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Siberian cats and kittens; Cattery in Edmonton, Alberta
What is the definition of the word ‘hypoallergenic”
Hypo– in the word: “hypoallergenic“ means “low” “less then” “below a certain level“.
In medicine “hypo” refers to a deficiency; it simply means: “abnormally low levels” (for example: hypothyroid; hypoglycaemia.) In referrence to a Siberian Cat, hypoalergenic means: “low allergen levels”.
No pet is truly 100% allergen-free.
Yes. The good news is, that when most people combine ownership of a Siberian cat with a well thought-out allergy prevention plan, the result may be no reaction, or milder reactions in allergy sufferers.
Testing does not provide conclusive evidence that you will never have a reaction to the kitten/cat you adopt.
You may not react while testing with Siberians, but develop a reaction a year or two later. The opposite is also true: you may react to your new kitten, but the reaction may diminish as the kitten grows up.
Allergy results vary a lot depending on the individual, the cat, the age of the cat, the time of year, and presence of other allergens. It is an issue that may change overtime (i.e. your sensitivity may increase).
We bring these kittens into the world and feel 100% responsible for them. Our main goal is to find our kittens stable, permanent, secure, and loving homes. We want to avoid situations where, in a year or two, your family decides that the cat causes difficulties and needs to be re-homed.
If you suspect that you will most likely have a reaction that is unacceptable to you, then our Siberian Kitten is NOT the cat for you. We don’t want to risk the kitten’s chance for a stable home and lifelong happiness.
If you have previously experienced mild reactions to cats and are looking to reduce the likelihood of reactions/or the severity of your reactions/ then a Siberian might be perfect for you.
What separates Siberian cats from other cats is that they have LOW allergen levels, but no one should claim that Siberians have NO allergens.
So if you are realistic about your expectations, hope for allergy reduction and have a solid allergy prevention plan (rather than expect complete allergen avoidance) then we would be happy to place a kitten with you.
If your allergies are quite severe, we recommend testing the kitten (you are interested in) for its personal Fel d1 levels. The test costs US$350 for lab work, which would be 100% covered by the buyer.
Current kitten-testing methods are much improved. For more information on the Fel d 1 testing, please click on the link: http://www.kittentesting.com/
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MORE QUESTIONS about Siberian Cats and allergies?
Check out these articles from Siberian Research Inc:
DOB: October 30, 2016
Niro is a gentle love bug. His preference is to be around people and he loves sleeping on someone’s lap. Niro is very people oriented and prefers to be close to his human companions at all times.
DOB: October 10, 2016
Alfa is an “energizer-bunny”. He loves to play and interact with others. He is always up to something & always on the go. He provides us with lots of laughs and endless entertainment. He is curious & inquisitive, and fearless. He is very affectionate and has the loudest purr . Alfa is growing like a weed, and we expect him to be a big boy.
Kitten Purchase Agreement
This contract refers to a registered and purebred Siberian Kitten, sold as pet.
The Breeder has the right, at her discretion, to cancel this contract at any time before delivery of the cat. In this case, the full deposit will be returned to the Purchaser.
Should the Purchaser cancel this agreement before the cat is delivered, or fail to pay the outstanding balance at the time of the pick up, the kitten may be withheld, or sold to another person, and the Purchaser’s full deposit will be retained as a cancellation fee.
PRICE OF KITTEN: $1299 (un-neutered);
Deposit is due once application is approved $200.00 / non-refundable. The remaining amount is expected 24-48 hours prior to kitten pick up. No personal cheques are accepted.
PICK UP: kitten must be picked up by the buyer at 12 weeks old.
