My first introduction to Siberian cats was when completing my Group One Judges Course. Like every breed I  studied I fell in love with them and wanted one. Fortunately for David, myself and our household I don't always follow through with the thought but in this case...........

    It is rather a long convoluted story but in a couple of years I have gone from a desire to own a show Siberian to having a stud and two queens and now my first litter on the ground.

    The Siberian is native to Russia and is an ancient breed dating back at least a thousand years.  Most of the stories are anecdotal and their accuracy is debatable, Russia records were either lost or destroyed during the various tumultuous events that have occurred in Russia over the last 1000 years. All however agree that the Siberian originates from Russia. Some say they are called Siberian because they came from Siberia, others that they were called Siberian because they are ‘dressed’ appropriately for the harsh Russian conditions. .  Some accounts have cats arriving in Siberia with Russian immigrants or exiles, these then mated with the local cats and eventually the large long haired strong cat we know as a Siberian came into being.  They apparently had the ability to defend the household like guard dogs.  At some stage these cats then made to long trip (800 – 1000 miles) across the Ural Mountains to Moscow and Leningrad.  

    In 1945 Leningrad was invaded by rats and cats were shipped in by the thousands from all parts of Russia with all their different phenotypes. Owning pets of any sort was discouraged because of the shortage of both housing and food. In the 1980's owing a dog or cat became a status symbol and only seen in the wealthy so the pets lived a life of luxury. When restrictions were lifted in 1987 the Russian Cat Fancy was born and the Siberian began it's journey to the rest of the world with the lowering of the Iron Curtain.

    First and second generation Siberians were exported to Europe in 1988 and the USA in 1990. Marie Mahoney brought the first Siberian into Australia from the USA in 2003.

Character and Temperament

    The Siberian cat is described as the defender of the household. A large, strong cat with a thick coat it exudes power and strength but at the same time has a sweet facial expression which softens it’s, what can be, an  intimidating presence. They are slow to mature with full size not being attained until five years of age, the females are smaller than the males.

     Siberian cats like to be with people they will greet you at the door will tales of their day they love to rub against you and will roll to have a tummy rub. For all this they are a fairly independent cat who loves to be nearby but not necessarily on your lap when you want them to they like to decide! They are however very affectionate cats. They love to perch somewhere higher and watch what is happening around them almost like the supervisor checking you are doing things correctly! They have a delightful almost -chirp like cry and love to play with water - it is nothing to find all their toys in their water bowl or food bowl come to that.

    Generally speaking they get on with children and other pets but as with any breed you need to assess each individual cat personality before choosing the right one for your home.

    They appear to be hypoallergenic although there is not a lot of scientific evidence certainly there is much anecdotal evidence to support this Research has shown that a small glycoprotein known as Fel D1, produced by sebaceous glands in cats skin and saliva is responsible for 60 - 90% of allergic reactions in humans. Cats groom themselves constantly and  as the saliva dries  the Fel D1 floats into the atmosphere. Siberians have been shown to have lower levels of Fel D1 than other breeds. The only way to be sure is to spend some time with the kittens before making your purchase.

    Multiple factors cause variations in Fel D1 levels in cats. The highest levels are found in breeding males followed by breeding females. Neuters of both sexes have considerably lower levels, as do kittens. Early sterilization is highly recommended to prevent the rapid increase of the allergen as the cat approaches maturity.

http://www.freewebs.com/felineproteine/feld1.htm

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