The Siberian cat is an adventurous and athletically built cat with a gentle and affectionate disposition. They are a medium to large breed, weighing anywhere from 12 pounds to 25 pounds. The gorgeous Siberian Forest Cat have a dense semi-long-haired coat, that comes in a wide range of colors. And the great news is, this is one of the healthier cat breeds too! Minimal hereditary issues means a longer and happier lifespan for this unique kitty.
Contents
- History of the breed
- Size and appearance
- Grooming, shedding and allergy issues
- Are they a friendly breed?
- Finding a kitten
Where Do They Come From?
A Siberian cat is a specific breed that originated in the cold weather climate of Russia. There they are referred to as forest cats because traditionally they roamed wild in the subarctic conifer forests, or taiga, of Siberia. Because of their cold and wet environment, Siberian cats have a long, waterproof fur coat.
Their existence is speculated to date back a thousand years, with references to them found in old Russian fairy-tales and children’s stories.
Even though the Siberian cat has been around for centuries in Russia, it was only recently that they were recognized as a formal breed and bred for their aesthetic qualities. In 1871, they became part of the first cat show with only four other breeds. Records and registrations of the breed have been kept since the 1980s.
Siberian cats weren’t found in the United States until the 1990s, after the end of the Cold War, when opportunities for export opened up. The breed first arrived in Britain in 2002 and since then the number of breeders has steadily grown.
Size and Weight
Siberian cats have a stocky and athletic build. They can range in size and weight, from medium to large, depending on gender and muscularity. Males can weigh between 15 to 20 pounds. on average, but a muscular unneutered Tom may even reach 25 pounds! Females tend to be smaller and can weigh between 10 to 15 pounds.
Those I have come across fell into the middle of the range, but they still stand fairly impressively in terms of stature.
Their heads are shaped like a rounded wedge and their body is barrel-shaped. Siberian cats have hind legs that are slightly longer than their front ones. Overall, they look well-balanced and rounded. They are agile and acrobatic.
Siberian Cat Colors and Coats
Siberian cats are considered a semi-longhair breed. They have a warm and dense triple coat as a result of their icy, northern origins. Their coats are thickest in winter and shortest in the summer, and the fur is sturdy and waterproof. They often have a ruff around the neck, fluffy britches, and bushy tails. When you push your fingers into their coats it has an unusual depth too it, and is incredibly soft for it’s density.
Siberian cats come in all color combinations, but in general they sport medium-long fur that’s tabby-patterned. Common colors include black, white, gray, orange, and blue. Their large, round eyes can be green, gold, or a blend between the two. Some even have eyes of two different colors!
Grooming and Shedding
Siberian cats do shed. However, considering how much hair they actually have, it’s not unmanageable. Twice a year, Siberian cats shed their coat. Their longer, heavy winter coat is shed in spring, while their shorter summer coat is shed in the fall.
Although Siberians have long, lustrous fur, fortunately, it does not have a tendency to tangle or mat. Bi-weekly grooming sessions with a steel comb are often sufficient to keep them healthy and reduce the incidence of hairballs.
They also need weekly nail trimming and ear checks for signs of infection. If the inside of the ear looks dirty, gently wipe it with a damp cotton ball. Regular teeth brushing is also recommended to prevent any dental or gum issues. Start these grooming habits early on with your kitten so that they become used to and accepting of them.
Are Siberian Cats Hypoallergenic?
Some breeders and others claim that Siberian cats are hypoallergenic. This has not been scientifically proven. In fact, scientific research has not shown that any hypoallergenic cat breeds exist.
It is true that Siberian cats have less “Fel d 1,” a cat-specific allergen that people react to than some other cats. “Fel d 1” is created in the saliva, tears, skin, and perianal glands. During grooming, it becomes distributed across the fur. The perianal glands secrete it onto feces too.
Are They Family Friendly?
