About Siberians
History
The cat was first mentioned in a book by Harrison Wier, which included information of the earliest cat shows in England in 1871. The cat was first imported in 1990, and despite the popularity, the breed is extremely rare in the United States. The cat was registered by the Kotofei cat club in St. Petersburg in 1987.
Body
Known to be an exceptionally agile jumper, the Siberian is a strong and powerfully built cat, with strong hindquarters and large, well rounded paws, barrel chests and medium sized ears, broad foreheads, and stockier builds.
Fur
Siberians express the three natural types of feline fur: guard hairs, awn hairs, and down. These three layers protected the cat from the Russian weather extremes, and provides a hearty, easy-to-care-for coat today. The fur is textured, but glossy, which means matting is rare. A twice-weekly combing is enough to keep the coat in good condition. As with most other cat breeds, color varieties of the Siberian vary and all colors, such as tabby, solid, tortoiseshell and colorpoint, are genetically possible. The Siberian cat breed does not have any unusual, distinct, or unique fur colorations or patterns. Some breeders, enthusiasts, organizations, and even registries and countries do not accept the colorpoint coloration as being natural, though. Colorpoint Siberians are also known as "Neva-Masquerade". Neva for the river where they are said to have originated, and masquerade, for the mask.
Temperment
The Siberian is a very friendly breed, often compared with a dog. They will come to greet you at the door, follow you about, and flop down on the floor ahead of you for a tummy rub. They are more interactive with humans than most breeds and are sturdy, athletic cats with a stately presence.
References: Wikipedia