Yes, Siamese cats do change color, but not in the way typical animals do. They are born mostly cream or white because their body temperature in the womb is warm. After birth, their coat color develops darker points—on the ears, face, paws, and tail—due to a unique genetic mutation involving a heat-sensitive enzyme called tyrosinase. This enzyme activates only at cooler temperatures (below about 33°C), causing the cooler parts of their bodies to get darker while the warmer central parts stay lighter. Siamese cats can lighten or darken slightly depending on environmental temperature and seasons, becoming darker in cooler weather and lighter in warmer conditions. Their initial color points develop over weeks after birth, and their coat color may continue to deepen until around 3 to 4 years of age, though some color changes can happen throughout their lives. The distinct point colors (seal, chocolate, blue, lilac, and others) are genetically determined but influenced in depth by temperature. Overall, their color change is a temperature-reactive color development rather than a full color change as seen in some other animals.
