Legs should be striped, and the tail marked with rings of color that extend all the way up the tail

Young lynx point showing stripy markings and forehead 'M'

photo: © iStockphoto | thepropshoppe

About tabbies

Tabby cats get their markings from the presence of the agouti gene, in conjunction with other genes that give a tabby either a striped, spotted or mottled pattern.

The gene responsible for producing the striped coat pattern is called the 'mackerel' gene, presumably because it gives a cat mackerel-like stripes. It also gives the striped tabby an 'M'-shaped marking on his forehead.

Wild European lynx - note the tabby markings

photo: © iStockphoto | Neven Bijelic

No such thing as a Lynxpoint Siamese?

Technically, there's really no such thing as a lynx point Siamese cat!

This is because the American Cat Fanciers' Association refers to a Siamese-type cat with lynx markings as a Lynx Colorpoint Shorthair.

Confusingly, the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy in the UK calls the same type of cat a Tabby Point Siamese.

So a lynx Colorpoint Shorthair is, in fact, the same as a tabby point Siamese – it's all a question of same cat, different words!

The CFA list six different kinds of lynx point – seal, chocolate, blue, lilac, red and cream, and the GCCF lists ten types of tabby point – these first six plus cinnamon, caramel, fawn and apricot.

Whatever you call them, there's no denying that lynx point Siamese cats are very beautiful.


What are they like to live with?

Lynx points are friendly, active and vocal (although some breeders say they're not quite as vocal as their solid point cousins). They enjoy games and get along well with people and other pets.

They also seem to have inherited the Siamese trait for longevity, with a reported average lifespan of 15-20 years.

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Related pages about Siamese point colors:

Blue | Chocolate | Lilac | Seal | Red | Flame | Tortie