Description

Siberian

The Siberian, Russias native forest cat, first appeared in recorded history around the year 1000 and hails from the unforgiving climate of Siberia. This is a cat that nature designed to survive, with no extremes in type. The Siberian is a medium to medium large, strong triple-coated cat with surprising heft for its size. The overall appearance should be one of strength, presence, and alertness, with a sweet facial expression. The breed is extremely slow to mature taking as long as 5 years.

Siberian Personality

Siberians are affectionate cats with a good dose of personality and playfulness. They are amenable to handling, and it is noted that Siberians have a fascination with water, often dropping toys into their water dishes or investigating bathtubs before theyre dry. Siberians seem very intelligent, with the ability to problem-solve to get what they want.

Physical Attributes

Body

Body is medium in length, and well-muscled with the back arched slightly higher than the shoulders, with a barrel-shaped, firm belly giving the sensation of solid weight. Moderate stomach pad or famine pouch on lower abdomen acceptable. Boning substantial. Musculature substantial, powerful.

Head

Modified wedge of medium/large size with rounded contours, in good proportion to the body. The head is broader at the top of the skull and narrows slightly to a full-rounded muzzle. The cheekbones are neither high set nor prominent. There should be a slight doming between the ears and an almost flat area on the forehead. Chin is well-rounded but not protruding, and is in line with the nose.

Muzzle is moderately short in length, full and rounded. There is a slight muzzle curvature, but the transition between the side of the head and the muzzle is gentle and inconspicuous. Top of the head is almost flat, with a slight nose curvature of a gentle slope from the forehead to the nose and a slight concave curvature before the tip when viewed in profile. Neck rounded, sturdy, and well-muscled.

Ears

Medium-large, rounded, wide at the base, and tilt slightly forward. The ears should be set as much on the sides of the head as on top. The hair over the back of the ear is short and thin. From the middle of the ear, the furnishings become longer and cover the base of the ear. Ear tipping is allowed.

Eyes

Medium to large, almost round. The outer corner angled slightly towards the base of the ear. The eyes should be set more than one eyes width apart and should be open, alert, and expressive. There is no relationship between eye color and coat/color pattern except in the color points which have blue eyes. Eye color should be shades of green, gold, green-gold, or copper. White cats and cats with white may have blue or odd eyes.

Legs & Paws

Legs medium in length. The legs should have substantial boning with the hind legs slightly longer than the front legs. Feet are big and rounded, with toe tufts desirable.

Tail

Medium in length, being somewhat shorter than the length of the body. It should be wide at the base, tapering slightly to a blunt tip without thickening or kinks, evenly and thickly furnished.

Coat

Moderately long to longhaired cat with a triple coat. The hair on the shoulder blades and lower part of the chest should be thick and slightly shorter. Abundant full collar ruff setting off the head in adults. Allow for warm weather coats. The hair may thicken to curls on the belly and britches, but a wavy coat is not characteristic. Texture varies from coarse to soft, varying according to color. There is a tight undercoat (in mature cats), thicker in cold weather.

Color

All colors and combinations are accepted with or without white. White is allowed in any amount and in all areas. White or off-white allowed on chin, breast, and stomach of tabbies. Buttons, spots, and lockets are allowed. Strong colors and clear patterns are desirable. Tarnishing on silvers not penalized.