Siberian cat
Template:Short description Template:Use DMY dates Template:Use British English Template:Infobox cat breed The Siberian is a centuries-old landrace (natural variety) of domestic cat in Russia,<ref name="cat-encyclopedia">Template:Cite book</ref> and recently developed as a formal breed with standards promulgated the world over since the late-1980s.<ref name="DK">Template:Cite book</ref> Since 2006, the breed is recognised for registry and championship status with all major cat registries.<ref name="CFApres">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=":25">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
The formal name of the breed is Siberian Forest Cat,<ref name="cat-encyclopedia" /><ref name="Somerville" /><ref name="Bell">Template:Cite book</ref> but it is typically referred to as the Siberian or Siberian cat.<ref name="cat-encyclopedia" /><ref name="DK" /><ref name="Bell" /> Formerly, sometimes the names Moscow Semi-Longhair<ref name="catrealm">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and Russian Longhair<ref name="cat-encyclopedia" /><ref name="DK" /> were also used. The colourpoint variant or sister breed,<ref name="Vocal">Template:Cite journal</ref> called the Neva Masquerade, is categorised as a separate cat breed by some registries,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> including FIFe,<ref name="FIFestandard">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> WCF,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and ACF.<ref name=":13" />
The breed developed from an ancient, natural landrace from Siberia, and is the national cat of Russia.<ref name="cat-encyclopedia" /><ref name="DK" /><ref name="Bell" /> While it began as a landrace, Siberians are selectively bred and pedigreed in all major cat fancier and breeder organisations. This means that all Siberian cats are purebred cats with a formally registered ancestry. It is a medium- to large-sized, muscular breed with a bushy tail.<ref name="FIFestandard" /><ref name=":1">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
The Siberian is often called hypoallergenic because it produces less Fel d 1 than other cat breeds.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> A research study of Siberian cats native to the area of Russia from which the breed stock originated confirmed the subjects produced less Template:Nowrap (the strongest among the eight known Template:Nowrap allergens produced in cat saliva, which is deposited on their fur when they groom themselves) than non-Siberian cats.<ref>Sartore, Stefano; Landoni, Eleonora; Maione, Sandra; Tarducci, Alberto; Borrelli, Antonio; Soglia, Dominga; Rasero, Roberto; Sacchi, Paola (1 December 2017). "Polymorphism Analysis of Ch1 and Ch2 Genes in the Siberian Cat". Veterinary Sciences. 4 (4): 63. doi:10.3390/vetsci4040063. PMC 5753643. Template:PMID.</ref>
HistoryEdit
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Siberian cats are Russia's native forest cats and are known to have existed for a long time in the dense forests of Siberia. The earliest known reference is from 1000 AD.<ref name=":2">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=":3">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It was long speculated by cat experts that the ancient breed was the distant ancestor of all modern-day long-haired breeds.<ref name="cat-encyclopedia" /> However, phylogenetic studies showed that for example Maine Coon cats are descendants of British cats brought to New England by Puritan settlers.<ref name="Vocal0">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It is not relatedness that makes them look similar to the Siberian, but convergent evolution. These breeds all formed in harsh climates in which natural selection pressures for similar qualities.<ref name=":27">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name="Vocal0" /> However, Siberians are genetically closely related to Norwegian Forest cats and the random-bred Northern European cat populations.<ref name=":27" />
First introduction to the worldEdit
Outside of Russia, the Siberian cat was first mentioned in the 1864 edition of the German book Brehms Tierleben, where Brehm describes a long-haired cat breed as "a red Tobolsk cat from Siberia" ("eine rote Tobolsker Katze aus Sibirien").<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Later in 1889 and 1892, the Siberian cat was again mentioned in the two editions of a book by Harrison Weir, who organised and wrote about some of the earliest cat shows in England in 1871.<ref name="Weir 30–38">Template:Cite book</ref> The Siberian cat is described in the book under its former name, the "Russian Long-haired Cat".<ref name="DK" /><ref name="Weir 30–38" /> However, in the preface of the 1892 edition, Weir also mentions a cat he refers to as a "Siberian Cat":<ref name="Weir xii">Template:Cite book</ref>
