A History of Siberian Cats, And Why We Love Them
If you love cats but your allergies do not, the Siberian Forest Cat may be the cat for you! While there is little research to back the claims of the breed being hypoallergenic, the Siberian cat does produce lower levels of Fel d1, a protein produced in cat saliva to which many people form an allergic reaction, and many that suffer with cat allergies can tolerate this beautiful breed.
After the great allergy debate, most people wonder about the cat’s history, which is also somewhat foggy and even a little bit mysterious. We think a little bit of mystery is perfect for this regal feline, which happens to be the national cat of Russia (and very may well be the inspiration for the Beatles lyric “Come and keep your comrade warm”)!
Originally called the Sibirskaya Koshka, little is actually known about the Siberian cat’s exact origins. It is a natural breed, meaning humans did not have any part in guiding its development. It is thought to have existed in the forests of Russia for centuries, but no one is really sure. This is partly because Russians did not usually keep cats as pets until the mid-20th century.
The closest we can come to actual documentation is through literature in which they are mentioned. The earliest possible reference to them is from over a thousand years ago. One of the earliest certain mentions of the cat was in a book by Harrison Wier, which included information of the earliest cat shows in England in 1871.
It was not until the late 1980’s that most people had heard of this cat, after the first Russian-hosted cat show in St. Petersburg, where it made an appearance. Soon after that, in 1990, the first three Siberian cats enter the United States, founding the Starpoint line.
Check out PetMD’s article on Siberian cats for more information on the breed and it’s history!
If you are fortunate enough to own one of these stately medium/long haired felines, be sure to get them groomed regularly. Their thick undercoat has a tendency to become matted rather quickly, especially under the armpits. While maintaining their fur is a full time job, they are one of the few breeds that actually love water! If you don’t want to deal with the stress of grooming your feline friend, contact us at Awesome Doggies and we will have them squeaky clean in no time!