There are various causes for an ailurophile to like Siberian cats: They’re affectionate, playful, immensely fluffy due to a semi-longhaired coat lower out for subarctic temperatures, and regarded as hypoallergenic. That final trait is a vital one for folk who sniffle and sneeze round most felines.
Siberians are sometimes known as the “cat for canine individuals” as a result of they have an inclination to comply with their people round the home and are available when known as. The draw back? These coveted cat qualities can come at a hefty worth. Demand is greater than provide within the U.S., so put together to pay 1000’s.
Uncover extra about these quirky pets, their personalities, their lack of allergens, and the way a lot they price.
Why This Issues to Treehugger
At Treehugger, we’re advocates of animal welfare, together with our pets and different home animals. The higher we perceive our cats, the higher we will help and defend their wellbeing. We hope our readers will undertake rescue pets as an alternative of procuring from breeders or pet shops, and also will contemplate supporting native animal shelters.
Siberian Cat Fundamentals
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Siberian cats, referred to as Russia’s native forest cats, come from the frigid north. They’ve triple-layered semi-long coats composed of water resistant guard, awn, and downy hair. They’re one of many bigger breeds of home cat, with males weighing as much as 20 kilos and standing virtually a foot tall.
Siberians attain maturity round age 5 and stay as much as 15 years. They arrive in a number of colours and patterns, from strong to tortoiseshell to colorpoint. Tabbies are maybe the commonest.
This breed of cat can also be known as Siberian forest cats or Moscow longhairs.
Are Siberian Cats Hypoallergenic?
One of many major attracts of this decidedly costly, comparatively uncommon cat breed is that it is supposedly hypoallergenic. That is completely different for a long-haired cat, as hair carries the protein most related to allergic reactions—therefore why most “hypoallergenic” cat breeds are short-haired or hairless.
No cat—or canine, for that matter—is 100% hypoallergenic, however Siberians can rightfully be known as low-allergen due to mutations that convey down their Fel d 1 ranges. Fel d 1 is probably the most main of 10 cat allergens.
Do Siberian Cats Shed?
With hair suited to subarctic Siberia, it is no shock these fluffballs shed. Although they’re stated to shed lower than cats with comparable hair, households with Siberians can count on molting to happen twice a yr, in spring and fall. Spring molting is the heavier of the 2 as a result of the winter coat is longer and heavier.
It is lengthy been assumed that the extra a cat sheds, the extra allergenic it’s. This is not essentially the case. Allergens come from cats’ salivary and sebaceous (pores and skin) glands, not their hair. Hair is merely a service, and as with Siberians, it will not trigger allergy symptoms if it incorporates solely low ranges of allergy-causing proteins.
Siberian Cat Persona
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“Siberian cats are very personable and wish to be close to their house owners,” the Cat Fancier’s Affiliation says. “They benefit from the firm of youngsters, canines, and different animals. They’re fearless and easygoing. Not a lot disturbs their pure calm and equanimity.”
These cats are sometimes in contrast with canines due to their human companionship. Siberian house owners say they spend a lot of their lives in a kitten-like state, perpetually playful and adventurous. With longer hind legs than forelegs, they’re identified to be athletic jumpers.
Siberian cats are nice companions to grownup people and get alongside properly with children and canines. They’re typically quiet however do not thoughts noise in the home. In keeping with the Cat Fancier’s Affiliation, they convey with “mews, trills, chirps, and many purring.”
Frequent Well being Points
One other profit to cohabitating with a Siberian cat is that they are a number of the hardiest cats on the market. Positive, they’re costly, however they may prevent a load in veterinary prices down the street.
Give it some thought: This hearty cat has spent lots of of years growing robust genes in a hostile atmosphere. In Russia, the place they seem to be a prized breed, they’re extra than simply fairly cats. They’ve had a sensible position as mousers as properly.
The one factor Siberian caretakers ought to look out for is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (aka HCM), which is probably the most generally identified cardiac illness in cats. HCM causes the partitions of the center to thicken, probably resulting in obstruction of blood to the center. Siberians will be screened for this illness as kittens.
Siberian Cat Value
There are various advantages to adopting a Siberian cat—so many advantages, in actual fact, that these cats are in excessive demand and will be laborious to return by outdoors of breeding networks. They price, on common, $1,200 to $2,500 however will be as a lot as $4,000 relying on the pedigree.
Siberians are so uncommon that they do not typically crop up in shelters; nonetheless, you could possibly maybe discover one to rescue via particular organizations just like the nonprofit Siberian Cat Rescue Group primarily based in Texas.