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I have been shown a Siberian Cat, by Mr. Castang, of Leadenhall Market; the breed is entirely new to me. It is a small female Cat of a slaty-blue colour, rather short in body and legs; the head is small and much rounded, while the ears are of medium size. The iris of the eyes is a deep golden colour, which, in contrast to the bluish colour of the fur, makes them to appear still more brilliant; the tail is short and thick, very much so at the base, and suddenly pointed at the tip. It is particularly timid and wild in its nature, and is difficult to approach; but, as Mr. Castang observed, this timidity may be "because it does not understand our language and does not know when it is called or spoken to."{{#if:|{{#if:|}}
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During this first introduction of the Siberian to the West, the cat was often still known as the "Russian Longhair".<ref name="cat-encyclopedia" /> These cats were crossed with other popular long-haired breeds, and the separate identity was soon lost.<ref name="cat-encyclopedia" /><ref name="Weir 30–38" />
Second introduction to the worldEdit
Due to the fall of the Berlin Wall and the dissolution of the Soviet Union, a second wave of Siberian cats were introduced to the rest of the world and an officially acknowledged cat breed was developed. In 1987, a young male and female were taken from St. Petersburg to Berlin by a cat enthusiast, who started a serious breeding program with registration under the name Siberian Forest Cat or Siberian Cat.<ref name="cat-encyclopedia" /> Since that success, there has been an increase in interest in the Siberian breed within Russia itself.<ref name="cat-encyclopedia" />
In the Russian cat fancy, each cat club devises its own cat standards. This fact led to much confusion in other countries when the first Siberians were arriving and many appeared quite different from each other, depending on what area of Russia they originated from. One of the earliest written Siberian breed standards was published by the Kotofei Cat Club in St. Petersburg in 1987 under the name Siberian cat<ref name="PawPedsHistory">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> (Russian: {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}, {{#invoke:Lang|lang}} or {{#invoke:Lang|lang}}).
Officially registered Siberians first arrived in the USA in 1990,<ref name="Bell" /> and in the UK in 2002.<ref name=":3" /> During the early 1990s, it was expensive and difficult to locate and import Siberians from Eastern Europe.<ref name="PawPedsHistory" /> Therefore, inbreeding in registered purebred Siberians became common in certain regions after the breed's introduction. Because the breed is relatively new to registration and breed books are open, breeders are able to add foundation stock from Russia to the breed.<ref name="GCCFpolicy">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> This reduces the level of relatedness within the breed, and increases vigor in the breed.<ref name="Bell" /><ref name="PawPedsHistory" /> Although gaining in popularity since the 2020s,<ref name="numGCCF" /> the expense of importing the cats from Eastern Europe, and the common breeder's practice of early neutering pedigree kittens, keeps the breed still relatively rare outside of Eastern Europe.<ref name="DK" /><ref name="Bell" />
Breed-registrationEdit
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RegistryEdit
Nowadays, all Siberian and Neva Masquerade cats are selectively bred and pedigreed in all major cat registries under the category Siberian (Forest) Cat,<ref name="FIFestandard" /> or in several registries under Neva Masquerade<ref name="FIFestandard" /> for the colourpoint sister breed. Similar to other officially recognised cat breeds, the term "Siberian" is only meant to be used for cats from this specific breed, which are by definition all purebred cats with a known and formally registered ancestry, also known as the cat's pedigree "paperwork".<ref name=":17">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=":18">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The purpose of the registry of Siberian cats is to develop and maintain a healthy cat breed by controlling inbreeding and the spread of hereditary diseases, and regulating the well-being of the cats.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=":19">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=":20">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Unregistered cats with a similar appearance as the Siberian cat are referred to as domestic long-haired cats.<ref name=":17" /><ref name=":18" />
Each of the (inter)national cat registries applies breed standards, which cover a description of the ideal characteristics specific to the Siberian breed.<ref name=":17" /> In general, Siberian kittens will grow up to be a representative of this ideal breed standard in both looks and character.<ref name=":17" /> These standards represent the phenotype of the Siberian breed and may include criteria of physical and morphological appearance,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> genetics, and of athletic or productive performance. In cat shows, Siberian cats will be compared with and judged after these breed standards based on a point system.<ref name=":19" /> Faults or disqualifications are given to show cats with medical disorders, uncharacteristic traits, or cats that lack in well-being and proper care from their owners.<ref name=":20" />
RecognitionEdit
