Coat Care and Maintenance
The Siberian cat is also known to be good for some allergy sufferers. Although it has not been proven medically or scientifically, many people adamantly believe that the Siberian is hypoallergenic. They believe this because they are living proof. After living for decades with cat allergies, some adults cry because these loving cats have climbed all over them and they had no allergic reactions.
Siberians seem to have a low occurrence of enzymes in their salvia and many allergy sufferers have a sensitivity to enzymes. When a cat licks its fur, the saliva dries and falls off as dander and this is often what causes people to be allergic to cats. This is a cat-by-cat, person-by-person concept. If you are allergic to cats and want to test your allergic response to Siberians, it is best to find someone near you with a Siberian or two. Spend a few hours with one and find out how you react. Approximately 75 percent of the people that come out to test themselves with a Siberian have little or no reaction.
There are no guarantees, but there is hope for allergy sufferers. Siberians tend to be self-grooming meaning that they remain relatively tangle-free, though males can and do get “knotty” in the springtime if not combed daily. Pet Siberians do not require extensive grooming. For the most part, they do not shed much instead they molt twice a year. When a Siberian molts, the hair will start to mat and then shed in large clumps. There are always exceptions and some shed constantly and profusely. The molting period is about 10 days. Daily brushing at this time is required to expedite the molting process and to prevent matting fur. This process is nothing to be alarmed about, it is normal in some Siberians. Otherwise, occasional grooming is acceptable, unless your cat insists on more.
(…) Siberians are a natural breed and they come in all colors, including colorpoints. They come in a rainbow of colors, which include, but are not limited to brown, red, blue, silver, white, black, and any combinations of these colors. They come in solid, spotted, ticked, mackerel, and classic patterns. A mackerel patterned cat will have stripes going up and down on the sides of the cat and a classic pattern has circles on the sides of the cat. The most common color is a brown mackerel tabby with or without white. Colorpoint Siberians have similar markings as other pointed cats.
Siberians take up to five years to fully mature. Males continue to develop muscle and begin to look heftier as they age past five years. Some owners have noticed their cats gaining muscle as they approach ten years. Moreover, reports of altered males weighing 25 lbs have been verified. How would you like that teddy bear on your bed?
Text by Members of The Siberian Cat Club, CFA Siberian Breed Committee
and TAIGA (International Siberian Breed Club)