WE ARE SIAMESE IF YOU PLEASE

President Rutherford B. Hayes' wife, Lucy Webb Hayes, was gifted a Siamese cat in 1878 from a United States diplomat in Bangkok. She was the first president's wife to be called First Lady and Siam was the first Siamese cat to be brought to the US.  She lived in the White House along with an entire menagerie and was the favorite of young daughter Fanny. Less then a year after receiving her, while the family was away at Spiegel Grove on holiday, Siam became ill. The White House staff tried lots of tricks, they fed her fish, chicken, duck, cream and oysters to no avail. They sent for the President's personal physician who prescribed her beef tea and milk every three house (MMMMMM BEEF TEA). Sadly, Siam did not get better. Fanny's friend, Nelly McCrary, daughter of the Secretary of War wrote to her friend about the doctor's prognosis "he thinks she will die and I do to[o]." Five days later she died.

MORALE: DON'T LEAVE YOUR CAT ALONE AT THE WHITE HOUSE WHILE YOU GO ON VACAY. SHE WILL DIE.

We are Siamese if you please, we are Siamese if you don't please.
We are former residents of Siam, there is no finer cat then I am.