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Owning a cat can be very pleasurable, but owning a Siberian cat is a
very rewarding, life changing experience. The Siberian will become your best
friend, confidante, problem-solver, and house clown. Siberians are one of the
most ancient breeds and began as the Russian forest cat. We have images of them
roaming the Siberian Taiga (forestland) even today and they are reported to be
in large numbers in the wild Siberian outlying territories. But another story
unfolds in Russia. Siberian cats are now prized house cats and many Russian
families relay fond tales of their Siberian cats and their amazing loyalty and
personalities. In 1990, when communism fell and free trade opened up, the
importation of the Siberian cat to the United States began.
Siberians are Russia's native cats and come from the
unforgiving climate of the Siberia forest. Siberian Cats first appeared in
recorded history around the year 1000. Russian farmers and trades people were
the primary people who cared for the Siberians. Siberian Cats were needed to
protect grain and other products from small varmints, as Russia was an
agricultural country. Shopkeepers in Moscow were known to compete with each
other over whose cat was the biggest and thickest. Russian people like cats and
most children in Russia grew up with a kitten and the favorite cats were the
Siberian cats. Siberian cats even existed in Russian Fairy tales as protectors
of children and magical beings who opened gateways to realms beyond our ordinary
senses.
Siberian Cats are very personable and want to be near their owners. They will
meet you at the door when you come home and explain their day to you. They are
a quiet breed that has melodic ways of expressing themselves using sweet mews,
thrills, chirps and lots of purring. They love to sit in your lap and be
groomed. A favorite pastime of one of mine is to find something and bring it to
me for me to throw so they can play fetch. All types of toys intrigue them and
they will play with just about anything. Another thing that mine are intrigued
with is the moving cursor on the computer screen. You will need to shut the door
of your computer room if you want to get any typing done. Some Siberians learn
to stay off the keyboard at an early age but others will insist on adding
indecipherable letters to your most crucial correspondence. Others will sit in
the cubbyholes of your computer desk and watch entranced as you type,
periodically extending a paw of support. If you own a Siberian you
will never be alone. They will watch TV with you, go to the restroom with you
and then go to bed with you. And if you are trying to do something, they will
insist on helping. Reading a newspaper, book, or magazine is next to
impossible. In some ways they are like the Gypsies of fairy tails, if they like
something, they will take it and play with it and in the process, it will be
lost. I am still missing some jewelry that one of the cats decided was pretty.
You can find toys and stolen items under every piece of furniture in my home.
Siberians also enjoy the
company of dogs, other animals, and children. They are fearless and easygoing.
Not much disturbs the natural calm and equanimity of a Siberian. Many parents
affirm that their Siberian will always sleep with the children at the foot of
their bed as a sentinel. And other Siberians are the nurse in the family, always
spending time with the sick person who needs the support. Siberians seem to have
a high level of intuitiveness, they know when they are needed for psychological
and moral support and they get out of your way when you are too tense and busy
to deal with them (there are those who are under feet no matter what). But in
all the hard times in life Siberian have give support even if only for a
headache. The acrobatic nature of the
Siberian is well known among owners. They will play hard, often executing
amazing somersaults in pursuit of a feather toy. Some balance on clothing racks
and seem to be executing attempting an uneven parallel bar routine rivaled only
by Olympic athletes. Others balance carefully on lampshades as they watch their
owners read. Many times I have rescued an over enthusiastic kitten attempting to
climb the bricks on the fireplace or jump to the top of a bookshelf they can't
quite reach. But the Siberian is always happy to be helped. They must be high on
a shelf somewhere. Siberians stay playful throughout life and rarely could be
mistaken for the couch potato. The Siberian cat is also
known for being hypoallergenic for many allergy sufferers. Although it has not
been proven medically or scientifically, many people adamantly believe that the
Siberian is hypoallergenic. They believe this because they are living proof.
After living decades of being allergic to cats, I have seen adults cry because
these loving cats have climbed all over them and they had no allergic
reactions. Most Siberians have a low occurrence of certain enzymes in their
salvia. Most allergy sufferers have sensitivity to an enzyme. When a cat licks
its fur, the saliva dries and falls off as dander. This is what causes most
people to be allergic to cats. Many people that are allergic to cats have found
that they can tolerate the Siberian and have little or no reaction to them.
