Wonderful breed with a few things to know before you commit to a Siamese

I've had my Siamese for 3 years and overall it's been an amazing experience. low shedding. very bonded to owner. The personality of this breed really is special — vocal, social, intelligent.

That said, there are a few realities I wish someone had been more upfront about. opinionated personality was a real surprise. And needs lots of attention took some adjustment. These aren't dealbreakers by any means, but they're worth knowing going in.

Health-wise, heart disease. We had one scare a couple years in that cost a few thousand dollars. Pet insurance is strongly recommended. But despite these things, I'd still give the breed 4 stars — the companionship and personality far outweigh the challenges.