Brief description of the breed
Siberian cats - animals with strong bones, massive, cats always look larger than cats. The head of Siberians is quite large, proportional to the body, the forehead is low, the chin is strong and wide. The nose is straight, of medium length. The eyes are large, widely spaced, oval in shape, the gaze is attentive and direct (the shades of the eyes are green, yellow, blue (with white and color-point coat colors), heterochromia (a different shade of eyes) is found in white cats). The ears are set wide apart, medium in size, wide at the base, rounded at the tips, most often with tassels. The neck is short or medium length, powerful. The chest is wide. The body is muscular, long, limbs of medium length, very strong and muscular. The paws are large, rounded, thick hair grows between the fingers. The tail is rather long and fluffy. The coat is of medium length, very dense, soft on the sides, while the outer water-repellent hair is stiffer, there is always a mane, collar and panties of adorning thick wool. The undercoat is well developed, shorter than the coat. Especially in winter, Siberian cats look luxurious - then their coat is the most dense, shiny and fluffy. The colors of cats of this breed are black, blue, white, apricot, color-point, smoky, bicolor, tortoiseshell, tabby.
basic information
| Breed name: | Siberian cat |
| Country of origin: | Russia |
| The time of the birth of the breed: | unknown |
| The weight: | 6 – 12 kg |
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EMS code:
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SIB |
| Life Expectancy: | 12 - 16 years old |
| Kitten price: | 100 – 700 $ |
| Most popular nicknames: | list of nicknames for siberian cats |
Assessment of breed characteristics
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Adaptability
(A definition that means how easily a cat can adapt to changes in life)
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Shedding level
(Level and frequency of hair loss in the animal)
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Tenderness level
(The level and amount of tenderness and affection that the cat gives in return for attention to itself)
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Social need
(The required number of contacts of a cat with other animals, as well as people)
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Grooming
(The number of bathing, brushing, and the number of professional grooming sessions required for the cat)
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Friendliness in an unfamiliar environment
(Features of the cat's behavior in a society with strangers or in an unfamiliar environment)
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Health issues
(Potential health status of a cat)
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Intelligence
(The ability of a cat to think and solve emerging difficulties)
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Friendliness to children
(A factor that determines how friendly a cat is to children, whether she likes to play with them and tolerate some childish pranks)
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Game activity
(The concept is determined by its very name, and, as a rule, is found in almost all cats)
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Dog friendly
(The cat's tendency to get along with dog)
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Photo of a Siberian cat:
History of the Siberian cat
History of the Siberian cat full of legends and various myths. It is almost a thousand years old. The birthplace of this breed is considered to be the Siberian taiga, located on the territory of modern Russia. Like norwegian forest cat, and Maine Coon, the Siberian cat belongs to the group of forest cats.
The Siberian cat is the only native breed of cats in Russia. As in most studies of native breeds, the exact place and features of the origin of this breed have not yet been established. Some researchers believe that it appeared as a result of the mating of wild cats of the Trans-Urals with cats that were brought from Europe. It is known for certain that the ancestors of the modern Siberian cat are wild forest and steppe cats, which were excellent but ruthless hunters. It is these qualities, as well as the rather large size of the animals, that caused the Siberian cats to become the heroes of many Russian folk tales. In them, they most often acted as defenders.
Although Siberian cats are considered aboriginal, it was not without the long painstaking work of Soviet breeders. The Bukhara breed of cats that had sunk into oblivion and lived in Siberia was taken as a model for creating Siberians. These animals were distinguished by strong muscles, thick long hair and endurance, they were also called Siberian for good health, excellent appearance and their place of residence. That is why the first mention of Siberian cats appeared several centuries ago, although official recognition by felinologists occurred only in 1989. In other words, modern Siberian cats are the same Bukhara cats, somewhat “honed” by geneticists in the second half of the 1980s.
The appearance of Bukhara cats in the Siberian taiga is shrouded in secrets. According to some versions, these cats got there from Central Asia (more precisely, from the ancient city of Bukhara). Another option for the appearance of Bukhara cats in Siberia is that they were brought in by Yermak's Cossack squad during his campaign against the Siberian Khanate. There is even a version that Bukhara cats are the ancestors of manuls (wild cats of small size with very thick hair). But, unfortunately, there is no scientific evidence about the appearance of these animals. Yes, and breeding activities were not carried out in the New Time, therefore, under the name of Bukhara there could be any long-haired cats, whose thick hairline was due to difficult climatic conditions in the taiga.