Pre-Placement Veterinary Care: The breeder will ensure that the kittens are checked by a licensed Veterinarian at least once before leaving to their new homes. Our kittens will receive a minimum of 2 sets of vaccines as recommended by our Veterinarian (one of these vaccines will be breeder administered). The new owners are expected to take the kitten to their own vet for a checkup within 30 days of purchase for the health guarantee to be valid. The kitten will need a final vaccine at 16 weeks of age to complete the booster series. Please schedule this appointment with your vet. The kitten will be de-wormed at approximately 6 and 12 weeks on a preventative basis. The use of the FIP, FIV, Ringworm, or Giardia vaccines will void all genetic and FIP health guarantees as these vaccines can have serious long term effects on the immune systems, and potential risks that outweigh the benefits. Please, DO NOT GET RABIES SHOT AT THE SAME TIME AS THE FINAL VACCINE. Its too much stress for their developing immune systems.
Returns: Our Cattery will accept the return of a kitten within a 2-week period of time. A refund will be provided (minus deposit, which is retained by the breeder as an agreed upon “contract-cancellation fee”) The kitten must be returned in a healthy condition. Purchaser agrees to pay veterinary costs if the kitten needs medical attention upon its return. Purchaser also covers all return/shipping costs. If an older kitten/cat is returned we will offer partial refund of the purchase price (based on the price we are able to re-sell the kitten for). If it is necessary to re-home this kitten at any age, breeder will assist in finding a suitable home.
Declawing: Kitten/cat must not be declawed. Declawing surgically removes the ends of the cat front toes to the first knuckle. Declawing can alter your kitten’s personality, health, and behavior. Our kittens have had their nails trimmed from an early age and are used to having this done; please continue to trim the nails and provide adequate scratching posts and acceptable places for scratching.
Indoor Pet: Purchaser agrees that the cat will live indoor, and will not be allowed outdoor unsupervised.
Genetic Illness and Health Guarantee: The kitten is guaranteed to be of sound health upon arrival into Purchaser’s care, including up to date vaccinations and a health record. There is a 3-year guarantee provided in case of loss of a kitten due to a genetic disease such as HMC and PKD in which case a replacement kitten will be provided upon proof of death from a certified veterinarian (autopsy results are required). (HMC: Feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy/PKD: Polycystic Kidney Disease); if the kitten/cat dies due to genetic disease within 3 years from the date of transfer it will be replaced with a kitten of like quality within the following 12 months of receipt of diagnosis via necropsy by an authorized lab.
NO refunds will be provided. In all cases, the Breeder’s liability shall not exceed the value of the kitten.
Guarantee does not apply to parasites as these are generally easily treatable.
Guarantee does not apply to other illnesses or injuries. Kittens and cats are living creatures and as such they may become injured, or ill at any point of time in their life. The Buyer agrees to provide health care for the lifetime of this pet, and is prepared to cover all the costs associated with the cat’s health and wellbeing. If a cat is diagnosed with illness, the owner is responsible for providing the necessary care for the animal; however, the breeder would like to be informed of the cat’s health status.
Health monitoring of our breeding cats and their offspring is very important to us, and cats that do not produce healthy kittens are removed from our breeding program.
FIP- ( feline infectious peritonitis) is not a genetic disease, but a virus. Unfortunately, FIP is fatal. Most cats that develop FIP are under two years of age. There is no diagnostic tests for FIP. It is our understanding that a compromised immune system may play a role in developing FIP , making some kittens more susceptible to this illness. Our FIP guarantee covers kittens (does not apply to adults) for death due to FIP – up to the 2nd birthday. Confirmation of diagnosis via necropsy by an authorized lab is required. Seller will replace the kitten with another of like quality within 12 months from the date of receipt of confirmed diagnosis. No cash refunds are provided.
Release of Liability: Seller is not liable for expenses incurred (including medical) due to or as a result of the above cat/kitten’s actions. Seller does not guarantee hypoallergenic qualities, eye color or shade, coat color or shade, coat length, size, weight, quality, or personality of cat/kitten. Buyer understands that while our kittens are socialized up to the time of their placement, continued socialization and interactions will help determine the cat’s personality as an adult. There are no cash refunds for any of the above stated reasons. Except as stated in this contract, breeder makes no statements as to the ultimate quality of this cat at maturity, or life-long health status of this pet, nor does breeder assume any other financial obligations for this cat.
