History of the Siamese Cat, 1940s and 1950s, Part 4
by Carlon Boren

Although research has proved that the history of the Chocolate Pointed Siamese in Britain dates back to an imported cat in 1896, little was known of this variety. Certain breeders had always been enthusiastic, and although separate classes at the Siamese Cat Club’s show were assigned to Chocolate points in 1948, until May 1950, they were still entered on the Governing Council’s official register with the Seal points. In 1950 the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy in England set forth a Chocolate standard, and they were given separate registrations, and came under the heading of Breed #24B.

Here too, in America there were many devoted Fanciers working for the recognition of the Chocolate Point Siamese. Besides Ruth Fisher of Mau Tien cattery and Tanya Hokin of the Dark Gauntlets cattery, who owned the two famous Chocolate Point males, “born before their time” (1940), (Hau Tien’s Ailourus-“Al”, and Alastor of the Dark Gauntlets), I believe that Zelma Phillips of U.C.F. and Polly Jones of the Lamar Cattery, along with Adele Deeths and Ione Wilson, who were members of the Siamese Cat Society of America, Inc., must be given great credit for promoting the Chocolate Point Siamese.

The Chocolate Point standard set forth by England’s Governing Council of the Cat Fancy in 1950 was adopted first in 1951 by the United Cat Federation in the United States, and in 1952 by the Cat Fanciers Association, Inc., and shortly after ACA and CFF also recognized the breed color.

The Chocolate Point Siamese suffered greatly through misunderstanding of its authenticity as a distinct and true variation. It was regarded, by most breeders of the Siamese, as a poor specimen of the Seal Point Siamese. Many of the early chocolates were neutered or spayed, and only a minority of breeders kept it preserved for us until recognition was finally won for this beautiful popular variety.

At a show held December 9, 1951, at Englewood, California, by the Western Cat Club, an affiliate of the UCF and where the Chocolate Point Siamese were in competition for the first time, there were seven male and three female chocolates. The winner of the female class was a Chocolate Point named Ming Ling of Belle Acres, born April 1946, bred by Ruth Cheasney and owned by Mrs. Lois Candland. Ming Ling was sired by Mrs. Alexander’s Joshua x Niea Sing. Ming’s grandfather was the famous Chocolate Point male, Wy Yu Yu of Yates de Airy. Mrs. Mildred Alexander of Sherman Oaks, California, was well known here in the Southland, for her famous Seal male “Tamelik Yongen”, who sired so many fine Siamese. “Tamelik” was born about 1940 and he lived almost 16 years.

The winner of the chocolate male class was CH Lamar’s Rocco, owned by Commander and Mrs. Charles L. Jones, Coronado, California. Rocco was well known in the fancy; he had made his debut in the kitten class, at Oakland, California, and won Best Kitten, Opposite Sex, competing in the Seal Point class, although he was obviously a chocolate point kitten. His type was outstanding, and he was enthusiastically received. As an adult he was shown in the Seal Point classes, and won his first two Championships in CFA and ACA. Rocco was born July 1950, and since there was no class to put him into but the Seal class, Polly “fought him through the trying ordeal of bucking the Seal Points in the Seal Point classes.” After ACA established the chocolate classes, ACA requested that he go through again in these classes, which he did.

Rocco was out of Lamar’s Toto x Fu Fang, and was bred by Mrs. D.W. Dial, owner of “Fu”, who later on established the “Sun Dial” cattery. Fu Fang had been bred by Mrs. N.F. Bolinder of Portland, Oregon; her sire was Lamar’s Prajadhipok of Nordom and his dam was Tats’in Tai Tsung. Toto, the father of Rocco, was almost as famous as his son; he was born in April 1948, out of Satyr of the Dark Gauntlets (who Polly had purchased from Tanya Hokin) and Lamar’s Kuan Yin. Toto, a darker chocolate than Rocco, had excellent type and was a very popular Stud. Queens from New Jersey, Texas, San Francisco, Seattle and as far away as New York were flown in for breeding to these two.

