Siberian cat

Other names: Siberian forest cat

The Siberian cat is the most popular breed in Russia, endowed with countless virtues, the main of which are luxurious appearance, excellent character, intelligence and devotion.

Characteristics of Siberian cat

Basic moments

• The Siberian cat is a strong animal, ranging in size from medium to large. Kittens weigh an average of four kilograms, cats – at least six. It happens that the weight of the male reaches 12 kg.
• They are endowed with great vitality, excellent health, agility and courage.
• Real maturity is reached by three to five years, they live a long time, sometimes up to 20 years.
• They have a calm character, friendly, affectionate, but they are suspicious of strangers.
• Siberian cats are independent, tactful and never bother their owners, chasing them on their heels.
• They get along well not only with people, but also with animals that show friendliness towards them, however, aggressor relatives will immediately be rebuffed.
• Extremely neat, very clean, while in need of grooming. The coat of a well-groomed cat should be glossy and shiny.
• One of the main advantages of the breed is the variety of colors.

Siberian cats , beautiful and respectable, with magnificent thick hair, have long won popular love, having managed to demonstrate their best qualities in communicating with people. Behind their outward calmness lies confidence and strength, while they are delicate, sensitive and balanced. These cats combine power and grace, tenderness and independence, playfulness and self-esteem.

History of the Siberian cat

The image of the Siberian cat – a large, fluffy, healthy animal, with a developed hunting instinct, not afraid of harsh winters, has absorbed all the archaic ideas of Russians about pets of the cat family. For a long time, our compatriots called the Siberian cat, or Siberian, every large long-haired representative of the feline family – whether it be a family minion or a yard robber.

Until the end of the last century, perhaps, none of the owners of the Siberian in our country thought about the origin of their pet, implying as a matter of course that the ancestors of the animal come from Siberia. But in the 80s, when felinological organizations and clubs of cat lovers began to be created in Russia, the question arose: who are the progenitors of the most popular representatives of the cat family?

Disputes are still ongoing. It is believed that the distant ancestors of true Siberians are Norwegian forest cats .. They could be brought to Siberia by settlers from the northern regions of Russia during the development of this territory, which began in the 16th century. Written references to the so-called Bukhara cats, fluffy strong animals, which could be found in all regions of the Russian Empire, and not only in Siberia, date back to the same period. They presumably came to Russia along with merchants from the Central Asian countries. Bukhara cats are often called relatives of Siberians. It is also possible that domestic cats that ended up in Siberia could have offspring from wild cats. As a rule, manuls are mentioned among the latter – cute butuses the size of large domestic cats, owners of the thickest and fluffiest fur among cats.

Most felinologists generally reject such a concept as a single “native Siberian breed”, and unsubstantiated assumptions about the ancestors of the Siberian cat are called myth-making. They point out that in the 80s of the last century, at the beginning of the “cat movement”, in Russia there was a definition for Siberians, which meant something like the following – “a large cat with thick hair and not white”.

However, no matter who the ancestors of domestic cats from the Siberian regions were, initially their genes were not a fundamental link in the breeding of a standardized breed, which began in 1986. During the formation of the breeding core, and this happened mainly in Moscow and St. Petersburg, breeders mainly selected for breeding the largest and fluffiest domestic cats of the “Siberian type” from those that the townspeople brought to them to determine the breed. At that time, no one went on an expedition to the remote taiga villages of Siberia in search of “true Siberians”, and only a few animals brought from the Trans-Ural regions of Russia were registered in the felinological clubs of both capitals. Then even proposals were made to give the breed the name “Moscow”.

In the future, representatives of the felines from Siberia and the Far East began to be actively involved in breeding work. They represented a rather variegated exterior group: cats from Krasnoyarsk, Novosibirsk, Kemerovo were distinguished by a specific fine texture of wool, animals of Far Eastern origin were distinguished by large size, massive skeleton, heavy head, long hair of a rough texture. In a word, the variety of cats of the “Siberian type” made the breeding work on breeding the original, truly Russian breed, very painstaking and difficult.

