A little history:
This beautiful strong breed comes from the Siberian Taiga, and are a Russian natural breed. Taiga is the part of Siberia where you will find the biggest area containing pine, fir and lark trees in the world. This area makes the borderline towards the tundra in the north and the plains in the south. (Red.anmrk)

At the end of the 1600, the Russian immigrants brought the cats with them to Siberia. In the harsh Siberian climate these cats developed as time went by, and they mated themselves with the wild cats that were already there. Since then the breed have continued to develop, and are all together a "healthy" breed.
Far from Europe these cats became a healthy breed where only the strongest survived the cold and hard climate. When the breed eventually came back over the mountains of Ural, to Moscow and St..Petersburg the breed clubs discovered the fantastic quality’s of the Siberian Cat. Genetically these cats have been separated from European cats for more than 100 years.
The Siberian Cat is a bit similar to the other "forest cats"; Maine coon and Norwegian forest cat. What separates them from their western relatives is first and foremost the compact solid built, the unique overcoat which feels a bit rough and oily when you touch it. The coat protects the cat effectively against extreme cold. The cat’s round shapes with the rounded ears, and compact body is an adaptation to a cold climate. It is more compact than the Maine Coon, and have a rounder head than the Norwegian Forest Cat.
After the Glasnost and the fall of the Berlin Wall, the borders opened up towards the east and Siberia, and the Siberian Cat started coming to Western Europe.

In 1997 The Fèdèration International Fèline(FIFe) approved the breed, and from 1998 the breed got the rights to receive the Certificate on shows.

We are a lot of people around the world who calls this breed the National Cat of Russia, like we have the Norwegian Forrest Cat and the Norwegian Elk hound. The reference for this is found in one of the USSR’s "red books". It speaks of this beautiful natural cat as the only breed of cats. ( There is several "red books" that describes different sides of the USSR’s nature and society- everything from zoology and flora to mathematics and the superiority of the country.

About the breeds temperament:

These cats are very territorial. It has been said that they have chased away deer, and other animals from their territory. They are good hunters, and fishers, and will dive after the fish in the water.

Like it`s been said they like the water, and therefore it is no problem to give them a bath or a shower. A lot of them love to swim and will stay close to water sources, like spring fountains etc.
In Russia these cats are used as circus cats, since they are easy to train, and a lot of the cats will respond to commands.

The head shall be massive, and a bit longer than it is wide. The forehead is wide, and quite round. It has oval rounded cheekbones, and a broad nose. The profile is leaning a bit inwards, and the cat does not have a stop. The ears are medium to small, and shall be round. There shall be a good distance between the eyes. The eyes are big and oval, preferably a bit tilted. The color of the eyes are bright yellow or green. The cat shall have a heavy set bone stem. The legs are medium in size, an forms a rectangle with the body. The paws are big and round, and have got fur underneath. The tail is long with a rounded tip. The fur shall be full, and is not to be to close to the body. The overcoat is water repellant, and shall feel a bit hard to the touch.

The Siberian cat is a non-allergy giving cat. (hypoallergenic)

It have been seen through several years, and from all over the world that the Siberian cat does not bring forth an allergic reaction. The reasons for this can be a number of things, and they are well documented on many home sites.

Both fur, dandruff, secretes and saliva with an animal can give people an allergic reaction. In the cat world most of the parts that will create an allergic reaction is located in the saliva. When the cat cleans it’s fur, the saliva will dry, and will be transformed to dust which will hover around and people will breathe in the dust. In the feline saliva there is a protein called FEL-D1, and this is the part which gives allergy. The Siberian cat does not have this protein in them, which means that a lot of people who normally would have an allergic reaction towards cats, may not react on these cats. But I have to underline that every person needs to be tested on the cat individually.

Most people react quickly when they are exposed to a cat in the house, and by visiting a home who have a Siberian cat they will quickly find out if the have a tolerance for the cat. The testimonials from breeders, and several allergies indicates that there is a tolerance for this breed. But allergies can be very individual and that people who are allergic can react different to the same cat. There is no guarantee.