The archives contain information confirming that Siberian cats were the constant companions of many monks, moreover, in some monasteries they were used as guard animals. This breed was also popular among merchants. They kept the Siberians to fight rodents. Sometimes the owners of trading shops even arranged unofficial exhibitions where they competed in the size of their pets. The very first official participation of the Siberian cat in the exhibition was recorded in England in the 18th century.
In the nineties, the breed standard was officially developed. After that, breeders began active breeding work. The popularity of fluffy Siberian cats began to grow rapidly not only in Russia, but also abroad.
The nature of the Siberian cat
Siberian cats in their behavior are somewhat reminiscent of dogs. They are just as loyal and strongly attached to their master. Pets are always looking forward to their owner and joyfully meet him. But they give their attention and love not only to the owner, but to all family members. They love to play with children and never show aggression.
The Siberian cat is a faithful companion. Pets can hardly tolerate separation and loneliness. They get along well with other pets. Often cats of this breed are friends even with dogs, although not always.
Siberian cats are often compared to guard dogs. They will tirelessly defend their territory. To any encroachment from a stranger, the animal will react with a furious hiss.
Although Siberian cat character and is distinguished by friendliness, yet they do not like excessive affection. It is more typical for an animal to communicate with the owner “on an equal footing”. The cat should be treated not as a toy, but as a friend and a full member of the family.
Siberian cats are physically developed, nature itself endowed them with such qualities. They are full of vitality. Pets of this breed are difficult to keep still, they love to jump, run and climb in search of new adventures. At the same time, they rarely cause damage to the decor or interior of the apartment.
During training, it is necessary to select active exercises and not stop at one, otherwise such an activity will quickly get bored. Please note that Siberian cats adore everything that, one way or another, is connected with water. For example, they can spend hours watching the flow of water or even dripping from a tap. This can be used during training. The special nature of the animal suggests that certain difficulties may arise in the process of training. You will have to be patient and persevere.
Maintenance and care
The chic appearance of Siberians - large body size, thick and rather long coat make some potential buyers refuse to buy because of the fear of painstaking daily care. But in fact, keeping a Siberian cat breed is not overly complicated. Here are the main tasks that the owner faces:
- Combing - it is carried out during the molting period daily, and at normal times no more than 1-2 times a week. For the hair removal procedure, you will need a slicker, brush and a rubberized glove. In some cases, an anti-tangle spray can be helpful to make combing easier and help untangle matted hair;
- Bathing - it is carried out no more than a few times a year, since Siberian wool has the ability to self-clean. Naturally, if the animal is dirty, then you should bathe it with a shampoo for long-haired cats using a conditioner balm, and then dry it thoroughly (you can use a hairdryer) and comb it;
- Nail clipping - done with a nail cutter twice a month. During the procedure, it is desirable to fix the animal with a towel, and then carefully cut off the edge of the overgrown claw, without damaging the blood vessels;
- Ear cleaning - it is carried out weekly with cotton swabs moistened with water. You can buy a spray to remove wax from the ears of a cat. During cleaning, you should also carefully examine the auricle - is there any purulent or dark brown discharge in it (this may be a symptom of the disease);
- Brushing teeth - not all cats will agree to this, especially if the owner has not accustomed the animal to the procedure from an early age. In these cases, cleansing sprays (they do not need to be washed off or applied to the brush) and treats (containing meat or fish) that fight plaque often come to the rescue. But the best option is cleaning with a brush and toothpaste purchased at a pet pharmacy;
- Eye care - with a cotton swab or a clean cloth dipped in boiled water (infusion of chamomile, calendula, tea leaves), the cat is rubbed from the inner corner to the outer.
A Siberian cat can be kept in an apartment and in a private house. For the animal, you need to select a corner in which the couch, a bowl of water, toys, scratching post and tray. It is desirable that the place of sleep and rest of the cat was not near the battery and not in a draft. Since Siberians are rather big cats, their bed should be of the appropriate size. It is better to purchase bowls in the amount of 3 pieces (for water, dry (if you plan to feed the animal with industrial feed) and liquid food) made of glass, ceramic or steel. Cat bowls should always be kept clean - after each meal they should be washed, and the water changed 1-2 times a day. A scratching post and toys (and maybe a play complex) will allow the cat to warm up when the owner does not have time to play. At the same time, the scratching post should be high enough in accordance with the growth of the pet, and it is better to purchase toys without small parts (feathers, beads, buttons, etc.), which are easy to bite off and swallow. It is better to choose a capacious tray for a Siberian pet so that the animal is comfortable in it. Be sure to regularly change filler and wash the litter box, as bad smells can make a cat look elsewhere for a litter box.