The Siberian is a beloved breed in Russia and has long been a popular family pet due to their easy-going and sociable nature and their patience with children. They are also considered to be quite smart. Some can even play fetch, and boy do these gorgeous kitties also love to play. Siberians adore all types of toys and remain vibrant throughout their lives.
Siberians are fearless and adventurous but also naturally calm. They are gentle and loving which shows in their sweet facial expressions. These cats tend to be relatively quiet, and they express themselves in a melodious way through mews, trills, chirps, and deep purring.
They are natural mousers and excellent jumpers. Some of them appear to enjoy the water as well. So be prepared for your kitty to want to get wet! It is not unheard of for a Siberian cat to make a surprise visit to its owner while in the bath or shower.
Siberian Cat Health Problems
All cats may suffer from certain illnesses. Kidney disease, cancer, urinary crystals, and gum disease are common to many breeds. Yet Siberian cats are a healthy, hardy breed, in general. Studies show that they are one of the cat breeds with more genetic diversity within their population.
This makes them less prone to problems from inbreeding, however, Siberian cats are still bred for specific traits. As such, these cats are prone to certain health conditions. The most common concern for Siberian cats is heart disease.
DNA testing is available for HCM so ensure your breeder can provide certificates that both parents are not carriers. Other recommended genetic testing includes:
Siberian Cat Lifespan
The life expectancy of a cat is based on a number of factors, including diet, lifestyle, environment, genetics, and breed. The average expected lifespan of a Siberian cat is 12 to 15 years.
Finding Breeders
Choosing a reputable breeder can drastically improve your chances of taking home a healthy kitten. It is important to know if you want a pedigreed, championship-quality Siberian forest cat, or just a healthy cat for a family pet.
A visit to the breeder is also helpful so you can see the conditions under which the kitten lives. Ask about health issues and about results of genetic testing. Make sure to view the results of previous parental health testing before you commit to buying from a breeder.
Siberian Kittens
Siberian kittens are absolutely adorable, but don’t let their cuteness blind you. You should still do your research about the breeder and the genetic line of the cat you wish to purchase. Caring for a vulnerable Siberian kitten is a big responsibility.
Siberian kittens are usually available at 12 to 16 weeks after inoculations. These Siberian kittens mature at a slow rate and may take up to 5 years to reach full maturity.
Rescuing A Siberian Cat
Breed-specific Siberian cat rescues do exist. And occasionally, Siberian cats also turn up in regular animal shelters. The advantage here is that you may find a Siberian cat for a cheaper rate. However, you may not have options regarding the age of the cat or their health.
Chances are a rescue cat will not be championship-quality. If this doesn’t matter to you, adopting a Siberian from a shelter might be a good option. But be prepared. It may take time to find a one that needs rescuing.
Are these part of the Siamese cat family? Do they shed in the Spring and does that make them more allergic to their owners at that point? Is there much difference between the chance of someone being or showing allergic reaction from this breed and how does that happen with a Siamese?
As the article states…Siberian cats are…Siberian cats, not Siamese cats. There is no “Siamese family” of cats…there are only Siamese cats, and cats that are not Siamese.
Siberian cats molt twice a year. Also as the article states, hair and shedding have nothing to do with allergic reactions or not. Fel D1 is the primary allergen present in cats, and it is present in their saliva, urine, and feces. Due to the natural cleaning of cats, their saliva is all over their fur, and thus allergic reactions to the Fel D1 protein on their fur, but not the fur itself.
Siamese have normal amounts of Fel D1 protein in their system, whereas Siberians have dramatically less Fel D1 than most other breeds.
I have a beautiful Siberian boy named kosmos. He is a loving affectionate cat who when he wants something he tells me. When he is hungry he will go after my feet under my blanket. He is very intelligent. He gets along with my kids and my older cat.
I have the most beautiful cat, she is curious, smart, comes when her name is called, and holds my hand when I sleep. I can’t recommend this breed of cat highly enough. She does ‘collect’ shiny objects and hide them or kick them under the fridge, but it’s a small price to pay for such beauty and and so much love.
