The history of the  Siberian  is rather unclear and many theories exist both in Russia and elsewhere.

                                My opinions and beliefs were formed after reading the following articles

 

                                         http://pawpeds.com/pawacademy/general/siberianexile/

  

                                                         Whatever your beliefs the fact remains ......... 

     these beautiful cats originated in Russia where the breed developed to survive the  harsh Russian climate.     
                                                      

                                                       They were obviously very successful.
                                                                                                            

The Traditional Siberian has been recognised in Europe for many years, in America since the 1990's and here in the UK only as recently as 2002. They are now accepted here by  GCCF, TICA and FIFe .
 
Siberian cats are a medium to large breed of semi-long hair cat. They are described as being circular in shape with a rounded body, head, ears and eyes. A Siberian should be a cat of great  " heft " strength and muscle. Siberians have a unique triple coat, containing the fluffy down to keep them warm in the cold Russian winters, the actual fur (awn hair) which should be thick and dense, then the guard hairs which are longer. These have a special waterproofing  quality and help prevent matting. Siberians come in a wide variety of colours and patterns. The blue eyed, colour pointed variety is called the Neva Masquerade. 

The personality of this breed can vary from being your constant shadow to somewhat aloof. They get along with their own kind and other animals and are not happy being left on their own. The Siberian is very intelligent and playful.  Some enjoy playing  "fetch" and others love to play "splash" in their water dish. They are great leapers and land with the elegance of a delicate snowflake. Siberians take up to five years to fully mature so be prepared for a long kittenhood and endless hours of fun along the way.
 
Being one of the most intelligent breeds they quickly learn their names and will follow you around the house like a puppy. They miss you when you're away and will greet you at the door when you come home wiggling their tails up in the air with excitement. They also have sweet little voices which chirrup and trill.  
             
It is believed the the Siberian cat has hypoallergenic qualities. There is some scientific evidence to support this relating to the protein, FEL D1 ,  found in the saliva and sebacious glands of all cats and is the cause of allergies. The Siberian breed has substantially lower levels of this protein. What I can say in all honesty is my son had an allergy to other cats but when he owned a Siberian he had no allergic reaction to it at all.  If you are considering a Siberian as a member of  your family please let me warn you ..... 

 

       

                                          if you have one, you will eventually have to have another.