SIBERIANS HYPOALLERGENIC STATUS:
The Siberian cat is known for being hypoallergenic for many allergy sufferers, although this has not been proven medically or scientifically. Many with lifelong allergies to cats believe this because they live with minimal or no symptoms to their Siberian cats. Research has shown that all cats produce some Fel-d1, but some cats produce considerably less than others. The Siberian is one of the breeds thought to trigger fewer allergies when there are lower levels of the Fel-d1 enzyme. The University of California at Davis has begun research into the hypoallergenic qualities of Siberians, and testing is now available to evaluate allergen levels in Siberians. Angara Siberians participates in evaluating their cats' Fel-d1 allergen levels and can assist cat allergy sufferers by providing allergy evaluation with our Siberians and discussing Fel-d1 levels. There are breeders who are representing as fact that certain Siberian coloration is lower in allergen levels than others, specifically that their tabby cats are lower in allergen levels compared to the colorpoint colors. Research at UCDavis has not shown coat color to be correlated with allergen levels at this time. If you have any concerns about allergies, please visit with a Siberian breeder or someone with a Siberian cat to gauge your response to these cats and evaluate the potential suitability for you.
HISTORY OF THE SIBERIAN CAT:
Siberians are one of the most ancient breeds and began as a Russian forest cat, having roamed the Siberian Taiga (forests) and Eastern Siberia. The aboriginal Siberian cat naturally developed semi long-haired fur that has a dense undercoat with a fairly long slightly oily outer coat. They also developed a thick ruff, tufted ears, large paws with fur underneath and a bushy tail. The layered coat ensured that the wind would not reach their skin and the oiliness gave them water repellent fur so that their skin could stay dry. The extra hair on the ears and paws helped insulate them from the cold. The thick ruff is equivalent to us wearing a scarf and the bushy tail helped them to keep warm up to the face when they curled up in a ball to sleep.
The Russian cat became hardy with a very good resistance against infectious diseases. They developed a heavy build that is well muscled and takes up to five years to reach full maturity. The Siberian cat breed had to progress to be avid hunters, astounding leapers, excellent climbers and good swimmers. Under the former Soviet Union, the citizens of Russia did not think of breeding the Siberian; cats were used only for purposes such as rat control rather than pets. Breeding began after the fall of the Soviet Union, and the breed clubs in Moscow and St. Petersburg discovered the fantastic qualities of the Siberian cat and began formal breeding programs in the mid-1980’s. Russia, being quite a large country, had Siberians who looked different in various areas of Russia since they had mated with an assortment of natural cats. A foundation cat was pronounced a Siberian by bringing it to a show and letting the judges decide if they thought the type matches their standard of a Siberian, at which point the cat could be bred.
