A real beauty - a Siberian cat is a national treasure of Russia. This native breed has a lot of advantages in addition to a luxurious appearance. From the look of attentive cat eyes it becomes uncomfortable - so many unspoken, but strong emotions are hidden in them.
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Origin history
In the XVII century, the active development of Siberia began. Together with the immigrants, their domestic cats set off to scout new territories. And then nature did its job. Severe Siberian cats conquered the hearts of visiting cats, and the offspring acquired indigenous features. In Siberia, the main thing is protection from the cold, so local feline representatives have grown long, waterproof, frost-resistant fur coats.
Siberian cats appeared on the territory of Russia for a long time. But only in 1989 in Leningrad were they recognized as a separate breed.
A little later, breeders identified color-point animals, whose muzzle is covered with a flirty mask, giving them the name Neva Masquerade.
Description and characteristics of the breed
In terms of size and weight, only Maine Coon can argue with the Siberian breed, but Siberians are stockier and more massive. The weight of cats can reach 9 kg.
Like Maine Coon and Norwegian Forest Cat, Siberian cats are considered to be a breed of native origin, formed in vivo.
Hence the large size, strong muscular body and large paws. The main distinguishing feature of the breed is the shape of the head. It is wide, with smooth outlines and low, horizontal cheekbones.
Variety of colors
Coat colors can be very different from silver to black spotted.Among Siberians there is a magnificent white and marble blue cat.
Brief description of colors:
- striped - strips on the legs and tail;
- marble - wool pattern in the form of circles and stripes;
- silver - a feature of the outer hair, in which their base remains white;
- red tortie - orange or black cats and black and orange cats;
- white - snow-white color of wool without spots;
- bicolor - a combination of the main color and white spots on the body;
- color point - a dark mask on the face;
- chinchilla - due to different hair color along the length;
- gold - apricot color on the part of each hair;
- smoky - silver undercoat contrasts with the main coat.
Rare are gold, marble, silver, chinchilla colors. Eye color does not depend on hair and can be any. A white cat with blue eyes is sometimes deaf from birth.
Life span
Siberian cat breed is distinguished by strong immunity and good health.
Life expectancy is from 15 to 20 years.
The dangerous disease that occurs in this breed is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Timely to identify it will help observation by a veterinarian. Proper nutrition is the key to animal health and longevity. He needs to pay attention. Siberian cats are large, nutrition requires a varied and balanced. Feed the cat 2 times a day. Serving weight for an adult animal is about 120 g, but may be more depending on body weight.
Siberian cat breed standard
The first impression of the breed is large or medium sized animals with long, dense hair. The body is strong and strong, with soft, rounded shapes.
Standard requirements:
- head in the form of a trapezoid, wider in the upper part and tapers down;
- ears medium or large, slightly tilted forward, there may be brushes at the ends;
- eyes rounded, slightly slanted, at a distance from each other greater than the width of the eye;
- the chin rounded, not protruding forward;
- face short, with a smooth transition to the cheekbones;
- nose slightly curved, with a small cavity;
- body muscular, back slightly above shoulders;
- paws medium length, back slightly longer than front, fur grows between the fingertips;
- tail fluffy, slightly tapering to the tip;
- wool medium or long, with double undercoat.
Siberian cats grow up very slowly. They reach their full maturity by 5 years. This must be considered when evaluating animals. Cats are ready to reproduce from 5 months.
The behavior and nature of cats
The expression of the muzzle of the furry giants is always relaxed and serene. What kind of character they really have, only the owners know.
All Siberian cats are very seasoned, with high intelligence, like a dog. Many Siberians execute the same commands as dogs.
They can serve, bring things if trained in this. Siberian cats are silent, this is a feature of their psyche. These animals are overwhelmingly very balanced, restrained, unobtrusive. They prefer to be nearby imperceptibly, without annoying with their presence. Cats feel the mood of the owner, always come when he is ill, trying to console him.
Too active a temperament of some young pets can be tiring. A kitten needs to play a lot for normal development. It is advisable to buy a multi-level complex, so that there is where to run, jump.
Maintenance, care and feeding
The coat of a Siberian cat does not require complicated care, no tangles are ever formed on it. It is enough to comb it once a week with a slicker. Once a month you need to clean the ears of the cat from sulfur. Hygiene also includes brushing your eyes and teeth. A cat is bathed 1 or 2 times a month with a shampoo for long hair. Change the filler in the tray daily, as the animals are very clean.
Proper nutrition is important to maintaining the health of the animal and the beauty of its luxurious coat.
What to feed - with homemade food or dry food, is the business of each owner. It is advisable that 25% of the diet was vegetables and cereals, the remaining 75 - meat.
Improper nutrition leads to disruption of the digestive tract, the hair becomes dull, activity decreases, tartar appears.
From cereals, it is desirable to give wheat, oatmeal and rice. Porridge can be boiled or simply steamed with hot water. It is not recommended to use buckwheat and millet. From vegetables give everything except potatoes and white cabbage, onions, garlic. Vegetables are mashed or mashed on a grater to mix with something more delicious - raw beef or rabbit. Finely chop the meat, add chopped vegetables, 1 tsp. bran steamed with boiling water.
Milk should not be present in the diet. It contains lactose and casein. These two components are unacceptable to a predator. You can give milk only to kittens up to 3 months. Otherwise, allergies will appear in the form of skin diseases or diarrhea. Kefir, yogurt, cottage cheese up to 9% fat are useful for cats.
Cats should not be given raw fish. The frequent presence in the diet of this product can cause the development of urolithiasis. The fish contains an enzyme that prevents vitamin B1 from being absorbed, which leads to disturbances in the functioning of the nervous system and seizures. Raw fish can have helminths. You can give only lean marine fish without bones, previously boiled or frozen, not more than 1 time per week.
Raw meat, which is mandatory in the diet of a domestic predator, is pre-frozen for 3 days in a freezer. Then pour boiling water, finely chopped and mixed with a small amount of vegetables or cereals.
Pros and cons of the Siberian cat breed
Touching the wonderful Siberian coat with a hand acts as an anti-stress therapy. The hair of cats is their main pride, it is three-level. Under the thick cloak of the main hair, two types of undercoat are hidden at once - long and short. Many are confused by the abundance of wool, which can create certain difficulties in grooming.
In fact, a Siberian cat black, white or any other color is ideal for keeping the house. Her molt is seasonal, only 2 times a year. Due to the fact that the undercoat is shorter than the main spinal hair, no tangles are formed in the wool. At home, it is enough to comb the cat once a week. Siberian cat is considered one of the least allergenic breeds. It's all about cat saliva, it is it that causes allergies in people.
Scientists have found that in the saliva of Siberian cats, the components that cause allergies are least found.
With such a cat it is impossible to feel alone, her friendship is not easy to earn, but she is worth it. This is the most sincere creature in the world, affectionate and intelligent, it will always feel the sadness of the owner and will encourage from all its feline powers.