We adopted a beautiful Siberian we named Leia 2 1/2 months ago. She is a loving kitty who is very inquisitive, intelligent and down right entertaining. She has since learned her name and always comes when I call her. She’s on week 2 of toilet training and is picking it up rather quickly. She sleeps on my chest, in my arms or sometimes above my head when she wants her space. Everyday she seems to surprise us with just how smart she is. My boyfriend and I have been searching for the right cat for over 7 years now due to his moderate allergies to cats. Since adopting her he’s had no issues. I can’t recommend this breed enough! You wont be disappointed if you do adopt one.
This past August I went to my church office where I volunteer. A skinny black kitten came up to me and stayed with me all day. I fed it some cheese. I had thought about getting a cat because I live in the country and mice are prevalent. I couldn’t find any people around that claimed him so I brought him home. I purchased some Rachel Ray cat food and kept him in s dog crate for a few days with a litter box. I have 2 female 60 pound black labs and I wanted to introduce him slowly to them. Fast forward…6 months later. He has turned into s beautiful cat. He has played fetch with me. He loves my dogs. He plays with other dogs we have. He comes running when I call his name (Ninja). He has started growing a mane and has the typical dense coat with gray trim and beautiful wavy tail. He doesn’t meow much at all. He and I have become very attached. He is very playful and loves to sit in my lap. He is quite the mouse too. The only field mice I have seen are the ones he has caught and brings inside to play with…lol. He is a perfect companion for me and my dogs plus a mouse deterrent. The vet seems to think he is mainly Siberian by his looks and temperament. I feel so blessed to have found him. I didn’t pay the high dollar for him. He cost me one piece of cheese. He is a joy and growing into a beauty.
We had the pleasure of finding a Siberian mix cat as a stray. The vet approximated his age to be 9 months when we took him in. Unfortunately at two years old he died from a urinary infection despite multiple vet visits and multiple antibiotics. As these are generally healthy cats, we suspect this tendecy for illness came from the non-Siberian parent. We’ve had many cats all are life, and this cat was the best ever. We miss him very much and think about him every day. As soon as we can, we plan to purchase two Siberian kittens. We highly recommend this breed. They have the best personality. They’re so lovable.
I adopted a Siberian mix as well. He was just 7 weeks old when I got him and was the most amazing boy. He was rescued from a dumpster that someone had thrown him into. One of the neighbors knew a guy that bred Siberians and unfortunately one of his males got out and mixed it up with a feral street cat. The owner followed the street cat and trapped her until she had the kittens and then then threw them into the dumpster because he couldn’t have one of his show cats have evidence of an interrupted purebred blood line. It was disgusting. I fortunately lucked out and adopted one of the two little guys (there were three) and he was the only one who looked like his father. The other kittens and the mother were domestic medium length tabby color. Tribble (my boy) had so many of the traits of a Siberian besides being gorgeous. He was a seal point mitted with big blue eyes. He loved water, played fetch and other games and we were easily able to train him. He gave his paw on command, played the shell game and would sit on his hind legs with both front paws in the air. He loved to snuggle and enjoyed the company of his dog friends and his people friends but he followed me everywhere. He was a great jumper and loved to be as high up as he could get. He actually had three coats of fur and used to shed like a madman twice a year, but I actually had to brush him at least twice a week. If he wanted something he was relentless and if that something was food and we didn’t want him to have it, he would problem solve to get his way. He opened doors and cabinets and one time he figured out that if he stood underneath the dog as she was going out the electric dog door he could go out the door and get outside too. Tragically, I lost him just last week to a urinary infection that killed his kidneys even though we got him on antibiotics. I have been a cat lover my entire life but this guy was so special I would be lying if I didn’t say he was my scarecrow. I’ll miss him most of all.