The Lamar cattery was famous too for Blues and Seals of show quality, and for many years Champions followed Champions stemming from Lamar’s Satyr of the Dark Gauntlets and Chinkee Lou, and Lamar’s Kuan Yin. Lamar’s stock was in great demand, and well known throughout America.

At the Oakland, California show (CFA) held in 1952, Ruth Fisher entered her famous “Al” (Hau Tien’s Ailourus) in the chocolate class for competition – he was then twelve years of age. When the judge gave him the first and winners ribbon, I don’t think there was a dry eye in the Auditorium, nor was there a prouder person than Ruth, who had held on to Al all these years, hoping for just such a day!

1953-54:

As we record the All Sectionals for the year 1953, in the Eastern part of the United States, we note that there were no winners for the chocolate class, for the Eastern sectionals this year. The male Seal Point winner was Chirn Sa-Hai Ho-Tai, owned by Mrs. Gladise M. German. The Seal female winner was GC Chindwin’s Singumin of Newton, the Blue male was CH Cable’s Quick Silver, Mr. and Mrs. R.A. Cable, Blawnox, PA, and the female Blue Point was GC and Tpl CH Vee Roi’s Violet Lady, Mrs. Alice S. Dugan, Hartsdale, NY.

The All Western wins for this year were: Seal male GC and Dbl CH Palos Verdes Avatar, Capt. and Mrs. B.K. Culver, Palos Verdes, CA. The Seal female was CH H.R.H. Marin Princess Always, Mrs. Spencer N. Smiley, San Rafael, CA. The Blue male was GC Kewalo Lei Krampert, Mr. G.W. Krampert, Casper, WY. The Blue female was Dbl CH Luan’s Celeste, Mrs. Louise Price of San Jose, CA. The Chocolate Point male was Dbl CH Lamar’s Rocco, Lt Commander and Mrs. Charles Lamar Jones, Coronado, CA. The Chocolate female win was Dbl CH Tempurra’s Truly Fair, Mrs. Richard Birkett, San Francisco, CA.

All Midwestern Seal male was Vee Roi’s Adlai, Mrs. Hecht. The Seal female was CH Cymri Frau Wolfgang, Mrs. R.G Wolfgang, Minneapolis, MN. The Blue male winner was Dbl CH Krampert’s Blew Kew of Wolfgang. The female Blue was Dbl CH Fa-Ying How Come, Mrs. Georgina La Marsh, Ontario, Canada. The Chocolate male win was Vee Roi’s Hershey, Mrs. R.H. Hecht, Normandy, MO. The Chocolate female was won by Yum Yum Lion, Dr. and Mrs. James Cutler.

All Southern wins were: Seal male – CH Blue Grass So-Hi, Mrs. Lucas B. Comb, Lexington, KY. Seal female – Dbl CH Chirn Sa-Hai Nee-Ang, Mrs. Richard O’Donovan, South Miami, FL. Blue male – Dbl CH Coventry’s Bambey-Ling of Vanar, Mr. and Mrs. L.S. Van Riper, Rockville, MD. Blue female – CH Vanar’s Ptola, Mr. and Mrs. Van Riper. Chocolate male – none. Chocolate female – CH Cuthpa Alezan, Mrs. R.M. Cuthbertson, Lufkin, TX.

The All Americans were chosen for the Siamese breed from the Sectional wins, and the following Cats won in this breed: Seal male – GC and Dbl CH Palos Verdes Avatar. Seal female – GC Chindwin’s Singumin of Newton. Blue male – GC Kewalo Lei Krampert. Blue female - GC and Tpl CH Vee Roi’s Violet Lady. This year the highest scoring Short Hair Cat was named: GC and Dbl CH Palos Verdes Avatar. The highest scoring Short Hair Opposite Sex was GC Chindwin’s Singumin of Newton.