Personality:
- Affectionate, loyal, and protective of their humans.
- Sociable and confident.
History:
Natural breed that originated in Russia. According to Russian cat fanciers, the true Siberian is exported with a metrika (Russian pedigree), a seal and specific signatures from a recognized registry and member breeder. Siberians were introduced to the United States in 1990 as part of an exchange program that introduced Himalayans to Russia. Although accepted for championship in smaller breed associations, the Siberian has not yet been recognized for championship status in the Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA). The Siberian was recognized for championship in The International Cat Association (TICA) on May 1, 1997.
Body Type:
- Large, heavy-boned body gives the impression of roundness and circles.
- Head is a large, broad, modified wedge with medium-long, lynx-tipped ears and ear furnishings.
- Most adults have large, yellow-green eyes that are almost oval in shape.
Coat:
- Moderately long coat with a full ruff, britches, and long flowing tail.
- All colors or combination of colors and patterns are acceptable with the exception of the pointed pattern, self chocolate, and self lilac.
Health and Wellness:
- Russian breeders report that some lines have a predisposition towards umbilical hernias, a problem that can be surgically repaired.
- Kinked tails are occasionally found, but do not affect the well being of the cat.
What you should know:
- Considered by some to be the ancestor of all longhaired cats.
- Can take up to five years before the cat matures to full size.
- Considered to be the largest domestic breed in the world.
- Known to have an amazing jumping ability.
- Kitten buyers should make sure that their Siberian is authentic, and not just a longhaired cat that resembles pedigreed Siberian.