Photo Of The Day: December 13, 2008

Siamese cats were first exported from Thailand (then known as Siam) in the late 1800s. They began appearing in English cat shows almost immediately, and in American shows by the early twentieth century. There are many varieties, including the lesser-known lilac point, first recognized by the Cat Fanciers Association in 1950. Lilac points are snow white in color with silvery-gray and pink highlighted points. This rare Siamese cat has intense blue eyes, and the pads of the feet and the nose are a unique shade of lilac. They're particularly cute when they're kittens, as seen here. For more photos of cats, visit Paul Scharff Photography.com.