The Siberian cat comes from Russia and has a beautiful, thick coat of three layers to stay warm in cold weather. These friendly cats with lots of fur make great pets because they love being around people and showing affection.
Learn more about the stunning and kind Siberian cat.
Breed Overview
Weight: 15 to 20 pounds
Length: 17 to 25 inches
Coat: Varies from coarse to soft; moderately long to longhaired triple coat with a full collar ruff
Coat Color: Any color combination or pattern
Eye Color: All colors
Life Expectancy: 10 to 18 years
Characteristics of the Siberian Cat
Here are the best characteristics of Siberian cats.
- Smart and athletic:Siberian cats love climbing and exploring. Give them toys and activities to keep their minds and bodies active.
- Friendly:These cats are friendly with people and other pets, including kids. Keep in mind they take longer to grow up – about 5 years – so they’ll act like kittens longer than other cats.
- Allergy-friendly: Many people are allergic to a protein in cat fur called FelD1, which gets there when cats groom themselves. Siberian cats may cause fewer allergic reactions because they make less of this protein.
| Affection Level | High |
| Friendliness | High |
| Kid-Friendly | High |
| Pet-Friendly | High |
| Exercise Needs | Medium |
| Playfulness | High |
| Energy Level | Medium |
| Intelligence | High |
| Tendency to Vocalize | Low |
| Amount of Shedding | Medium |
History of the Siberian Cat
Siberian cats come from Russia’s Siberia region and have lived there for thousands of years. While there aren’t many old written records about these cats, they appear in many Russian fairy tales and stories for children.
These cats were first shown to the world in English cat shows in the 1870s and were written about in Harrison Weir’s 1889 book “Our Cats and All About Them.” Americans first saw Siberian cats in the 1990s after the Cold War ended, and they quickly became popular. Today, major cat organizations like the Cat Fanciers’ Association and The International Cat Association officially recognize the breed.
Siberian Cat Care
Siberian cats shed a lot, so be prepared to deal with cat hair. Give them high places to rest and relax, like cat trees or shelves.
Exercise
Siberian cats enjoy playing with toys and family members, and they love to jump. Their strong back legs let them jump very high. Because of this, you should give them cat trees and high places to rest.
Grooming
Expect to see lots of hair around your home with a Siberian. To reduce shedding and keep your dog comfortable, use these grooming tips:
- Brush your Siberian cat regularly, as their fur rarely gets tangled. You’ll need to brush more often when they shed their coat.
- Give them occasional baths to help remove loose hair, dust, and dead skin. Many Siberian cats like water, which can make bath time easier.
- Keep their nails trimmed regularly. Don’t rely on scratching posts alone for nail maintenance.
- Check their ears often for dirt. Clean them when needed, but don’t put anything inside the ear canal. If you notice redness or lots of dirt in their ears, take them to the vet.
Common Health Problems
Heart muscle disease, where the heart walls become too thick, is common in Siberian cats. This condition is linked to inherited genetic changes. Good breeders test their cats for this heart problem to prevent passing it to kittens.
Appearance
Siberian cats have a sweet-looking face with rounded wedge-shaped head. Their face features a short, slightly curved nose and medium to large, almost round eyes.
Their eyes can be green, gold, green-gold, or copper colored. White Siberians may have blue eyes or different colored eyes.
These cats have a thick, rich coat that can be any color or pattern, with or without white patches. Their fur has three layers: a short, dense bottom layer close to the skin; a medium-length middle layer; and a long outer layer.
Siberians are muscular cats with back legs slightly longer than their front legs, making them great jumpers.
Diet and Nutrition
Choose the right food for your Siberian cat by talking to your vet. While dry food is easy to use, wet food has less sugar and more water, which is important since cats often don’t drink enough. Not drinking enough water can harm their health, especially their kidneys.
Feed your cat set amounts of food 2-3 times each day. Avoid leaving food out all day because your cat might eat too much and become overweight.
Where to Adopt or Buy a Siberian Cat
You can look for a purebred Siberian cat from local breeders, or you can adopt one from a rescue group.
- Petfinder
- Adopt a Pet
- Rescue Me
Siberian Overview
- A good breed for some allergy sufferers
- Affectionate, playful, and energetic; gets along well with children and other animals.
- Can handle colder weather and likes water play
- Long hair requires more grooming than other cats; sheds winter coats in warmer months.
- A little noisemaker who likes to mew, chirp, and trill a lot
More Cat Breeds and Further Research
Want to learn more about Siberian cats? Use the Cat Fanciers’ Association website to find local breeders. You can meet the cats and ask questions in person. You can also go to cat shows near you to see different cat breeds and talk to cat experts.
If you like the Siberian cat, you might also like:
- Maine Coon Cat
- Norwegian Forest Cat
- Sphynx
There are many cat breeds out there. With a little research, you can find the right one to bring home.
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Is the Siberian cat a good pet?
Siberian cats make great pets because they are loving and friendly.
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Are Siberian cats low-maintenance?
These cats are easy to care for. Just remember they shed more during certain times of the year, so you’ll need a good brush for their long fur.
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What is the difference between a Siberian cat and a Maine Coon?
While both Siberian cats and Maine Coons are friendly pets, they have two main differences. Siberian cats have rougher fur, while Maine Coons have smoother, silkier fur. Maine Coons are also larger, with male cats sometimes weighing more than 20 pounds.
