Some Siberian Cats love a bubble bath. This little fellow has it made. He even has a heated blanket to lay on while he dries after his bath. He kindly shares the bath with his little boy.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Siberian
Cats – What – Why – Where – How????
Are you thinking of adding a cat to
your home?
Are you wondering what sort
of cat to get?
If you are looking for a companion cat
who is loving, delightfully and surprisingly intelligent, interactive, AND reported
to be hypoallergenic by many Siberian cat owners, then you definitely should
consider a Siberian.
In a nut shell:
WHAT – a natural cat imported from
Russia - sturdy – able to stand the cold but loves a warm fire – intelligent
WHY – Different than other cats with
amazing ability to connect with humans – striking and unforgettable in appearance - reported to be hypoallergenic by
many owners
Where – From Russia/Siberia to
countries around the world
How – available in most countries from
reputable breeders to loving homes
What
are Siberian cats?
While Siberians are relatively new in
the United States, the breed is ancient. It is known as a ‘natural cat’ meaning it
wasn’t specifically bred to match a standard.
There is a standard for Siberians now set up to maintain the look of the
natural cat. Its goal is to maintain the
shape, size, tempremant, and fur these cats have in the extreme habitat in
which the cats were bred. Physically
they should have a specific look and body shape. An excellent link to a page using photos to
show you how a Siberian should look is: http://sibirskiy.com/siberian_standard_in_pictures
. This was written by my good friend
Vicki McCarroll who is a real pro at raising Siberian cats.
If you are considering getting a
Siberian, then it is to your advantage to at least know what one is supposed to
look like. It will help you personally
avoid paying a lot of money for a cat that isn’t really a Siberian at all.
http://sibirskiy.com/siberian_standard_in_picturesis a link to some very good information on what a Siberian looks like put together by someone who has bred many champion Siberian cats.
WHY get a Siberian? They are more expensive than many cats. Most
cat breeds have good qualities, and cats in general make good pets, so why pay
the money for a Siberian? Many people
begin their search for a Siberian mainly because the Siberians are reported to
be hypoallergenic to many people. In my
family this has proven to be true.
However, this is not the case with every person who is allergic to
cats. This is a good reason to start
with a Siberian, but there is a lot more to a Siberian than that!
To my knowledge there are no
scientific studies that prove a Siberian is less allergenic, or less likely to
cause allergies than any other cat. What
we do have is mountains of personal testimonies that Siberians do not cause an
allergic reaction to them personally; and, that most cats cause them
anything from extreme discomfort to asthma attacks that put them in the
hospital. If you allergic to other cats
the first thing you need to do is to start by meeting a Siberian cat in person
for a visit to check with allergies. I
live in Olymia, WA, and I will be glad to schedule a visit for you.
A Siberian is a great choice for a cat
lover whether there are allergies to be considered or not. Here are some thing I have noticed about
Siberians:
They are quiet! As a former owner of Siamese cats, I can tell
you that Siberians are REALLY quiet compared to Siamese. (I
love Siamese, but they are very LOUD.)
Siberians have a variety of noises they make from chirps to low growls
to what sounds like a bark. Some are
more vocal than others. Our male is a
big red fellow who actually does meow, but very softly and very seldom. One of our girls sounds like a bird
chirping. Another male barks quietly
like some sort of miniature dog.
They are intelligent. My sister’s Siberian male cups his paw to get
water from the drippy faucet to drink.
Each cat will have different things they do, but you can expect them to
do something out of the ordinary.
They act like dogs I have had in the
past. They love to greet you at the door
when you come home. They love to watch
what you are doing, and stick their whiskers into whatever you are doing at the
moment.
They are obviously gorgeous. My Siberians shed differently than my cats
from the years ago. They tend to drop their coat in the spring and then shed
minimally the rest of the year. We live
in a fairly cool climate, so I don’t know how they are in other climates.
Cats in general make good house
pets. A Siberian is a good cat to have
if you have friends or family who are allergic to cats. It does make entertaining easier.
How do you go about getting a Siberian
kitten or grown cat? Start by checking
the area in which you live for a Siberian breeder. If at all possible, arrange to meet the
breeder and the cats in person. This is
not possible sometimes, but there are many other ways to get that perfect
Siberian into your home.
There are Siberians available in
most countries now, although not in all
areas. You may have to ship your cat or
kitten. The internet is a good place to
search for a kitten. Established
breeders will have probably have a web
site that helps you be sure you are getting the Siberian kitten for which you
are paying your hard earned money.
Prices vary greatly. You should
be prepared to pay a bare minimum of $700 to $800 for a pet. You can pay far more than that for the kitten
that catches your eye. Shipping is an additional fee of around $350.
Today, breeders are facing an
onslaught of scammers trying to get money or kittens from the breeder for
nefarious purposes. You should be
prepared to answer all reasonable questions from the breeder to assure them
that you are prepared to give the kitten the loving home for which it was
raised. Raising kittens is a labor of
love on the part of the breeder.
Consider their reasons behind questions you may find intrusive. The breeder wants the same thing you want for
the kitten or cat. They want a loving
permanent home.
On the flip side, you the buyer
personally want to be sure the cat for which you are paying is a healthy
cat/kitten registered with TICA or CFA or a registry acceptable in your
country.
If you are interested in a Siberian cat or kitten please visit our web site http://chirpyscats.com
Our friend at Sibirskiy has kittens and retirees available now.
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