Feeding
Siberian cats may be prone to obesity, so an adult is fed twice a day, pouring the amount of food into the bowl in accordance with the weight of the animal and its individual characteristics (this is about 200-250 g or a little more). The main types of food are natural and prepared, although there are also combined ones (combining food prepared by the owner with purchased canned food and dry food).
natural nutrition These are fresh, good quality products. The main composition of the natural menu is approximately as follows:
- Meat - it is given every day, having previously boiled or doused with boiling water, you can also give raw meat that has gone through the freezing process. It is best to choose lean meat without bones (veal, chicken, rabbit, lamb, turkey);
- Offal - they are given in boiled and crushed form 1-2 times a week (kidneys, liver, heart, etc.);
- Fish - it should not be abused, so they give it no more than 2 times a week, only sea and preferably low-fat (cod, pollock, tuna);
- Vegetables - some fluffies do not like them, so before serving, you can boil them and grind them in a blender, adding a little vegetable oil (linseed, olive, etc.). They should be present in the plate every day or every other day. It is best to give cabbage, carrots, zucchini, beets, pumpkin, which can be mixed with meat, offal or fish before serving;
- Greens - it is finely chopped, and then added to the main dish. Most often, parsley and dill are used;
- Cereals - you should not feed the cat with cereals every day, but they can be alternated with vegetables, adding to meat (offal, fish). The best cereals are rice, oatmeal, buckwheat;
- Eggs - cats should receive them boiled no more than 1-2 times a week. You can add a chopped egg to the main dish;
- Sour-milk products are low-fat and fresh kefir, curdled milk, cottage cheese. They can be given daily or every other day.
Ready feed
Ready-made food can be in the cat's diet in dry or wet form. At the same time, it is worth giving preference to high-quality goods - premium and extra-premium class. Good industrial feeds can be special and therapeutic (if, for example, the cat suffers from urolithiasis or is sterilized), designed for kittens, active adults or older individuals. The advantages of ready-made feeds are time saving (no need to cook), balance (contain all the necessary vitamins and minerals), variety (many flavors).
Health and disease
Siberian cats have an excellent level of health, which allows them to reach 20 (sometimes even more) years. We can safely say that these animals have Siberian health - they are hardy, tolerate heat and frost well, and do not have genetic diseases. Cats are able to bear offspring up to the most respectable age - 17-18 years.
With good nutrition and proper hair care, due attention to possible dangerous symptoms of various diseases (low or high temperature, gastrointestinal disorders, depression, refusal of water and food, dullness and hair loss, pathological discharge from the ears, eyes, nose, etc. .) they may not suffer from any serious illness in their entire lives. However, in old age they may have some problems with the musculoskeletal system, cardiovascular system, digestion, but even these misfortunes can be prevented and cured with timely access to a veterinarian.
Some interesting facts
- Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev is a real fan of Siberian cats. His Siberian cat even became a participant in an unofficial meeting between the prime minister and the American president.
- The ancestors of Siberian cats were ruthless, but very nimble hunters - wild steppe and forest cats.
- You can buy a Siberian kitten quite inexpensively (for 1000-3000 rubles) and even for free by finding an ad for sale on the Internet by visiting the "bird" market. The cost of a kitten from a breeding cattery is many times higher - a pet class on average from 10,000 rubles, a breed class - from 20,000 rubles, and a show class - from 40,000 rubles;
- A large gray Siberian cat was mentioned by the classic of literature A.P. Chekhov in the story “Forgot!!”, and a long-haired dark chestnut cat of this breed became the heroine of the story by A.I. Kuprin "Yu-yu";
- Oddly enough, the Siberian breed is classified as hypoallergenic. In their saliva, there is a reduced content of the Fel D1 enzyme, which causes allergies in humans. So buying this beautiful animal is a good solution for allergy sufferers who love fluffy big cats.
Nurseries and breeders
We borrowed material from the wonderful site of our partners DOGCATFAN.COM about cats and dogs, the author dogcatfan