Red Point Siamese: The Flame Point With Two Sets of Papers
Red-gold points on a warm white body, and a paperwork puzzle: three registries call this cat a Siamese, two register the identical animal as a different breed.
Published August 21, 2026 3 min read
Contents
Red-gold points on a warm white body, the color Americans often call "flame point": a real, registrable, showable pointed cat everywhere. The question no competitor page answers correctly is WHAT it registers as. The answer depends on the registry. (UK) and (Australia) register a red point as a Siamese, full stop: red (SIA d) sits on the same Siamese registration policy as seal.
does the same: one breed, all pointed colors. But and Canada's route every color beyond the classic four into a SECOND breed, the Colorpoint Shorthair. That is a deliberately created hybrid with its own standard, its own class numbers and its own show ring. The identical-looking cat is a Siamese in London and Sydney, and a Colorpoint Shorthair in Houston and Toronto.
The fact that saves buyers money
's own Colorpoint Shorthair breed page states it plainly: Colorpoint litters sometimes produce kittens in the four traditional Siamese colors, and "since these kittens cannot be shown, they may be available at lower prices." That is the registry's own words. The reverse logic matters too: a red point from CFA lines carries Colorpoint Shorthair papers, not Siamese papers, whatever the listing says. If registration matters to you, read the registry name on the , not the word in the ad. (For the market itself: no cattery we read prices red differently from seal; the price page has four markets' worth.)
Why red points look the way they do
Red is the sex-linked orange gene expressed through the breed's temperature-sensitive pointing mechanism. Pigment only develops on the cool extremities, so the red concentrates in the mask, ears, legs and tail, over a body that stays warm white. Because red pigment reads paler than seal or chocolate, red points often look "unfinished" as kittens and keep deepening for months. And the sex-linkage means most red points are male, the same arithmetic that makes most torties female (the tortie page carries that half).
Flame point, red point: one cat
"Flame point" is breeder-and-shelter English, common in North America. "Red point" is the registries' own word in every document we read. Same cat. If you search shelters, search both words.
The two passports on one card
| Registry | Files this color as |
|---|---|
| (UK), (Australia), | Siamese: one breed, extended colors included |
| (US), (Canada) | Colorpoint Shorthair: a separate breed, same type, own standard |
The vet's take
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Frequently asked questions
What is a red point (flame point) Siamese?
A pointed cat with red-gold mask, ears, legs and tail on a warm white body, blue eyes. "Red point" is the registry term, "flame point" the common North American name; they are the same color.
Is a red point Siamese a real Siamese?
Depends whose paperwork: GCCF, ACF and TICA register it as Siamese; CFA and Canada's CCA-AFC register the identical cat as a Colorpoint Shorthair, a separate breed with its own standard.
Are red point Siamese rare?
Most are male (the red gene is sex-linked), and reds are less common than seals in most litters, but no registry ranks color rarity and no cattery we read charges a red premium.
Why is my red point kitten so pale?
Red pigment develops slowly through the temperature-sensitive mechanism: red points commonly deepen for months. Born white, like every pointed kitten.
Community questions
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This is information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot tell you what is wrong with your cat. Our rule is a simple one: if something is wrong with your cat, call your vet, and call an emergency clinic if it is out of hours. Nothing you read here is a reason to wait.
Medical information applies to every reader. Prices, legal duties and common practice do not: unless stated otherwise, they are given for the United States, and they differ in the UK, Canada and Australia, and often between states or provinces. Check with your own vet and your own local authority.
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