Siberian Cat Breed: Facts, Information, & Health

This gorgeous cat has its roots all the way from Taiga of Siberia. This is a forested area with a subarctic climate. This extreme temperature is supported by the amount of hair these cats have.

They are highly affectionate with your family and will play when they want to. They have little exercise needs. They are delighted to cuddle up and relax with you simply. 

Siberian cats are likely to follow you around the house and participate in whatever activities. They are cuddle-bugs. Whether you are in cold Siberia or not, they will snuggle up with any family member.

They have very thick and beautiful fur. They are shades of grey, sometimes mixed with brown. This can create a blur effect from the cat. This is where it looks like its cat is blurry due to the overlay of hair on its coat.

The Siberian Cats’ thick fur does mean it sheds plenty. Don’t be surprised if you can make a hair cutout version of your cuddly friend. These cats are very healthy. They are unlikely to suffer from any health conditions.

They can be high-energy cats. This may mean you have to suffer “THE ZOOMIES”. This is when a hyperactive cat runs around the room or garden very fast…

They are unlikely to be loud. Siberian Cats are often very quiet. They won’t be shouting in your ear. However, they are likely to be around in your presence.

They are very friendly cats. Siberian Cats are very kid and stranger friendly. They will be the cat your guest would die for. They also enjoy attention which means they are likely to seek out strangers’ welcomes and scratches.

The Siberian Cats are not the easiest to groom. Their thick fur can make it difficult to groom. They have a double coat to keep them warm in cold climates.

These cats are very pet-friendly and very intelligent. Often owners find it easy to train them. You can use vocalization boxes to get your cat to speak. You can train them with treats or pieces of food.

Healthy Siberian cats tend to live around 11-18 years. They average 17-25 inches in length and weigh from 8-17 pounds. Weight and size can differ between the gender of the cat.
 
They are relatively old cats and can be traced back to around 1000 years ago. They were first seen in Russian Folklore. They could have been domesticated earlier, but this was from the first archaeological proven siting.

Origin

Russia

Health

Dr. Adedapo Adisa:

Formerly called the Siberian forest cats or the Moscow longhair, the Siberian cats are native to Russia with thick and long waterproof hair coats that help the cat survive the harsh snowy winter conditions of their environment.

With an average lifespan of 10-18 years, Siberian cats are a healthy cat breed and rarely have serious health issues despite having a long history. 

Siberian cats are prone to inherited health conditions due to mutated genes passed on from parents to offspring. 

A critical genetic condition common to Siberian cats is Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is an inherited disease condition in Siberian cats, causing the walls of the heart’s left ventricle to thicken due to a defective gene.

The thickening of the left ventricular walls causes a cascade of symptoms in the Siberian cats, such as reducing the ventricular space and the amount of blood it can hold. It also reduces the contractile ability of the left ventricle, which eventually affects the rate at which oxygenated blood is pumped into the Siberian cat’s body system.

Other heart chambers, like the left atrium and even the lungs, are affected because they continue to hold blood longer than they should in the Siberian cats with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. This results in blood clots and fluid accumulating in the lungs, causing congestive heart failure in the Siberian cat.

Siberian cats with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy would show one or more of the signs listed below;

● Increased heart rate and heartbeat 

● The sound of blood flowing out of the heart would be heard, known as cardiac murmurs.

● Weakness in cats and loss of weight 

● Thromboembolism due to breaking of clots that may clog blood vessels.

● Severe pain and partial paralysis in the hind limbs as a result of blood clots occluding the vessels in the legs.

● Cats may try to avoid any exercises or activities that are stressful.

Although some Siberian cats with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy do not show any known symptoms, it is important to always screen adult cats for the defective DNA causing this condition.

If one or more of these symptoms have shown to be present in the Siberian cats, owners should report immediately to their Veterinarian. 

Some diagnostic tests might be carried out to reach a good treatment or management plan.

Siberian cats screened and found to carry the defective gene causing hypertrophic cardiomyopathy should be stopped from breeding plans.