Siberian Cats - Health Issues, Inbreeding

[rileyslife]

I'm in Canada. My cat is 13 weeks, however, I was back and forth with the breeder for almost a year. She has a wait list. She doesn't show her cats as she also has horses whom she shows instead. She took two of her cats to a cattery in Africa last year and also publishes her pedigree trees publicly.

 

[catramsey2]

Yes.  My first Siberian was 18 months and her intestinal track completely shut down.  I sent her to Texas A&M for a necropsy and it was inconclusive.    My 2nd Siberian is now 5 yrs. old and was diagnosed with pancreatitis and I don't know if she can be saved.  There could be other medical issues we are not aware of.  I did not want to put her through anymore tests.  I have spent 2700.00 and can't spend anymore.  She is not eating well and is losing weight.  She is on a special diet for IBS thinking that may have caused pancreatitis.  I also contacted the animal hospital at Texas A&M for help.  They sent some medical articles to read.  

I had researched the breeder I bought my 2nd cat from and felt I had made a good decision.  I am heart broken.  This is the best cat.  Sweet and loving.  I did lots of research prior to getting my "dream" cat and felt I had made a good choice with the siberian breed.  

I think after Ellie goes, I can't handle another heartbreak with losing another pet before their time.  

I am very disappointed. This breed has a great personality and is so sweet.   

 

[scarlett68]

I'm so sorry you are having these issues. My cat is still alive, but has very severe IBD. She takes a ton of steroids, which has taken a toll on her physically. I hate to think the Siberian is prone to intestinal issues, but it sounds like it is not ​uncommon.

 

[m and ms mom]

I have two 15 week old Siberians and they have been healthy so far. These are my first ones and I was under the impression that Siberians are generally a healthy breed. Mine have sweet temperaments but didn't appear to be well socialized at first. I'm so sorry for all the problems you are experiencing. How heartbreaking!

 

[elaine17171]

i just lost my siberian a week ago.  he was not even four years old yet.  he had a heart attack, right in front of me and my husband.  it was heartbreaking.  i will never forget the sound of pain he made, and then he went limp. my husband did cpr and mouth to mouth all the way to the vet, but he was already gone.  we did not know anything about the health issues that siberians have, we just knew that it was the only cat we could have because of my husband's allergy.   my first cat lived to be 23 and i couldnt take her with me when i married because of my husband's allergy.  she died about 30 years ago and i still grieve for her.  i have been married for 42 years and only found out about the siberians a few years ago and was so thrilled i just jumped at the chance to have one, and my husband has been fine and grew to love the cat as much as i do.   i am so heartbroken now but thought that if i got a kitten it might fill this emptiness i feel right now.  but now that i know about the short life span of these cats,. i don't know if i want to go through this experience again.   i learned about a website called  pawpeds.com where you can check the cat's breeding line.  i have not gone there yet.  i'm just so confused right now and don't know what to do.

 

[mservant]

I am so sorry to read that you have lost this treasured cat @elaine17171, and in such a sudden manner.    Loosing your cat after such a long wait to have him, and when he was still so young makes it even harder.   Please take heart from what others have talked about earlier in this thread if you think you may come to a point where you and your husband feel ready to bring another cat in to your family - there are no guarantees for a cat being healthy or living a long life but if you do want to find another Siberian cat (or other pedigree) that your husband does not have an alergic reaction to, there are sources of information and ways of finding breeders that minimizes the risks.  

The information earlier in this thread about known diseases in Norwegian cats is now nearly 3 years old, but current information about Siberian Cats on the UK's GCCF web site states that the breed is believed to have some family lines being prone to a heart disease called hypertrophic cardiomypoathy and Pyruvate Kinase deficiency.   This makes it really important for anyone looking at obtaining a Siberian cat (or kitten from family line which has a Siberian cat in it) should look carefully in to the breeder they get their cat from, and to see the test certificates showing that their cat is free from these, together with the genetic lines for the kitten/s / cats through several generations on both mothers and fathers sides.  As others have said, checking out breeders and meeting cats at any shows you can get to is one way to see how you feel about a breeder, and to check out their reputation on top of all the paperwork they might provide you with.   Even chat with other families who have adopted cats from them.

Life with a cat is special and I hope you and your husband do feel able to bring another feline in to your lives some time soon.  The heartbreak when we loose them is, for me, more than made up for by the wonder of them deciding to share their time with us.