The Siberian Cat Breed
The Siberian Cat Breed
When people ask me what breed of cat we have they often look perplexed when I say "Siberian!" This is because the Siberian cat is still a relatively new breed in the UK, the first arriving here from the US and Russia in 2002.
While the standard varies slightly between the cat registries, the Siberian breed is fully accepted by TICA, FIFe, WCF and CFA and is working towards championship status in GCCF.
Appearance
The Siberian cat is a large, hefty cat with males being somewhat larger than the females. They are slow growing, taking up to 5 years to reach their full size. They are semi-long haired with a triple coat including a dense soft undercoat, and an outercoat of thick, shiny "guard hairs" which gives the coat a waterproof quality. Their first full adult coat comes in the winter after their first birthday including a beautiful ruff around their head, making them look like little lions! They also have tufts of fur between their paw pads equiping them for snowy weather and beautiful "lynx tips" on their ears which helps to give them their wild look.
The cat registries' Siberian breed standards go into more detail about exactly how a Siberian cat should look. As we show our cats mostly in TICA and FIFe these are the standards we aim for in our kitttens. Click on the following links to see the standards:
The Siberian cat comes in a rainbow of colours including brown, red, blue, cream, gold, silver, smoke, tortie, white, and colour point. Here at Snowgum, our cats have the genes to produce brown, silver, blue and possibly golden kittens. All of our kittens will have a beautiful mackerel tabby (striped), classic tabby (blotched) or shaded tabby pattern and beautiful green or gold and green eyes. For details and images of cat colours please see the following article: What Color is My Cat? by TICA judge Beth Hicks.
Temperament
Siberian cats are often described as having a "dog-like" personality. They are loyal, affectionate, playful and want to be your best friend. Our cats greet us at the door when we come home, follow us from room to room wanting to hang out where ever we are and help with what ever we are doing! Frostie even plays fetch like a dog!
They are very intelligent cats and will quickly work out how to open doors and how to get their favourite toy from its hiding spot! They mix easily with other animals including dogs and as they are a gentle, loving cat they are also a great breed for families with small children.
Health
The Siberian cat is one of the 3 breeds of "forest" cats, and is one of the oldest "natural" breeds of cats, meaning they are not a human devloped breed created by crossing various other breeds. As a result, they are a robust healthy breed able to survive in harsh winters and with few known health problems.
In recent years two genetic diseases have appeared in the breed: Polycystic Kidney Disease(PKD) and Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM). Our cats have been DNA tested and are negative for the gene responsible for PKD and the genes identified as being involved in HCM in the Maine Coon and Ragdoll breeds. Unfortunatley the gene responsible for HCM in Siberians has not yet been identified. As such, ultra sounds are the only way of testing for the disease. Ultrasounds are however not a perfect method of testing and testing of a non-symptomatic cats is generally not recommended until the cat reaches 3 years of age. When our breeding cats reach this age we will have them scanned. Until then, we know the parents of our cats are all alive and healthy and are free from any symptoms of this condition.
History
Siberian is the name given to Russia's native semi-longhaired cat. There is a lack of historical information about Siberian cats so many stories have developed over time to explain the breed's origin. Siberian cats were apparently first documented in the year 1000 though they were not a pedigreed breed at this stage, but rather were the mouse catchers in the streets and homes throughout Russia.
The Siberian cat was considered to be a large, solid cat with a waterproof coat and thick undercoat. Due to their appearance these cats could survive in the cold, severe climate. The cats were seen in a wide variety of colours.
The modern Siberian as we know it, is the result of the development of a written "breed standard" for the cat and of the hard work and time of many breeders and judges. In the late 1980's the first imported cat breeds started to appear in Russia and the first cat shows were held there. It was decided that a breed standard should be developed to distinguish these large, fluffy Russian cats from the other long haired cat breeds. The President of the Kotofei club, Olga Mironva developed the first Siberian breed description. A Siberian stud Roman, born in 1987 was used as the basis for the standard. He appears in many pedigrees (including our Indiana's) and was one of the foundation cats for the breed. The WCF was the first international cat registry to accept the Siberian Cat, including the colourpoint Siberian, nicknamed the "Neva Masquerade".
In 1988 judges from abroad began to visit Russian shows and this sparked an international interest in the Siberian cat. The first Siberians entered the UK quite a bit later in 2002 from the US and Russia. There are now quite a number of Siberian cat breeders in the UK and the number is increasing every year as more people meet and fall in love with the wonderful Siberian breed.
For a more detailed account of the history of the Siberian Cat Breed please follow this link to a history written by Dr. Irina Sadovnikova, WCF judge and Russian breeder of Siberian Cats: Siberian Cat History
Why choose a Siberian?
After living with Siberians I will never choose another breed of cat to share my home. Siberians are smart, loyal, agile, playful and ever so entertaining! And as well as being a fantastic pet I think you will also agree they are a gorgeous looking cat! They will quickly capture your heart and after adopting a Siberian you will wonder how you ever lived without one! If you adopted just one, I am sure that I will hear from you within 6 months to request a second- Siberian cats are addictive!