In 1991, the World Cat Federation (WCF) adopted the Siberian cat breed standard, developed by the reputable felinologist Olga Mironova. He was approved as a worker. Three years later, the organization recognized the standard as official.

In 1996, the breed was recognized by the American organization TICA, and a year later, Russian breeders achieved recognition of the Siberian breed by another prestigious felinological federation – FIFe.

Today in Russia there are several well-known centers where they breed Siberian cats. The main ones are located in Moscow and St. Petersburg, but such cities as Saratov, Krasnoyarsk, Kirov, Petrozavodsk, Yekaterinburg, Kursk have already joined them, more than a hundred clubs also operate in different regions of the country. It can be said that the first truly Russian cat breed has been formed, but breeders do not stop in their work to consolidate the type of breed, paying special attention to maintaining the large size of the animal and its massiveness, as well as the quality of the color. One of the colors of the Siberian cat, called ” Neva Masquerade “, is singled out by Russian and some international felinological organizations as a separate breed.

It is worth saying that many Siberian and Far Eastern breeders are currently breeding cats based exclusively on the local population, creating their own lines. However, they do not always have the opportunity to represent their pets at all-Russian exhibitions.

Video: Siberian cat

The appearance of the Siberian cat

Siberian cats have a truly noble appearance. Large enough on their own, they look even more impressive thanks to their luxurious wool. A powerful torso with strong muscular paws surprisingly harmonizes with the sweetest graceful muzzle, under which an imposing “jabot” flaunts.

Frame

The Siberian cat is proportionately built, its massive dense body is of medium length, slightly elongated. The back is powerful, the neck is short, the chest is voluminous.

Head

The shape resembles a wide trapezoid, the muzzle is characterized by a smooth outline. The transition from the forehead to the nose is not sharp. The chin is well defined, the cheekbones are developed, set low, the cheeks are full.

Ears

The ears of the Siberian cat are medium in size, wide at the base, slightly rounded at the tips. There is a slight forward tilt. The auricle is covered with wool.

Eyes

Expressive, of medium size, have an oval shape, set wide apart and slightly oblique. The eyes are painted evenly, their color can be green or yellow in all shades.

limbs

Muscular, thick, medium length. The paws are large, rounded, between the fingers – bristly tufts of hair.

Tail

The tail of the Siberian cat is of medium length, wide at the base, gradually tapering to a rounded tip. Pubescent evenly, reminiscent of a raccoon’s tail.

Wool

The Siberian cat has a very dense, soft undercoat with a fine texture. It is covered with a coarser integumentary hair, also quite dense, harsh to the touch. The outer coat evenly covers the back and falls smoothly on the sides and base of the tail of the animal. The outer coat is shiny, water-repellent. Summer is much shorter than winter. In the warm summer season, the Siberian may look like a short-haired cat, only the tail remains fluffy. In winter, the coat looks very rich, the cat has a luxurious collar, fluffy “panties” adorn the hind legs, and the tail becomes even more pubescent.

Color

The colors of the Siberian cat are solid and patterned. Among the main solid (solid) colors of the Siberian are black (only black pigment is present in wool) and red (only yellow pigment is present in wool). Each of these two intense colors corresponds to a clarified analogue: black – blue, red – cream. In all cats that have a monochrome color, without exception, all the hairs are dyed evenly from root to tip. Among the intense colors, those that look the most juicy and bright are most valued. For clarified analogues of solid colors, on the contrary, light, delicate shades are preferred.

There is also a tortoiseshell color – the imposition of a solid black color on a solid red and, accordingly, blue on cream. In this case, patches of black and red or blue and cream colors are evenly distributed throughout the coat. Usually this color is the dignity of females, but sometimes male “turtles” are also born, however, as a rule, they are not able to give offspring.

One of the most common colors among Siberian cats is tabby (wild color). In this case, dark and light areas alternate on each hair, forming certain patterns on the coat of the animal. Three main varieties of this color are recognized in the Siberian breed: marble (classic), brindle, spotted. Each of them has its own color intensity.