After its introduction worldwide in the late-1980s, it took nearly two decades for the breed to be accepted for registry and championship status with all major international cat registries in 2006.<ref name="CFApres" /><ref name=":25" /> In 1991, the WCF was the first international registry to admit a breed standard of the Siberian, based on the Russian standard.<ref name="PawPedsHistory" /><ref name="CFApres" /> TICA accepted the breed into their New Breed program in 1992, and in 1996 granted them championship status.<ref name=":6">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In 1997, the breed was recognised by FIFe, and since 2011 the Neva Masquerade officially split off as a separate breed.<ref name=":26">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The Siberian was accepted for registration (under Miscellaneous) by CFA in 2000, and advanced to championship status in 2006.<ref name="CFAabout">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="CFApres" /> The GCCF has recognised the breed for registry since 2004.<ref name=":3" /><ref name="numGCCF" />
PopularityEdit
Even though the Siberian was introduced outside Russia in the late-1980s, it wasn't until the mid-2010s that the Siberian breed started to gain in popularity. Especially at the beginning of the 2020s, the popularity of the Siberian rapidly increased worldwide. As a result, the Siberian cat has secured a place among the top 10 most popular breeds in various cat registries, now representing approximately 0–5% of all pedigree cats worldwide, and is particularly popular in Europe.Template:Efn
DescriptionEdit
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AppearanceEdit
BodyEdit
Known to be an exceptionally agile jumper, the Siberian is a strong and powerfully-built cat, with strong hindquarters and large, well-rounded paws.<ref name=":12">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Although heavy boned, the legs are relatively short.<ref name=":1" /> Their bushy tail is medium in length and slightly shorter than the torso length.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":12" /> Their body lengths varies in size from medium to large.<ref name="FIFestandard" /> Siberians have firm, barrel-shaped torsos,<ref name=":1" /> and stockier builds than other cats.<ref name="catrealm" /> The general impression of the body is one of circles and roundness.<ref name="FIFestandard" /><ref name=":1" /> The posture can be compared with the characteristic wide and sturdy stance of a bulldog.<ref name=":8">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Siberians have a slight arch to their back, because their hind legs are slightly longer than the front legs.<ref name=":1" /> This shape and the power in their hind legs contribute to their incredible agility and enable them to jump exceptionally high.<ref name=":3" />
Siberians develop rather slowly, reaching their fully matured body at about five years of age.<ref name="DK" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":3" /><ref name=":42">Template:Cite book</ref> Female Siberians are considerably smaller than males.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":13">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Full-grown adults weigh on average between 4,5–9kg.<ref name=":42" />
FaceEdit
The characteristic round shapes are also clearly visible in the facial features of the Siberian. Their round face consists of a broad forehead at the top of their skull and narrows slightly to a full-rounded, short muzzle.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":12" /><ref name=":5">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The eyes are large and round, and give an overall sweet expression to their face.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":12" /> The outer corners are slightly angled towards the base of their ears.<ref name=":1" /> Their medium-sized ears are broad at the base and rounded at the tip.<ref name=":5" /> They are slightly tilted forwards<ref name=":12" /><ref name=":5" /> and should be set as much on the sides of the head as on top,<ref name=":12" /> preferably one to one and one half ear width apart.<ref name=":1" /> Lynx ear tipping is allowed.<ref name=":12" />
CoatEdit
Siberians express the three natural types of feline fur: guard hair, awn hair, and down hair. These three layers form a semi-long to long, well-developed, very dense triple-coat,<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /> of which the guard hairs are water-repellent.<ref name="FIFestandard" /><ref name=":3" /> This unique dense triple-coat protects the cat from the Russian weather extremes. The thick fur is textured but glossy, and needs frequent grooming to prevent matting.<ref name=":3" /> The summer coat is distinctly shorter than the winter coat.<ref name="FIFestandard" /> Because the Siberians are a slow-maturing breed, it can take several years for the coat of young Siberians to fully develop.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":3" />
Siberian cats moult twice a year.<ref name="Bell" /> They will shed their heavy winter coat during spring.<ref name=":3" /> This winter moult is instigated not by a change in temperature but by a change in day length. Many Siberians will experience a less intense "mini-moult" at the end of the summer season to prepare for their thick winter coat,<ref name=":3" /> unlike other cats, which will experience a "heavy moult" more than twice a year. However, they will still lose fur year-round and require grooming multiple times a week in order to prevent their dense triple-coat from matting.<ref name=":6" />
