The Siberian Forest Cat is a large, semi-longhaired cat breed with an ancient heritage originating in Russia. This stunning-looking cat is strong and powerfully built, with a stockier build them many other cats.
They have a broad barrelled chest, strong limbs, huge paws and a large bushy tail. Their eyes are large and round, and large-sized ears. Siberian Forest Can have a glorious, thick, semi-longhaired coat, complete with a neck ruff and mane, which is especially magnificent in winter months.
Description and Characteristics
The thickness of their fur is down to the three layers from which it is made, which includes a down undercoat and a topcoat of glossy guard hairs. The three layers protect the cat from the extreme cold of parts of Russia. The coat is actually easy to care for and owners can expect significant moults twice a year. The Siberian comes in a variety of colours, including varieties of tabby, tortoiseshell and colourpoint. Siberian cats produce less Fel d1, the primary allergen present on cats, than many other cats, which can make them a good choice for people with allergies. The breed is sometimes categorised as hypoallergenic. Despite the large size of the Siberian, this does not affect their athleticism. They are extremely agile cats who love to climb and leap. They are also curious, intelligent and very playful and will benefit from lots of games which will keep them mentally and physically stimulated. Generally, they are sociable cats, which will be very affectionate with their family and they are good companions for calm, respectful children. Cats like the Siberian have existed in Russia for centuries. The exact timings are difficult to know but based on Russian fairy tales and children’s books, they have likely to have been around over 1,000 years ago. The Siberian cat is cherished as a national treasure in its homeland.
Health and common issues
Siberian Forest Cats are generally healthy cats. However, they can still be prone to certain health conditions including hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) which causes the walls of the heart to thicken reducing the volume of blood within the heart and preventing the heart muscle from relaxing properly between contractions. There are HCM-testing schemes available, which involve genetic testing and/or regular heart scanning. Pyruvate kinase (PK) deficiency has also been identified in the breed.