Registration: Registration/ Breeder slip from TICA will be provided upon request. It is the owner’s choice if they want to request a pedigree from TICA (at their own cost) based on the registration slip provided by the breeder.
Spaying and Neutering: we offer Early Spay & Neuter program (ESN) on request. There is a $250 fee for ESN surgery. This cost is to be covered by the new owner prior to kitten pick up. If whole kitten is purchased, the new owner agrees to spay/neuter it at 4-6 months of life, or prior to reaching sexual maturity (first heat in females).
Proper Care: Buyer agrees to provide proper housing, diet, fresh water, parasite control, and general health care for the Kitten for its lifetime, including the completion of routine immunizations and boosters and prompt veterinary care for any illness, or condition requiring medication or surgery.
Transition to new home: The Kitten is ready for their new home at 12 weeks old; It should be isolated from other pets for a minimum of 72 hours to allow the Kitten to acclimatize to its new surroundings. Any changes to the kitten’s diet should be made slowly, as sudden diet changes may result in episodes of diarrhea. Buyer agrees to feed a high quality, preferably, grain free diet; canned food and/or balanced raw meat diet.
Transfer of Kitten: Buyer agrees that the Kitten will at no time be sold, leased, or transferred to any pet shop, animal dealer, animal research facility, animal shelter, nor anyone who has ever been convicted of neglect or cruelty to any human or animal. Buyer agrees not to abandon the Kitten. It is the intention of Seller that this be a permanent placement. If at any time Buyer becomes unable or unwilling to keep the Kitten/Cat, Buyer’s first course of action shall be to contact the Breeder. If immediate re-homing is not necessary, the Breeder shall work with the Buyer to find a suitable home. If immediate rehoming is needed, the Buyer shall return the cat/kitten to the Breeder including all registration documents. No refunds are provided.
Shipping Charges & Agreement: we do not ship kittens.
In signing this document, Buyer acknowledges that he/she has read and understands the terms of this agreement, and that Buyer agrees to all of the terms and conditions of the above sale. By signing this contract, the Breeder and the Purchaser consider it to be legally binding. Purchaser & Breeder agrees that in case of any legal action all proceedings would take place in Edmonton, Alberta.
Please read “Allergies” article on our website.
Siberians are Russia’s native cats and come from the unforgiving climate of the Siberia forest. Siberian Cats first appeared in recorded history around the year 1000. Russian farmers and trades people were the primary people who cared for them. Siberian Cats were needed to protect grain and other products from rodents. Russia was then an agricultural country. Shopkeepers in Moscow were known to compete with each other over whose cat was the biggest and thickest.
Russians like cats and most children grew up with a kitten, the favorite being the Siberian. Siberian cats even existed in Russian fairy tales as protectors of children and as magical beings who opened gateways to realms beyond our ordinary senses.
The Siberian Cat was one of the three longhairs represented at the first cat shows in England in the 1700’s.
The first cat show in the city of Leningrad, Russia was in 1987. Two cat clubs ‘Kotofei’ and ‘Kis’ organized it. This is the date of the beginning of breeding of Siberians in St. Petersburg (Leningrad).
The Soviet Felinological Association registered the Siberian breed. It included both the traditional colors and the Siberian colorpoint (often referred to as Neva Masquerade in Europe).
An entry about Siberian cats was found in a book originally published in 1900 by Helen M.Winslow titled “Concerning Cats.” The entry reads: “Mrs. Frederick Monroe of Riverside Ill. owns a remarkable specimen of a genuine Russian cat, a perfect blue of extraordinary size. The Russian long-haired pet is much less common even than the Persian and Angora.”
The first breeding Siberians were introduced in the United States in 1990. Elizabeth Terrell imported the initial kittens as a trade for her Persian-Himalayans. They arrived on June 28, 1990. Their names were Kaliostro Vasenjkovich of Starpoint, Ofelia Romanova of Starpoint and Naina Romanova of Starpoint.
The Siberians were accepted for registration in CFA in February 2000 and currently compete in the Miscellaneous Category at CFA shows.
If you are considering a cat as a lifelong companion, the Siberian will give you years of happiness with its loving personality.