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ColourationEdit
All Western coat colours and patterns are genetically possible in the breed, such as tabby, solid, tortoiseshell, and bicolour. However, the most common colour in the Siberian cat breed is black (brown) mackerel tabby.<ref name=":25" /><ref name="Bell" /> The Western coat colours are white, black, blue, red, and cream.<ref name="DK" /><ref name=":42" /> All major registries do not permit the Eastern colour varieties of chocolate, lilac, cinnamon, and fawn in the Siberian breed.<ref name=":25" /><ref name="FIFestandard" /><ref name=":5" /> The allowance for the dilution modified caramel and apricot depends on the registry.<ref name=":3" /><ref name="GCCFpolicy" /><ref name=":8" />
All colourations are allowed with any amount of white spotting.<ref name=":25" /><ref name="FIFestandard" /><ref name=":3" /> Furthermore, all colourations can be combined with the golden and silver (incl. smoke) factors, which are allowed in tabby, tipped and shaded banding.<ref name=":25" /><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> In Siberians the golden colouration is caused by the CORIN-gene. This golden colour is called sunshine, and the silver-golden variety is called bimetallic<ref name=":25" /> or silver sunshine.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref><ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> The gene is located on the wide band locus, and the responsible allele is only found in the Siberian breed. The two other identified alleles on this wide band locus are responsible for the golden coats in golden tigers and British Shorthairs.
The Eastern colourpoint pattern is found in the Neva Masquerade, and is non-permitted in registries where the breed is separately registered. In the combined registries, the Neva Masquerade cats are judged separately in the colourpoint-category.<ref name=":25" /><ref name=":3" />
Solid-whiteEdit
Completely white (solid-white) Siberian cats are not considered Neva Masquerades, as they do not necessarily possess the colourpoint gene covered under the white spotting mutation. The solid-white colouring is considered Western,<ref name="DK" /> and is one of the many colours of traditional Siberian cats. Solid-white traditional Siberian cats can also have blue eyes, however, this is due to a lack of melanin pigment and not a result of the colourpoint gene as is the case with the Neva Masquerade. Solid-white blue-eyed cats have a higher prevalence of genetic deafness.<ref name=":28">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It is advisable and in most cat registries (and certain countries) mandatory to test (BEAR- or OAE-testing) white cats for this trait before breeding with them.<ref name="GCCFpolicy" /><ref name=":28" /><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Eye colourEdit
Siberians come in all eye colours, but clear colours are desirable.<ref name="FIFestandard" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":8" /> However, several registries only allow blue and odd eyes in the solid-white and bicolour varieties, leaving only colours in the golden-copper to green spectrum for the other coats.<ref name=":25" /><ref name=":5" /> The solid-white Siberian has four permitted eye colours; blue, green, golden-copper, and odd-eyed.<ref name="FIFestandard" /><ref name=":3" />
BehaviourEdit
The energetic Siberians are known for their playful and adventurous personality, while at the same time being very friendly and easy-going.<ref name="DK" /> The breed is known for its dog-like behaviour,<ref name=":3" /> due to its affectionate and highly loyal personality.<ref name="DK" /> This intelligent breed learns easily and is even known for its ability to learn the "dog game" fetch.<ref name=":3" /> They are very social and prefer to be involved in all activities of a household.<ref name=":3" /> Siberians are often fascinated by water,<ref name=":3" /> and do not mind getting a little wet, as their guard hairs are water-repellent.<ref name="FIFestandard" />
The Siberian is a vocal cat, although not in loudness but in frequency. It is known to produce a wide range of different sounds including its melodious chirping voice and a deep, resonant purr.<ref name="DK" /><ref name=":3" />
Neva MasqueradeEdit
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{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} The Neva Masquerade is the sister breed or colourpoint variety of the Siberian cat. It bears the Siamese<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> colourpoint gene, which results in darker markings on the extremities of their body and bright blue eyes. The gene pool of the Siberian and the Neva Masquerade share a big overlap, as the two have been crossbred for many years. Nowadays, there exists a test for point mutations,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> which allows breeders to specifically target carriers of the popular point gene.