I am so sorry to hear about your loss. I lost my beautiful Siberian a year ago. He was 18 and a half years old, healthy until his last few months. This is such a wonderful breed. He was the light of my life.Thinking about him always warms my heart. Your beloved cat may be gone, but he has left you all his love.
I have two and love them both! I started with one from a local breeder and another from a breeder in another state. After just a few months, the latter one died of accute heart disease. She was only 7 months old. Despite the shock and pain, we got another one because these cats are extremely sociable. They are beautiful, smart, sweet, and do act more like dogs. I have terrible cat allergies and these cats cause no response.
As an adult I started experiencing cat allergies. Watery, red, I want to claw my eyes out itchiness. Throat and ears would react, etc… Never thought I would be able to own a cat again. It was super odd as when I was a child I never experienced that issue with cats.
Regardless, I had excepted cats would not be an option again. My husband, knowing how badly I wanted to love on a cat, started researching and found that many people don’t experience allergy issues with Siberian Cats.
We found a wonderful cattery in our state. She let me come over and see how I reacted after holding, petting, and loving on the potential mama cat. After about 20 minutes I was fully coated with cat fur, no issues.
Needless to say, we now belong to a beautiful female Siberian named Yana and today (8/6) is her one year birthday. Best decision ever! (Of course my Pomeranian begs to differ)
I recall they course of the particular development, similar as with your experience… That beautiful massive and Royal lush coat, Maine and tail will sneak up and really blossom gradually as they turn into the most GORGEOUS little LIONS! 😂 Surprising of extended maturing periods for these Siberian, main coon or Angoras, etc. About five whole years! Wow! Bloomed!
I have a 5 month old silver siberian kitten. I had no idea what breed he was, until I found this article. He is literally a dog.. He comes when called and chews on sticks. I love him❤️?
Russian roots.
I adore ? the Siberian Cat .
Such a Beauty’s.
I’m av Russian heritage and I grow up similar to the Amish people.
Love the animals.
I look forward to adopt . Siberian cat ? is so close to my culture.
Sincerely,
Who loves nature.??
GET TWO
honestly these cats have so much energy, strong play and social requirements that can get a little overwhelming if you have a busy day and come home to a hyperactive cat who is desperate to play
They seem to get on well with dogs and other cats so really any other pet in the house would do, but this isn’t the type of house cat which you can happily leave alone from 9-5
Otherwise, amazing. Friendly, sociable, confident, goofy, affectionate, beautiful cats. But very energetic.
We have a Male Russian Siberian named Vasi. He is around 12 pounds and very intelligent. He is independent but loves to be around the family. He is 11 years old but still acts like a kitten. He talks to you in his own way and has the biggest blue eyes. We love him.
Have not had any health issues and he is an indoor cat as we live in the city. He seems to like water as he tries to get into our bathwater on many occasions. We do wash Vasi from time to time taking great care to not get ears wet. He like being washed and clean. I cannot imagine having a different breed of cat.
As for food, he is somewhat a picky eater. We find that the type of food he gets must rotate on a regular basis otherwise he gets bored with the selection. Overall he eats well. He seems to want to drink water from several locations not just a bowl of water where his food is. We keep one glass full in the master bedroom and another on the counter in the kitchen. Guess it makes him feel special. He drinks a lot of water so if you are thinking of getting a Siberian, remember that.
He also likes children although is somewhat cautions. When grandchildren are around, he likes watching them play and lets them pet him on occasion.
Never had a problem with him scratching furniture. He does like scratching posts and cardboard boxes to claw.
