Siberian Cats
Siberians have been around for at least one thousand years as far as recorded history. 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.
In 1999 Indoor Biotechnologies tested the fur for four cats for Fel d 1; a mixed breed, two Siberians, and an Abyssinian. The results showed the Siberian and Abyssinian cat fur as having lower Fel d 1 levels than the mixed breed cat. Indoor Biotechnologies cautions that the Siberian levels were still high, and that the mixed breed sample was "exceptionally high." Indoor Biotechnologies warns against using these results to make decisions of pet ownership.
History of Siberian Cats
Physical Characteristics
The Siberian is a large, strong cat which takes 5 years to mature. The females may weigh less than the males. They are extremely agile and great leapers. Their muscles are mighty, outstanding and powerful. The back is long and very slightly curved or arched., but appears horizontal when in motion. Convex muscular waist and round, compact belly develop with age. The hind legs, when straightened, are slightly longer than the forelegs. The paws are round, big and quite powerful. The overall appearance should be one of great strength, force and size with an excellent physical condition and alertness; the facial expression is quite sweet. The general impression is one of roundness and circles, rather than the rectangles and triangles of similar breeds.
Temperament
The Siberian has a very dog like temperament and are very affectionate. They come out to great the visitors and are not shy. They are very intelligent and very quick learners. They also have a triple purr and unlike other breeds have a chirping sound they use when they come to greet you. When they are around water they appear to be fascinated with it and will drop toys into it and play in sinks with water left in. The Siberian makes the ideal lap cat and will live quite happily indoors with you.