The Siberian breed was generally recognised in the late-1990s and 2000s by the cat fancy, however, some registries chose to not accept colourpoint varieties in the Siberian breed and register these colourpoint cats under the Neva Masquerade breed.<ref name=":13" /><ref name=":26" /><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
Recent studiesEdit
{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} Although the Neva Masquerade shares many characteristics with the Siberian in terms of character and appearance, recent studies have shown distinctions between the two in terms of body language,<ref name="Vocal" /> vocalisations,<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref> and feline hereditary diseases, such as polycystic kidney disease (PKD).<ref name=":15">Template:Cite journal</ref> The prevalence of PKD in the Neva Masquerade gene pool is of concern as crossbreeding the two sister breeds could potentially spread PKD into the Siberian breed.<ref name=":15" />
HealthEdit
The Siberian is an ancient naturally developed landrace, which makes it a relatively healthy cat breed. In fact, the Siberian breed has the highest heterozygosity degree (genetic variation) among all cat breeds, comparable to random-bred cats.<ref name=":27" />
In a study with almost 550.000 cats of 18 breeds, the disease risks of the different cat breeds were evaluated based on 24 diagnostic categories.<ref name=":16">Template:Cite journal</ref> It may not come as a surprise that injury is the main cause of morbidity in the athletic, energetic and adventurous Siberian breed. The Siberian even has the highest score in injury risk of all purebreds. While it scores lowest, together with the Ragdoll, in the overall morbidity risk, making the Siberian a relatively healthy cat breed. Siberians had a significantly lower risk in 11 of the 24 diagnostic categories compared to other breeds, including endocrine, ear, neurological and neoplasia. Apart from injury, the Siberian had a higher incidence rate of locomotor and female reproduction-related conditions compared to other cat breeds.<ref name=":16" />
Fur allergen levelsEdit
While there is no hypoallergenic cat or dog breed, the decreased dander qualities of the Siberian coat have been noted and commented on for almost ten years. While there is no scientific evidence, breeders and pet owners claim that Siberians can be safe for many allergy sufferers. Since females of all feline breeds produce lower levels of Fel d 1, breeders often suggest that allergic families adopt female cats. Allergy sufferers are advised to check their reactivity directly with the parent cats from whom they plan to adopt a kitten.<ref name="Clymbers">Template:Cite magazine</ref> Many people believe that the breed produces less Template:Nowrap, the primary allergen present in cats. <ref name="petside">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
In 1999, Indoor Biotechnologies tested the fur of four cats for Template:Nowrap; a mixed breed, two Siberians, and an Abyssinian.<ref name="siesta">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The results showed the Siberian and Abyssinian cat fur as having lower Template:Nowrap levels than the mixed breed cat.<ref name="siesta" /> Indoor Biotechnologies cautions that the Siberian levels were still high, and that the mixed breed sample was "exceptionally high".<ref name="siesta" /> Indoor Biotechnologies warns against using these results to make decisions about pet ownership.<ref name="siesta" />
This test of fur allergen levels is cited by many Siberian breeder websites as evidence the breed is hypoallergenic. Critiques include that the sample size (only 4 cats) is below statistical significance, was submitted by a Siberian breeder, and as mentioned, one cat was found to have Template:Nowrap allergen levels of 62.813 μg (roughly 60× higher than any published professional study).<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>
A not-for-profit association of breeders (Siberian Research Inc) was founded in 2005 to study allergen levels and genetic diseases in the Siberian breed. As of March 2010, fur and saliva samples from over 300 Siberians have been submitted for analysis, many directly from a veterinarian. Salivary Template:Nowrap allergen levels in Siberians ranged from Template:No wrap of saliva, while fur levels ranged from Template:No wrap. The high end of these ranges is consistent with results from prior studies, though the low end is below expected results.
All Siberians tested were found to produce some Template:Nowrap. About half of Siberians were found to have Template:Nowrap levels lower than other breeds, while under twenty percent would be considered very low. Within the low group, males and females had comparable allergen levels.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>Template:Self-published source