Any Siberian Savvy Folks?

[czygyny]

A few years ago there was a female torbie shorthair momma kitty dumped on our property. With her were two very fuzzy kittens. I had planned to fix and keep momma and find homes for the kittens, but when my dog decided she didn't like her (she was fine with all other cats--??) I rehomed her and one kitten and kept this little beauty for myself.

She ended up being an absolutely stunning beauty and absolutely hypoallergenic. I am allergic to my other cats in varying degree.

The only bred that I know of (other than hairless) that touts hypoallergenic qualities is the Siberian Forest Cat, yet our area is not known for having this breed available. Since it would have had to be the father of the kittens that delivered up that coat, I am assuming him to be of Siberian extract.

Her coat never became long and tangled like my miss Tippi's did, but was plush, thick and rabbit-soft. She was well on her way to becoming a big cat.

Alas, she adored hunting and was taken two years ago by coyotes when she left the safety of the five fenced acres one predawn morning. I have made a box that holds the six inch tip of that lovely tail the filthy predators left.

Do you think she could have been Siberian by my description? She really enjoyed our rare snowfall as you can see in the image.

I still grieve for her loss.

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• czygyny
• Sep 8, 2015

Lilo__12-12-05_0071.JPG

• czygyny
• Sep 8, 2015
• 1

Lilo 01_13-12-07_0122.JPG

• czygyny
• Sep 8, 2015

 

[StefanZ]

Ow, much natural beauty here!   Interesting game of colors in the middle photo!

On the last photo she looks as a look alike of the heroine Masha of Russia, whom was declared as a natural Sibirian...

So the shorthaired mom was a longhair gene carrier, the dad was probably a longhair - perhaps it was the dad whom  was a sibirian...

@Biancavd

 

[biancavd]

Which events led up to making you believe she was hypoallergenic? You say you are allergic to your other cats, but how bad is it?

As a siberian cat breeder, I will give you my honest opinion as soon as I have that answer ^^ Also, mind telling where you are from? And do you happen to have a picture of mom?

 

[czygyny]

Here is her sister, Stitch. Both kittens were quite feral and took a lot of work to bring around:

Lilo 01_12-07-16_0009.JPG

• czygyny
• Sep 9, 2015

I live in Redding, California. I've only seen one Siberian looking for a home over the last few years and it was from out of state.

 

[StefanZ]

Here is her sister, Stitch. Both kittens were quite feral and took a lot of work to bring around:

Lilo 01_12-07-16_0009.JPG

• czygyny
• Sep 9, 2015

I live in Redding, California. I've only seen one Siberian looking for a home over the last few years and it was from out of state.

Its one of the tips for cat owning allergics, not to have them in the bedroom.  Keeping the bedroom as the cat free zone...

Which is perhaps the greatest sacrifice to do, but its the price to pay, for having cat although allergic...  + of course several other tricks, in part depending on how severe the allergy is.

 

[czygyny]

 
Its one of the tips for cat owning allergics, not to have them in the bedroom.  Keeping the bedroom as the cat free zone...

Which is perhaps the greatest sacrifice to do, but its the price to pay, for having cat although allergic...  + of course several other tricks, in part depending on how severe the allergy is.

Yes, I know that. Sometimes I just put up with the discomfort. The worst ones seldom sleep with me and in the daytime there is a cover over the bedspread for them, 'cause indoor/outdoor cats can be DIRTY!

I enjoy having my #1 cat sleeping with me (sometimes down in a sleeping bag outside), which is why Lilo was such a doll. Even Tippi didn't bother me too much and some of that was from her long and always dirty fur (tomboy kitty!)

Mooni is still young, but doesn't seem to provoke much discomfort, yet. In fact, at the shelter I did a sniff test on her right away...made the shelter workers laugh.

Orange? check. Fuzzy? check, Female? check. Loud purr? check. Passes sniff test? check! 

 

 

[imogen]

Lilo 01_12-07-16_0009.JPG

• czygyny
• Sep 9, 2015

I live in Redding, California. I've only seen one Siberian looking for a home over the last few years and it was from out of state.

