The Siberian Forest Cat, also called Siberian cat, originated in Russia. It was used as a pest control in cities and was selected for this because it was a large and strong cat with a good survival rate. Due to its good character, it is ideal as a pet. He loves to hunt and play and can only be kept as an indoor cat if he has enough space. What exactly does this breed entail and what exactly does this special cat look like?
History
The Siberian Forest Cat comes from Russia. Due to communism, it was almost impossible to breed purebred cats back in the former USSR. Therefore, the first standards were not written until around the year 1989 and accepted by associations. The cats had been around a long time ago, but it was not realized that a semi-longhaired domestic cat could be a separate breed. The cat may have originated because cats in the city had to exterminate rats in the 18th century. The tsar wanted strong cats for this. The same happened in World War II. Cats of this same type lived all over Northern Russia and are very good at survival. In the eighties of the last century, freedom arose and cat associations and shows were also organized. For example, some people found out that their own semi-long-haired cat was a separate breed, and none Maine Coon or Norwegian Forest Cat. Because Russia is very large, there may be differences between Siberian cats from different cities. It is a relatively young cat breed and the type has not yet fully crystallized, such as with the Persian or Siamese.
Names for the Siberian Forest Cat
The Siberian Forest Cat has different names. The following names are also mentioned for this breed: Siberian cat, Siberian, Siberian Colourpoint (the point variant) and Neva Masquerade. The name Neva-Masquerade comes from the river Neva where the cat may come from and because of the mask the cat appears to be wearing. The Siberian Forest Cat is related to the “Norwegian Forest Cat” breed.
Appearance
The Siberian Forest Cat is a medium to large cat. The females weigh on average between 4 and 6 kilos and the males between 5 and 9 kilos. The body shapes are rounded, giving the cat a friendly appearance. The coat is medium-long, which is much thicker in winter and much less thick and shorter in summer. These cats are strongly muscled and have a heavy bone structure. Below is a detailed description of the appearance:
Cup
The head is large in proportion. The face from between the nose and the ears is almost the same length as the width of the skull. Seen from the side, the Siberian Forest Cat has a distinct transition from the bridge of the nose to a rounded skull. There is no stop here like with the Pers. The line from the nose through the chin is a wavy line. The chin is neither weak nor receding, but follows the curves.
Eyes
The eyes can be green, yellow or orange in color with the green color being preferred. There should not be multiple colors in one eye. The Siberian Colourpoint always has the eyes blue in color. The eyes are large, not completely round in shape, but somewhat rounded and slightly slanted. The eyes are at least one eye width apart.
Ears
The ears are medium in size and have tufts of hair sticking out. Sometimes lynx tufts are present on the tips of the ears, making the ears appear pointy. The ears do not have a pointed tip. They are at least one ear width apart.
Body
The body is elongated in shape. With the legs included, the cat’s shape is a rectangle that is longer than height. The rib cage is quite round in shape. Furthermore, the back is fairly muscular and the hips and shoulder are the same height.
Legs
The sturdy bone structure makes it stand firm and powerful on its legs. The feet are round in shape with tufts of hair between the toes, which preferably protrude both forward and backward. These will be snowshoes. mentioned. The claws are strong and moderately long.
Tail
The tail is broad at the base and tapers towards the tip. The tail is heavily hairy with the guard hairs no longer than the undercoat.
Coat
The Siberian Forest Cat’s coat is semi-long-haired consisting of a triple coat. This consists of a smooth outer coat with a double woolly undercoat. In summer the undercoat is almost non-existent and in winter it is abundant. As with the tail, the topcoat guard hairs should not be longer than the woolly undercoat. The coat is water-repellent so that the cat can withstand bad weather. The coat has a collar and a band with long hair on the belly and a kind of “pants”.
Coat color
All colors are allowed except the chocolate / lilac and ?? cinnamon / fawn ??. These colors are just like the ticked tabby pattern. seen as a cross of another breed. This is highly undesirable because it is not yet known which genetic problems may apply when crossed with other breeds. The colourpoint has been in the variety for centuries, so this is allowed. There are associations that do not accept the Colourpoint. They believe that a forest cat should not have a point color.
Grooming
In general, the cat itself can maintain the coat well. If he’s moulting, removing excess hair by combing or brushing won’t hurt. If the coat becomes tangled easily, additional grooming may be required.
Character
Siberian Forest Cats are very involved with family members and love to be a part of the home life. Because they are quite strong, they can easily knock something over during a mad storm in the house. Usually they are fairly quiet in the house. It is a fairly intelligent cat that quickly understands how to get something done with its owner. While not every Siberian forest cat likes to sit on your lap, it does sometimes like to cuddle and play. As with most cats, this depends on whether the cat feels like it at that moment. They descend from cats that are still close to nature. That is why they can sometimes be a bit temperamental, they can hunt well and they like adventure. They can be curious about strangers which makes it easy for a stranger to take the cat with them. If you decide to keep this cat as an indoor cat, you can if the cat has enough space to move around. He likes a playmate, whether this is another cat or a dog it doesn’t matter.
Other information
The Siberian Forest Cat does not develop quickly. They are not fully grown until 5 years old. Neutering the cat will speed up maturation. The bones, muscles and coat are very developed and this takes time to unfold.
As with most cats, the average age is between 12 and 16 years.