Siberian

Coat & Grooming: As a breed with a mid-length coat, Siberians don’t require as much care as some other, longer haired cats, but brushing them a few times a week will help keep their fur mat free. Phelps recommends combing your Siberian to get through their triple coat, as opposed to using a brush, which often just glides over mats.

Shedding: Siberians are a semi-longhaired breed that sheds seasonally in the spring and fall.

Temperament & Behavior: The Siberian is known to be friendly, gentle and loyal, but they have their playful side as well. “Siberians will adapt to their families,” says Sherrie Phelps, the Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA) Siberian breed council secretary. “Most of mine are calm, but always willing to play.”

The Siberian is active and energetic, and there’s no height too high for them to climb. They are masters at finagling their way through tiny spots, and they love challenging activities that help them use mental reasoning. While they do love their family, they don’t demand too much attention, although they don’t love to be left alone for long periods of time.

Personality: Friendly and fun, the Siberian is as entertaining as it is loyal.

Behavior with Kids: Gentle, loyal, loving and playful, the Siberian makes a great family cat.

Life Span: Siberian cats generally live between 11 and 18 years.

Inherited Health Issues: All cats have the potential for developing genetic health problems. The Siberian cat can develop several health problems more commonly than other cat breeds due to genetic inheritance. These may include, but are not limited to, the following: Obesity, Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM), Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD) and Gum Disease.

Preventive Care: As with most cats, ensuring an age appropriate diet is fed to prevent obesity is important. Regular annual examinations to ensure the heart is healthy and also to check an annual urine sample to ensure that there are no problems that would indicate FLUTD. Regular dental cleanings can help prevent major dental problems associated with dental disease and catching any abnormalities early on.

Nutrition: Newborn cats should be fed a diet made up only of their mother’s milk. Kittens aged 2 months to a year should be fed a diet appropriate for kittens, which contains extra fat, protein and nutrients to help aid your kitten’s growth. Adult cats 1 to 10 years of age should be eating a complete and balanced diet with all of the correct nutrients, fats and minerals. Senior cats require extra nutrients and vitamins that can help to maintain or improve their overall health. It is recommended to feed a senior age specific food to senior cats.

Daily Consumption: An adult Siberian eats 1/3 to 2/3 cup of dry food per day.

Energy Level: Frisky, energetic breed that is always ready for action

Exercise: The Siberians sweet face and loving cuddles may lead people to believe they are reserved, but they also enjoy mental stimulation and active play. They tend to be a quiet breed when compared to others, but some can be chattier than others. “Mine carry on conversations with me,” says Phelps, “but they are not obnoxious.”

Siberians are very agile, and they love to climb, so providing this breed with lots of cat trees and hanging beds or baskets is a fun idea (and a good way to distract them from climbing other things like your counters). They also love any active play that requires them to use their brain, like hide and seek and fetch.

Climate: Since the Siberian has its origins in cold-weather Russia, they do quite well in cooler environments.