 

006.jpg

• czygyny
• Sep 8, 2015

Lilo__12-12-05_0071.JPG

• czygyny
• Sep 8, 2015
• 1

Lilo 01_13-12-07_0122.JPG

• czygyny
• Sep 8, 2015

 

[handsome kitty]

She looks a lot like Fluffy.  She is about a year now.  We think she is part Maine Coon.  I have a friend with a Siberian and I think they have longer fur on their necks and face. This photo was taken a couple months ago.  The 2nd photo is her today.  Her tail has recently fluffed out more.  Maine Coons take 2 - 3  years to mature. She also seems to be hypo-allergic.  I don't know much about Siberians.

IMAG0353.JPG

• handsome kitty
• Jun 10, 2015

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• handsome kitty
• Sep 20, 2015

 

[biancavd]

Didn't see this one was updated, so sorry! ^^;;

 
While I have seven cats, only a few are allowed inside, but of those who are allowed inside, the tortie sisters, Pooh & Aushio, are the worst, giving me itchy eyes and stuffy nose if they sleep on the bed, even if I hold them for a bit. My long-hair tortie, Tippi (also RIP), was only mildly reactive, with minor discomfort with close contact. With Lilo, though, I could bury my face in that wonderful pelt and not have an itch or sneeze, ever.

I have never seen a coat like hers, either. It was not long and mat-making, but what I called 'plush'. It took until her second year to really develop it, and during the winter it was perfected.

I live in Redding, California. I've only seen one Siberian looking for a home over the last few years and it was from out of state.

People often mistake their allergies for cats by blaiming the fur that they have, and thus believe that a long haired cat is not an option. This is a wrong assumption. Allergic reactions are often triggered by proteins found in their urine, saliva or skin flakes. It's true that long haired cats might collect more outdoor allergenes in their fur when outside, but they also release e.g. less skin flakes as their fur is longer and keeps it more to their skin. 

For Siberians, they have less of the FELD-1 protein, which is found in a cat's saliva. However, the number of FELD-1 a cat produces differs per individual. This isn't only the case for Siberians, but also other cats. Siberians are only proven to have lower counts than other cats. This would mean that people will react to cats with a lower FELD-1 less, if that is what they are allergic for. Your cat might be one of the lower, even if she's not part siberian.

So the lack or allergic response might have had another reason than a Siberian parent or anchester. I do agree that she did look kind of like a siberian, specifically her ears and fur, but it's nearly impossible to know for sure with a mix. I usually look at the profile of a cat (as I know how a siberian profile should look like) and see if it kind of resembles a siberian or not. I also look at the body shape, as siberians have higher hind legs than front legs and thus their back isn't straight or lowered in the back.

Listening to the story, she could have been part Siberian. But she also could have just been a beautiful special cat that happened to not trigger your allergies. She was beautiful nevertheless. May she rest in peace, I'm very sorry for your loss.

 

[czygyny]

I found this one the other day, while backing up my pictures:

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• czygyny
• Sep 21, 2015

Yes, she may not be Siberean, but she was a one-in-a-million.

I didn't think that long-hair was more allergenic, my worst offenders are all short-haired. All I know is that she was huggable and sneeze free.

I only have one image that shows profile, and she was about four months+- old at the time. As an adult she had a small face for her large body.

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• czygyny
• Sep 21, 2015

 

[handsome kitty]

I still think she was Maine Coon.  Siberians fur gets matted and needs regular grooming.

She is a beautiful cat.

 

[czygyny]

 
I still think she was Maine Coon.  Siberians fur gets matted and needs regular grooming.

She is a beautiful cat.

Could be, Main Coons are much more common here...but who knows? All I know is she had a great life, even though it was short. We had a lot of fun, we two.

 

 

[biancavd]

 
I still think she was Maine Coon.  Siberians fur gets matted and needs regular grooming.

She is a beautiful cat.

Actually, Siberians are supposed to be very easy when it comes to their fur and don't need regular grooming at all. I usually only brush them sometimes when the season changes and their fur will change along with it. But that's about it really ^^ No problems here at all, as it should be

 

[tissa]

Lilo__12-12-05_0071.JPG

• czygyny
• Sep 8, 2015
• 1

Lilo 01_13-12-07_0122.JPG

• czygyny
• Sep 8, 2015

what a gorgeous cat! OMG!