This is a cat-by-cat, person-by-person concept. If you are allergic to cats and
want to test your allergic response to Siberians, it is best to find someone
near you with a Siberian or two. Spend a few hours with one and find out how you
react. Personally, I have had very good luck with placing Siberians in allergy
homes. On average, about 75 percent of the people that come out to test have
little or no reaction. Of these that have gotten a kitten from me, no one has
had a problem having a Siberian or two in their home. There are no guarantees,
but there is hope for allergy sufferers. The Siberian is a
medium-large cat with the overall appearance of excellent physical condition,
massive strength, power and alertness, modified by a sweet facial expression.
The general impression of the body is one of circles and roundness rather than
rectangles and triangles indicative of the other forest cat breeds. Females are
considerable smaller than males. Eye color varies from gold to green and all
shades in-between. Siberians also come in color points and these will have blue
eyes. They have a very dense, waterproof triple coat, which is medium to long
in length. They have a full dense coat in the winter while the summer coat is
somewhat shorter and less dense. The hair is shorter on the shoulders. There
is a ruff at the neck, full fluffy britches and a bushy tail that is carried up
with pride. Siberian owners often email pictures to each other bragging about
'the fluff on that tail!' Ear tipping is desired and full ear furnishings are
required. This means that the tops of the ears can have hair which makes the
ears look pointed when in fact they are rounded and that the inside of the ear
has hair that protects it from the elements. Siberians tend to be
self-grooming meaning that they remain relatively tangle-free, though males can
and do get 'knotty' in the springtime if not combed daily. Pet Siberians do
not require extensive grooming. For the most part, Siberians do not shed a lot
(there are always exceptions to this and you may find some that shed constantly
and profusely), instead they molt twice a year. The molting period is about 10
days. Daily brushing at this time is required to expedite the molting process
and to prevent matting fur. Otherwise occasional grooming is acceptable, unless
your cat insists on more. Show grooming is more extensive. You need to bathe
the cat to remove any build up of dirt and oil in the fur. Ensure you rinse
your Siberian completely to remove all traces of soap. Then you must completely
dry the fur. At the show you need to fluff before each ring. Most Siberians
tolerate their baths, especially if they are bathed as kittens. Some Siberian
even like playing in the water and will try to take showers or baths with you. Siberians appear to be very
healthy with few if any health issues and no documented genetic
problems. Siberians are a natural
breed. This means that they come in all colors, including color points. They
come in a rainbow of colors, which include, but are not limited to brown, red,
blue, silver, white, black, and any combinations of these colors. They come in
solid, spotted, ticked, mackerel, and classic patterns. A mackerel patterned
cat will have stripes going up and down on the sides of the cat and a classic
pattern has circles on the sides of the cat. The most common color is a brown
mackerel tabby with or without white. Color point Siberians have similar
markings as other pointed cats. Siberians are slow to mature
and take up to five years to fully mature. Males, especially, continue to put on
muscle and begin to look quite hefty as they age past five years. Some have even
noticed their cats gaining muscle as they approach ten years. And reports of
altered males weighing 25 lbs have been verified. How would you like that teddy
bear on your bed?
The Siberian cat was one of the three longhairs represented
at the first cat shows held in England in the 1700's. The first cat show in
the city of Leningrad, Russia was in 1987. Two cat clubs ‘Kotofei’ and ‘Kis’
organized it. This is the actual date of the beginning of breeding of Siberians
in St. Petersburg, formerly Leningrad. The Soviet Felinological Association
registered the Siberian breed. It included both the traditional colors and the
Siberian color point (often referred to as Neva Masquerade in Europe). An entry about Siberian cats was found in a book that was
originally published in 1900 by Helen M.Winslow entitled "Concerning Cats,"
"Mrs. Frederick Monroe of Riverside Ill. owns a remarkable specimen of a genuine
Russian cat, a perfect blue of extraordinary size. The Russian long-haired pet
is much less common even than the Persian and Angora." The first breeding Siberians were introduced in the United
States in 1990. Elizabeth Terrell imported the initial kittens as a trade for
her Himalayans. They arrived on June 28, 1990. Their names were KALIOSTRO
VASENJKOVICH OF STARPOINT, OFELIA ROMANOVA OF STARPOINT and NAINA ROMANOVA OF
STARPOINT.
The Siberians are fully accepted for championship in all registries
except CFA.
If you are
considering a cat as a lifelong companion, the Siberian cat will give you years
of happiness with its loving personality. Some consider its personality 'dog
like' in its loyalty. Others purchase them for the hypoallergenic qualities it
has with the owners. So for whatever reason you want one of these cats, the
Siberian is a worthy first choice, and you will be forever pleased.
Contributors:Members of The Siberian Cat Club (CFA Breed Club)Members of the CFA Siberian Breed Council
Members of TAIGA (International Siberian Breed Club)
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