Smoky (or smoky) and silver colors of Siberian cats are also recognized as the standard. In this case, the hairs are not completely colored: at the roots they do not have pigmentation, remaining pure white, then, as they approach the tip, they can be colored black, blue, red, cream, tortoiseshell, cream blue.

Siberian cats of a golden color are very good-looking, whose fur effectively harmonizes with their green eyes. In such cats, part of each hair is dyed apricot.

Rare, but very beautiful is the white color. The so-called colors with white are also recognized, which are divided into 4 main types:

• spotted color – either individual hairs on the neck, chest or abdomen are painted white, or one or more small snow-white spots are present on the coat;
• bicolor – from 1/3 to 2/3 of the animal’s coat is painted white, ideally there should be a white triangle on the muzzle from the bridge of the nose down, breast, stomach, inner part of the limbs;
• harlequin – white color extends to 2/3-5/6 of the coat, the tail remains colored, small spots on the head, shoulders, back, hips;
• van – the cat is almost all white, with the exception of the tail and two spots on the head behind the ears.

The following colors are not recognized as standard: Abyssinian tabby, chocolate, cinnamon (close to cinnamon), lilac, fawn (light beige) and their derivatives.

The color point color has been singled out by domestic felinologists as a separate breed – Neva Masquerade , but so far it has not been recognized by all international associations.

Disadvantages of the breed

• Excessively graceful constitution: elongated or too short body, fragile bones, long thin limbs, small paws, long, aristocratic neck.
• Narrow muzzle, flat cheeks, high cheekbones, weak chin, flat profile.
• Small eyes, as well as perfectly round and deep set.
• Large ears set at a small distance from each other, as well as too small ears, excessively pubescent.
• Too short or too long tail, not intense hairiness.
• Lack of undercoat or overgrown undercoat.
• Ragged outer coat, devoid of shine.
• No tufts of fur between toes.

Photo of a Siberian cat

The nature of the Siberian cat

Siberian cats are mobile and playful, love to play with kids and are very attached to their owners. At the same time, they have a pronounced sense of self-worth, are not very “talkative”, sometimes they behave waywardly and are subject to mood swings. If the cat does not reciprocate the caresses of the owner, it is better to leave it alone. In turn, having a developed sense of tact, she herself will never impose herself on the owner if she notices that he is not in the mood or is busy with something. But she can make anyone laugh, showing her funny habit of basking on her back, taking funny poses. Tenderness is also caused by how this animal loves to sleep, lounging on its back and raising its front paws up.

Siberians have a strong character, but they do not seek to dominate in relations with other animals, which are usually friendly. These cats are fearless, but they prefer not to communicate with strangers, showing undisguised suspicion towards them.

They are hardy and unpretentious to the conditions of life: they feel great both in urban conditions and in country houses, although they prefer, of course, space and freedom. These cats are born hunters, and where they are in charge, you will not meet rodents.

If a Siberian cat lives in a city apartment, it is advisable to walk it at least once a week, as it is very inquisitive, loves to explore new territories and needs physical activity. These cats like to observe the area from high places, so they love to sit on cabinets, bookshelves, and are not indifferent to chandeliers.

Care and maintenance

Caring for a Siberian cat does not require much time. They are very clean and tidy, they get used to the toilet quickly.

The coat of Siberians is not too light and soft, so it does not roll into tangles, but they still need regular combing. It is advisable to do this procedure once a week, but in spring and autumn, during molting, it is better to comb the cat more often.

To care for your pet’s coat, you need to purchase a special comb for long hair. In the process of combing, dead hairs and skin flakes are removed, touching the comb to the skin stimulates blood circulation. The cat needs to be accustomed to this procedure gradually, rewarding for patience with a treat. Over time, this ritual, which strengthens the trusting relationship between the owner and the pet, will become pleasant and expected for the animal.

The Siberian cat should not be bathed often, because she is able to keep her coat clean on her own. But after a trip to nature, it is still advisable to bathe the animal. Despite the fact that Siberians are not afraid of water and can even fish, they don’t really like bathing itself, so it’s best to do this procedure together.

