The Yoobumrung family has adopted many Siamese cats over the years.

Aree laments the fact that nowadays few Thais raise indigenous cats. But while some of his compatriots prefer foreign breeds like the Persian, he has been heartened by the interest shown in Siamese cats by many of the foreigners who live in Thailand.

The fame of the Siamese cat has spread far and wide. Frederic Goedert, who has been successfully breeding the Korat in his hometown in France since 1989, recently told Aree that he plans to start breeding the Khao Manee as well.

Aree said many foreigners love Thai cats because of their unique characteristics and behaviours.

"Thai cats are so clever. They love the house and their master. They love freedom. They are also very independent. They do what they want to do, and go where they want to go."

In the old days, he said people kept cats in their homes, believing they would bring good luck and prosperity.
Historical records at Wat Anongkaram, written in 1963, showed there were, in all, 23 species of Siamese cats, categorised into two groups: auspicious and inauspicious. There were 17 species considered auspicious, and six inauspicious.
Different species were said to bring different blessings. For example, those who wanted to run a business were advised to raise the Khao Tam species, which were said to bring great fortune to their masters. The See Sawad species were said to bestow happiness. The Arn-Ma species were known for securing prestige and honour.

Aree said there were two main reasons for the extinction of Siamese cats: first was the secretive way in which the cats were bred and raised; and second was the difficulty of raising them.

"Our ancestors often kept their knowledge secret, afraid it would become known to other people. So when they learned something new, or stumbled across a pure-bred species, they would keep quiet about it, or hand it down only to their loved ones. Consequently, precious information and useful discoveries were lost. Some species disappeared after their masters died.

"In the old days, only royalty, noblemen and monks raised such cats. Commoners rarely had the chance to do so. So the chances of the cats' survival, and of reproducing, were very slim. The population of Thai cats declined."

Aree's passion for Thai cats was inspired by his two daughters, who are also cat fanciers. Starting from only a pair of Sri Sawad, and then Wichien Mas, the Yoobumrung family has come a long way indeed.
"My daughters began collecting stray cats and taking them home some 12 years ago. So I brought them a pair of Sri Sawad cats, and they promised they would take good care of them. After that, my friends gave me more Thai cats and my daughters loved them all. Five years later we had about 30 cats, representing four different species."

Cats from Aree's Siamese Cat Conservation Centre are very popular among feline fanciers. Those who want to raise Siamese cats know right away where to start. His cats are considered healthy and beautiful, as the 300 or so trophies on display in his living room attest. When his cats take part in a competition, they often sweep the awards.

"I'm so proud of them. But in fact, I want the Thais attending the shows to learn more about Thai cats. Everyone can help preserve them by keeping one or two of them at home," he said.

Apart from preserving rare species, Aree also develops purebreds, and has been successful in restoring two breeds _ the Khao Manee and Wichien Mas _ and is currently working on restoring the other two, trying to breed out the flaws and characteristics that don't belong.

Five or six generations must be bred before a species can be properly restored.

"I have to wait for kittens with perfect characteristics, so that they can eventually have offspring of their own. In the past, the species became cross-bred, so what I'm trying to do is retrieve the right traits, while breeding out the wrong ones."

Aree allows cat lovers to bring their toms to mate with his females, free of charge.

"It's not an easy task to take good care of 80 cats. The monthly expenses for their food and vaccines are about 30,000 baht."

Very often, Aree, a civil servant, finds that he can't make ends meet, and has to cut some corners. "I care about their health so I won't skimp on food costs. I buy the cheaper sand for their litter boxes, and sometimes the vets reduce the cost of their vaccines. I'm grateful to them. And anyway, I don't give up _ we can get through the hardships."

Aree's two daughters share the burden of caring for the animals.
Watcharin, 22, is in charge of the morning shift. "I get up early because I have many chores to do. I have to clean the cats' cages, feed them and give them water, sterilise the litter boxes on sunny days. I also clean their faces and ears. My weekly duties include cutting their nails, and giving them vitamins," Watcharin said.


Areerat, 17, is responsible for the evening shift, which is rather easier. "I feed them, change the water bowls, put the litter boxes back into the cages. I do my job after school, so I have to hurry because they're waiting for me," Areerat said.

Watcharin and Areerat have become very skilled in the care of the cats. They know right away when an animal is sick, and they also play a vital role in their father's breeding efforts. They are also skilful at helping mother cats give birth to their litters. Thus far, some 20 pregnant cats have fallen into their capable hands, and not one of the kittens has been lost.
Aree's house is crowded with cats, and the cat devotee plans to move some of his charges to his sister's larger house in Chon Buri province. In the near future, Aree plans to establish the Siamese Cat Breeding Centre in the Lad Krabang area.

His two daughters will be responsible for all the feline charges.


"We need a systematic breeding centre. The whole area will be demarcated into different zones where the different species can live. Besides, the centre will serve as a classroom where cat fanciers can glean important information on Siamese cats," he said.

His ultimate goal is to restore more of the Siamese cat species, an immense job because he will first need to find breeding stock for those rare species.
He's ready for the challenge.

"Siamese cats have been an integral part of Siam for several centuries. And they have the right to remain here. In the old days, foreigners knew about Thailand from two things, Siamese twins and Siamese cats. But Thais see no value in Thai cats. What I'm trying to do is to preserve our precious legacy."