Great companion
I adopted Sibel, now Matilda (Tilly) from the SPCA just before Xmas 2019 and was told she is a Siamese kitten. However, when I took her to the vet they said she would be very large, referring to her as an Amazon. In researching her online I now believe she may be a Siberian as her coat is very long and cream in color with brown markings on her face, ears and feet, with stunning light blue eyes. She is playful, curious, loving, and fearless. She has an older brother Tom, a Russian Blue that is a year older than her that she gives a run for the money too on a daily basis. It took one week to the day where Tom went from hissing and hiding from her to grooming and loving on her. They eat, play, and sleep together (yes, in my bed). They are both loving affectionate cats. I wish I could include a pic so someone on here that knows Siberian breeds could confirm with me that she is not Siamese but Siberian; don’t care either way, she’s a love 🐱❤️
Something good always comes from something bad. At least that’s what I believe. Last September, a friend of ours asked if we could take in another “kitten” (just less than a year since we were adopted by a sickly little black barn cat). The owner committed suicide and our friend didn’t have the place or means to take on the responsibility of this cat. This beautiful black longhaired creature came in, looked at us, acknowledged food, water and litterbox location and decided he would stay. I had never had a longhaired cat. Our friend told us he was a Siberian Gem. I had never heard of such a breed. But, I can say that Stevie is the most amazing cat! Loving, INTELLIGENT, curious, playful, gorgeous, kind, generous, intuitive…I could go on, but I think you get my point. I haven’t been able to find much info on the “gem”, so Ive settled with the Siberian forest info and so far what I’ve learned is pretty spot on. The only complaint I have with my Stevie is that sometimes he has too much to say. But considering my lengthy post, I don’t have much room to talk! Live this creature!
Love this creature was my intention.
I read your post Britt, and can certainly agree that your Stevie sounds like a Siberian except for his talkativeness. Our Ralfi now 9 months doesn’t make a sound except for loud purring. We had to put a bell on his collar so that we could find him when he takes a snooze in strange places. But when he’s awake it’s all go, go, go. He loves to hide slippers and everything is a toy. Ralfi is platinum blonde with dusty brown markings and tail. Much too cute and fluffy to be a boy. He was very sick when we bought him home from the animal shelter at 7 months but a visit to the vet and some antibiotics did the trick and he doubled his weight in 3 weeks. He’d been raised to breed from and from what we were told had lived in a cage since birth. Now every day is Christmas. He loves to sit on our lap but does not like to be picked up, he sleeps on our bed or on the floor beside our dog, a 16yr old Lhasa Apso, Teddy, who totally ignores Ralfi. But he’s pretty hard to ignore, he always in his face. Anyway Britt, thanks for sharing. I’m now a happy cat lady.
I purchased a female Siberian, Kiyoshi, when she was 6 weeks old. She is the most beautiful color point with blue eyes. She follows me around like a little puppy, she loves my grandchildren, but she will swipe at them if they over fatigue her. Kiyoshi is only 6 months old, so she is really just a kitten. She likes to snuggle with me and sleeps on the pillow above my head. I love her so much.
There is a lot of good information on this page, one thing that really irritates me is that people will call the Neva Masquerade a colour point Siberian.. I will agree it is a beautiful cat (they all are) BUT it is NOT a Siberian, the colour pattern is not a naturally occurring pattern in true Siberian, the pattern was introduced in the late 80’s via an accidental mating between a Siberian and an Appleheaded Thai cat and in mid 90’s classified as it’s own breed – Neva Masquerade (due to the first kitten being born in St Petersburg or then know as Leningrad) – please please please, when referring to a Neva Masquerade do not classify them as a Siberian or a Colour Point Siberian, they are Neva, or Neva Masquerade.. the ems coding for Neva begins with NEM, coding for Siberian begins with SIB. The sooner people understand the differences between these breeds the better the true Siberians will be.
I have a beautiful siberian forest cat.
He is loving playful and all mine.
I wanted a cat who would love me and he dose. He tolerates the rest of the world but loves me. The artical is spot on.he is inteligent playful loves the outdoors loves to go for a short walk on his lead around our neighbourhood, in search of grass to nibble on. He loves tuna and red meat but his favourite treat is a cooked prawn or shrimp as some may say..I love him to bits.