You can bathe a cat in a bathtub or a large basin. A rubber mat should be placed on the bottom, then pour water (level – 6-8 cm, temperature – 38-39 ° C). It is better to close the ears of the animal with cotton wool. After putting the cat in the water, use a sponge to soak the fur with water, without touching the head, rub in the shampoo intended for long-haired cats. Rinse off the shampoo with warm water, wrap the animal in a large terry towel, and let it dry in a warm, draft-free room.

Washing can be replaced with dry cleaning. For this, there are special powders. They are abundantly applied to the coat, after which it is carefully combed out.

You should regularly clean the ears of the animal with a swab, clean the eyes with a damp cotton swab. The claws of the Siberian cat do not need to be cut, it is enough to buy a scratching post.

Siberians are not picky when it comes to food. Possessing an excellent appetite, they can abuse the love of their owners, who find it difficult to refuse their pets an additional delicacy. However, one should not be led by fluffy extortionists, because the overweight of a Siberian cat can lead to a reduction in its lifespan, as well as liver disease.

Siberians prefer to eat raw natural products. They benefit from raw lean meat, poultry (chicken, turkey), sea fish. As a treat, you can treat the cat with boiled squid or shrimp. Many Siberian cats simply love shrimp and are even ready to go to blackmail for them, defiantly refusing to eat other foods.

Periodically, these cats should be given egg yolk, low-fat cottage cheese and fermented baked milk, cheese (not smoked). Pregnant and lactating cats and grown-up kittens benefit from cream, the fat content of which should be no more than 10%. Cow’s milk is an undesirable product, but goat’s is quite suitable.

Accustom the Siberian to cereals – rice, buckwheat, oatmeal.

In addition to the main diet, you can add premium dry food, but in limited quantities, in the form of a treat. They contain vitamins and microelements, in addition, dry food is a good tool for brushing teeth and removing wool swallowed by animals from the body.

Health and diseases of the Siberian cat

Siberian cats have good health. The main danger for her can be urolithiasis and the ingress of wool into the intestines. Urolithiasis is very dangerous, as it often leads to kidney failure. The animal usually gets rid of wool in the intestines by itself due to the gag reflex, but you can help him by forcing him to drink vegetable oil (not castor oil). For an adult cat, a tablespoon is enough, for a kitten – no more than a teaspoon.

If a Siberian is alone or without movement for a long time, he may develop hyperexcitability or hyperactivity.

In old age, Siberians may develop shortness of breath, slowness, lethargy, cough, which, as a rule, indicates diseases of the heart and blood vessels. In such cases, you must contact your veterinarian.

How to choose a kitten

When choosing a Siberian kitten, it is worth remembering that this breed is distinguished by a variety of colors. Many unscrupulous sellers take advantage of this and sell kittens of unknown origin under the guise of Siberian ones, so it is better not to buy from the hands of a Siberian.

For a thoroughbred Siberian kitten, you should go to a nursery or a breeder with a good reputation. It is better to purchase babies who are already 3.5 months old. They should be moderately well-fed, well-groomed, active, curious. The kitten’s coat should be shiny, the eyes should be shiny. It is desirable that the baby you like has a reciprocal feeling for you. To test this, take him in your arms – he should feel comfortable, not break out and not worry.

A kitten aged 3-4 months almost completely meets the standard of the Siberian breed, but there are some nuances. His coat is still soft, “infant”, the ears can be set a little closer than expected – this should change with age. The baby is supposed to have documents with information about the vaccinations made to him, and you must also be given the pedigree of the animal.

If you need a kitten for breeding or you want your Siberian to participate in exhibitions, you need to buy a baby in clubs that are members of one of the official international felinological organizations, for example, WCF, FIFe. In independent clubs, approaches to breed standards are often “independent” as well.

Photos of Siberian kittens

How much does a Siberian cat cost

The prices for Siberian cats in Russia are quite democratic. In the market or through an acquaintance, a kitten without documents can be bought for 30$ Pedigree kittens with a pedigree in clubs, nurseries, breeders cost from 150 to 600$ – depending on the class and rarity of the color.