SIBERIAN BREED
HISTORY/PROFILE
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Recorded history shows that the Siberian breed has been around for at
least one thousand years. They were first mentioned in Harrison Wier's
book Our Cats and all About Them, which included information about one
of the earliest cat shows held in England in 1871. However, finding
written information in Russia is fairly difficult. Despite the fact
that the Siberian is a natural breed and is the national cat of Russia,
its very ubiquity makes it taken for granted rather than worthy of note
in Russian literature. Add to this the vast expanse of Russia which
encompasses 13 time zones as well as a multitude of ethnic and cultural
diversity and you have a cat that seems as difficult to standardize as
the country which gave rise to it.
The Siberian was first
imported in 1990. Despite it's popularity the Siberian is extremely
rare in the United States. Most breeders have waiting lists for their
kittens.
The Siberian, considered a semi longhair, has a rich
full coat in the winter while the summer allows for a somewhat shorter
less dense coat. The Siberian can come in just about every color of the
rainbow but because of the rarity of the breed those colors may not be
available in your neighborhood.The Siberian was accepted for
registration by CFA February 2000 and advanced to championship status
in February 2006.
The Siberian tends to be both a great problem
solver and also, rather like dogs, are loyal to their adopted families
which is why they are so well suited to the households in which one
spouse, usually a husband or significant other, professes to be a "dog
person" not a "cat person." Often it is that same "dog person" who is
greeted at the door by their Siberian and after being dutifully
followed around the house by their Siberian, then decides that one
Siberian is simply not enough! Siberians are extremely agile and can
leap great distances and heights to "fly through the air with the
greatest of ease!" However, their agility also means they usually
navigate potentially breakable brick-a-brac without leaving a path of
destruction in their wake. Prudence dictates that one would still want
to think twice about placing a Ming Dynasty vase on the mantle. A
delightful combination of the flying Walenda's and the sleuth "the Pink
Panther," the Siberian is a zany mixture of both. Expect the unexpected
when sharing your home with a Siberian.
Many people
with allergies have discovered they can actually get "up close and
personal" with the Siberian. It is touted as the hypo-allergenic breed
for a very good reason, it produces a lower amount of Fel D1 than other
breeds. Fel D1 is a protein in the saliva, responsible for almost all
allergic reactions to cats. If you are among the countless cat lovers
who just can't tolerate their dander, ask us about the Siberian, you may be pleasantly surprised.
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