Some consider its personality dog-like in its loyalty.
Others purchase them for its hypoallergenic qualities. Choosing the remarkable Siberian Cat as a pet marks the beginning of a loving, adventurous, and sometimes hilarious companionship.
Text by Members of The Siberian Cat Club, CFA Siberian Breed Committee and TAIGA (International Siberian Breed Club)
Living with a cat can be very pleasurable, but living with a Siberian cat is a very rewarding, life changing experience. The Siberian will become your best friend, confidante, problem-solver, and house clown. Siberians are one of the most ancient breeds and began as the Russian forest cat. We have images of them roaming the Siberian Taiga (forestland) even today and they are reported to be in large numbers in the wild Siberian outlying territories. However, another story unfolds in Russia. Siberian cats are now prized house cats and many Russian families relay fond tales of their Siberian cats and their amazing loyalty and personalities. In 1990, when communism fell and free trade opened up, the importation of the Siberian cat to the United States began.
The Siberian is a medium-large cat with the overall appearance of excellent physical condition, massive strength, power and alertness, modified by a sweet facial expression. The general impression of the body is one of circles and roundness rather than rectangles and triangles indicative of the other forest cat breeds. Females are considerably smaller than males. Eye color varies from gold to green and all shades in-between. They also come in colorpoints and these will have blue eyes. They have a very dense, water resistant triple coat, which is medium to long in length. They have a full dense coat in the winter while the summer coat is somewhat shorter and less dense. The hair is shorter on the shoulders. There is a ruff at the neck, full fluffy britches and a bushy tail that is carried up with pride. Siberian owners often email pictures to each other bragging about ‘the fluff on that tail!’ Ear tipping is desired and full ear furnishings are required. This means that the tops of the ears can have hair which makes the ears look pointed when in fact they are rounded and that the inside of the ear has hair that protects it from the elements.
Siberian Cats are very personable and want to be near their owners. They will meet you at the door when you come home and explain their day to you. They are a quiet breed that has melodic ways of expressing themselves using sweet mews, trills, chirps and lots of purring. They love to sit in your lap and be groomed. A favorite pastime of theirs is to find something and bring it back so it can be thrown and fetched. All types of toys intrigue them and they will play with just about anything. Another thing that intrigues them is moving the cursor on the computer screen. You will need to shut the door of your computer room if you want to get any typing done. Some Siberians learn to stay off the keyboard at an early age but others will insist on adding indecipherable letters to your most crucial correspondence. Others will sit in the cubbyholes of your computer desk and watch entranced as you type, periodically extending a paw of support.
If you share your home with a Siberian, you will never be alone. They will watch TV with you, go to the restroom with you and then go to bed with you. If you are trying to do something, they will insist on helping. Reading a newspaper, book, or magazine is next to impossible. If they like something, they will take it and play with it and in the process it will be lost.
Siberians also enjoy the company of dogs, other animals, and children. They are fearless and easygoing. Not much disturbs their natural calm and equanimity. Many parents affirm that their Siberian will always sleep with the children at the foot of their bed as a sentinel.
Some Siberians become the nurse in the family, spending time with the sick person who needs the support. They have a high level of intuition and know when they are needed for psychological and moral support. They get out of your way when you are tense and too busy to deal with them. However, there are those who are under foot no matter what. Through all the hard times in life, Siberians have given support if only for a headache.
The acrobatic nature of the Siberian is well known among owners. They will play hard, often executing amazing somersaults in pursuit of a feather toy. Some balance on clothing racks and seem to be executing an uneven parallel bar routine rivaled only by Olympic athletes.
Others balance carefully on lampshades as they watch their owners read. Many times an over enthusiastic kitten has to be rescued while attempting to climb the bricks on the fireplace or jump to the top of a bookshelf that they cannot reach. Nevertheless, Siberians are always happy to be helped. They stay playful throughout their lives and are rarely mistaken for a couch potato.
Text by Members of The Siberian Cat Club, CFA Siberian Breed Committee
and TAIGA (International Siberian Breed Club)