Siberian Cats are large solid cats that take up to five years to reach their full size. These cats have a triple coat that is made up of a soft undercoat, and outer-coat with shiny waterproof hairs on top. Their beautiful lush coat continues to develop and when they’re about one year old the hairs around their neck grow giving the Siberian the appearance that they have a lion’s mane. They also have tufts of hair that grow between the pads on their paws and from their ears.
The Siberian comes in a wide variety of colours including colour point, cream, gold, silver, brown, red and blue and their eyes are green or green-gold in colour.
The striking coat of the Siberian does change over time and their colours tend to fade as the cat ages.
Siberian Cats shed their heavy coat during seasonal changes and they can do with regular grooming to keep their coat from becoming matted.
Siberian cats weigh between 6.8-9.1 kg for the males and 4.5-6.8 kg for females.
The average lifespan of a Siberian cat is 10 to 18 years.
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Get a quick quoteThis is a breed with a strong personality and they are often described as having a dog like personality. They are affectionate and loyal and demand their owner’s attention and it’s not uncommon for this cat to follow their owners from room to room.
They are not cats to be left alone all day as they really enjoy company, so having two rather than one cat would be suggested. These cats are also very comfortable with dogs and children. While a lot of other cats aren’t recommended for households with very young children, the Siberian actually thrives on the company.
They are easy going cat who are just as happy snuggling up on your lap or playing fetch or other games like that involve hiding food.
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There are a number of theories about the history of the Siberian Cat. One relates to their history as mouse catchers in the streets of Russia thousands of years ago. The breed has ultimately been developed to meet the standards of breeders and judges. During the 1980s the breed was featured in cat shows in Russia which ultimately led to the development of the breed so it would be distinguished from other large fluffy longhaired Russian breeds. OlgoMironva, President of the Kotofi Club developed the breeds’ description and a white Siberian stud Roman and brown tabby were used to develop the standard.
The World Cat Federation was the first international organisation to accept the Siberian Cat which was nicknamed the Neva Masquerade. Two cats, Mars and Roman were the beginning of the Siberian breed.
Siberians didn’t start appearing in Australia until 2003 when they were introduced from the United States.
MORE INFORMATION
NSW Cat Fanciers Association: http://www.nswcfa.asn.au/
Siberian Cat Breeders Australia: http://www.catsofaustralia.com/siberian_breeders.htm