Siberian cats originated in Siberia and they are the national cat of Russia. For you to determine if your cat is a Siberian, you need to know their distinct characteristics. These cats feature similarities with the Norwegian Forest cats. They are highly active and affectionate and display thick coats and muscular build. Read on to learn the things you need about Siberians.
Table of Contents
Siberian’s distinct physical appearance
Green or yellow eyes
Most of the Siberian cats have green or yellow eyes, but it is possible to have blue eyes, but it is less common for the Siberians. And you’ll also see Siberian cats with two different colors of eyes.
Dense coat
Siberians have thick, and layers of coats: the long guard hairs (outer coat), awn hairs (middle coat), and soft, supple undercoat; these help them protect from the intense cold. They also have a bushy tail.
Rounded ears with lynx tipping
Siberian cats have rounded ears. Their fur covers the top of their ears, which gives it a pointed look. The long hairs that stick out of their ears are called lynx tipping. They have various coat colors and patterns such as tabby, tortoiseshell, solid and colorpoint.
Muscular Build
This cat is quite muscular. If you run your hands over your cat, you can feel their muscle definition and their size. Their paws were large for them to catch their prey easily.
Large size
Siberian cats can weigh between 8 to 22 pounds. Male Siberian cats weigh between 13 to 22 pounds while female cats weigh between 8 to 13 pounds.
Siberian cat’s temperament
Friendly
Siberian cats are friendly and adventurous. They do well with people, other cats, and even dogs. They have a warm heart and are very affectionate. They love being with their human friend, that’s why they’ll follow you around.
Love for water
Siberian cats like playing with water. Maybe it’s their genetic memory of hunting for their food. You may find them playing with water in your aquarium, splashing the water in the tab, or drinking water from faucet or fountains.
Active and Playful
Siberians love engaging with their human friends. You can try playing with them with feathers or strings if you want to see that they like to play. Siberian cats also play fetch like dogs. This cat is known to be vocal; you may hear them chirps, trills, meows and etc. while playing with them.
Fearless
Activity and noise won’t bother them a bit; they will stay calm, and some described them as “fearless.” Because they do not fear noise, cars, screaming, and other loud noises.
Lap-cat
Siberian cats are loving and friendly cats that often enjoy sitting on their human friend’s lap. They want the company of their family and make excellent companions with their calm demeanor.
Facts about Siamese cats
- Siberian cats are also called Siberian forest cats or Moscow longhairs. They are believed to have originated in the dense forest of Siberia at least 1,000 years ago. Some people think that Siberian cats are the ancestors of all modern longhair cats.
- The Siberian cat breed was first mentioned by Harrison Wier at one of the first exhibitions in England in 1871; they appeared in the world’s exhibition in London and New York during the 19th century but fell into oblivion until the end of the 1980s until the start of their planned breeding.
- Siberian cats are hypoallergenic, so those who are allergy-prone that love cats can have Siberian cats. Bringing Siberian cats at home and finding that you have minor allergy symptoms, do not worry because it may take time for your body to adjust or adapt to a new condition.
- Siberian cats don’t have many health issues, except for heart condition which is common in its breed it is the hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) where the muscles of the heart thicken, it is hereditary disease in cats which leads to some health problems or can also cause death.
Common questions about Siberian cats
Do Siberian cats scratch furniture?
Siberian cats and Siberian kittens have tendencies to scratch furniture but they can be easily trained to not scratch furniture or any other things inside your home by providing them with scratch posts and pads. Take time to train them as early as you can because they may ruin your furniture by scratching.
Do Siberian cats get lonely?
Siberian cats are fairly independent. You may leave them at home for a couple of days but make sure that they have the things they need. They are not needy and will patiently wait for you until you have time for them. But it is better not to leave them alone if you’re going out, ask someone who’ll visit your cat for a while or leave cat-toys with them.
Are Siberian cats aggressive?
Siberian cats are affectionate; they love their owners or family members, even the children, other cats, and dogs. They are not aggressive, but they do want you to treat them with respect or else they may show unwanted attitude or behavior, they may attack even larger animals if pushed.
Final thoughts
Siberian cats are not that hard to identify. They have that unique personality and physical characteristics that were different from the other cat breeds. You just need to test or examine them using the things we’ve mentioned above, and if you find that what you see fits the Siberians physical characteristics and temperament well you may have Siberian cat living with you.
