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What breed is my cat? We were thinking a Siberian Silver Tabby or something along those lines, but n
- Thread starter blinkbunny182
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Looks blue on my screen, a blue & white tabby domestic - no particular breed (like most cats, unless from a breeder with papers)
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I don't think it is a Siberian, but there is a quick way of finding out...Bring someone in who is highly allergic to cats and if they get a reaction, it probably isn't a Siberian. Of course, that isn't the best way to find out because it could put the allergy suffer in danger. Kind of a bad idea, I know, smack me on the wrist for suggesting it.
Another way of finding out is by doing a test on the coat as a Siberian's is different than most cats, hence the reason why many allergy sufferers who desperately want a cat, go for this breed.
Here is a description of what a Siberian coat should look like.
Siberians are considered to be semi-longhair cats, but their coats vary with the seasons. In winter, the coat is a thick, triple-layered coat designed to protect them from the harsh winter conditions. In summer time, the heavy winter coat is shed and a shorter, less dense coat makes its appearance. The coat of the Siberian cat comes in a wide variety of colors and patterns.
If you decide to get the test done, I would love to hear back from you as to the result. OR If you decide to try your cat out on an allergy sufferer, I'd like to hear about that as well...Just don't send me the bill if there is a hospital stay involved....LOL
Another way of finding out is by doing a test on the coat as a Siberian's is different than most cats, hence the reason why many allergy sufferers who desperately want a cat, go for this breed.
Here is a description of what a Siberian coat should look like.
Siberians are considered to be semi-longhair cats, but their coats vary with the seasons. In winter, the coat is a thick, triple-layered coat designed to protect them from the harsh winter conditions. In summer time, the heavy winter coat is shed and a shorter, less dense coat makes its appearance. The coat of the Siberian cat comes in a wide variety of colors and patterns.
If you decide to get the test done, I would love to hear back from you as to the result. OR If you decide to try your cat out on an allergy sufferer, I'd like to hear about that as well...Just don't send me the bill if there is a hospital stay involved....LOL
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Blue tabby with white, domestic longhair (moggie). Not a hint of silver to be seen.
Siberians being "hypoallergenic" is not official, and if any breeder advertises their cats as such, run. Many purebred cat breeds have been noticed to have a lot less of the allergy causing protein in their saliva/dandruff when compared to a moggie. It also varies by lineage, so not all cats of certain breeds are less allergy causing. That sounds so weird, good example of my crappy english.
Siberians being "hypoallergenic" is not official, and if any breeder advertises their cats as such, run. Many purebred cat breeds have been noticed to have a lot less of the allergy causing protein in their saliva/dandruff when compared to a moggie. It also varies by lineage, so not all cats of certain breeds are less allergy causing. That sounds so weird, good example of my crappy english.
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I was being rather flip when I posted about the allergy component with Siberians. Here is more information on that matter and NortherGlow is absolutely correct in that one should be careful to not give the impression Siberians are hypoallergenic. In fact, no cat can be considered that. Mind you, there are certain cats that are better for mild to moderate allergy sufferers than others. I had a Cornish Rex for many years and anyone who came into my house that had cat allergies, did not need to take medication before coming nor did we run into a problem with allergies creeping up on them while visiting. The Siberian is like that and here is a little more information as to why this is the case.
Research has shown that all cats produce the glycoprotein Fel D1, there is also evidence to suggest that some cat breeds do produce much less than others. The Siberian breed is thought to be one such breed and many breeders, pet owners and researchers honestly believe that the Siberian breed does in fact produce less Fel D1. However although the Siberian breed is known to have low allergen levels, we must also take note that whether you react to a Siberian cat will depend on the severity of your allergy and also the exact level of Fel D1 produced by that particular Siberian cat.
There are some people who will react to Siberians, but it is one of the safer cats (In my opinion) to consider if you are desperate to have a cat when you are an allergy sufferer. I would always insist on exposure to an adult cat before purchasing and definitely, have the test done to see if the cat truly is a good match.
This is probably far too much information when all you were really asking was if we thought your cat is a Siberian. I don't think it is, so this information is probably moot. Having said that, if this is really important for you to know, then maybe the testing will be a way of finding out if it is possible that you cat could be Siberian and with a low level of Fel D 1 that possibility may be an indicator. Mind you, it still wouldn't confirm that your cat is in fact Siberian.
Research has shown that all cats produce the glycoprotein Fel D1, there is also evidence to suggest that some cat breeds do produce much less than others. The Siberian breed is thought to be one such breed and many breeders, pet owners and researchers honestly believe that the Siberian breed does in fact produce less Fel D1. However although the Siberian breed is known to have low allergen levels, we must also take note that whether you react to a Siberian cat will depend on the severity of your allergy and also the exact level of Fel D1 produced by that particular Siberian cat.
There are some people who will react to Siberians, but it is one of the safer cats (In my opinion) to consider if you are desperate to have a cat when you are an allergy sufferer. I would always insist on exposure to an adult cat before purchasing and definitely, have the test done to see if the cat truly is a good match.
This is probably far too much information when all you were really asking was if we thought your cat is a Siberian. I don't think it is, so this information is probably moot. Having said that, if this is really important for you to know, then maybe the testing will be a way of finding out if it is possible that you cat could be Siberian and with a low level of Fel D 1 that possibility may be an indicator. Mind you, it still wouldn't confirm that your cat is in fact Siberian.
Aw, beautiful domestic tabby kitty you have, but not a Siberian. Siberians are only surpassed in size by the Maine Coon. They have huge paws and a very muscular body. Their hind legs are longer than front legs, giving a slight curve/arch to their back. Their coat is 3-layered like the Maine Coon. They will be more "fluffy" in the Winter, but shed a LOT in the Summer, so grooming is a must.
Adorable video of Siberian cats (no affiliation with me--I'm not a breeder) from a cattery (gotta say, these remind me of MCs big time!):
Adorable video of Siberian cats (no affiliation with me--I'm not a breeder) from a cattery (gotta say, these remind me of MCs big time!):
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I know this is going off-topic (but I'm going there anyway
I agree that you really can't say any cat is non-allergenic. However, I have many people coming into my home for my work, and one had an anaphylactic reaction to my previous cats, many years ago. And I'm also getting more and more allergic. So when it was time to find new cat companions to share my home, I met a few Russian Blues, bought one from a breeder, found another with some major physical issues (who is doing really well!), and my reaction (and that of my clients) has become reduced enormously. And it is interesting that both Siberian and Russian Blues come from the same part of the world.
Once again, absolutely no guarantees, but I believe there is a reduction in the Fel D1.
By the way, blinkbunny, your girl (?) is just gorgeous!
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Hi Mani,I know this is going off-topic (but I'm going there anyway...
I agree that you really can't say any cat is non-allergenic. However, I have many people coming into my home for my work, and one had an anaphylactic reaction to my previous cats, many years ago. And I'm also getting more and more allergic. So when it was time to find new cat companions to share my home, I met a few Russian Blues, bought one from a breeder, found another with some major physical issues (who is doing really well!), and my reaction (and that of my clients) has become reduced enormously. And it is interesting that both Siberian and Russian Blues come from the same part of the world.
Once again, absolutely no guarantees, but I believe there is a reduction in the Fel D1.
By the way, blinkbunny, your girl (?) is just gorgeous!
Interesting! I actually had a Cornish Rex for many years because of friends and family members who suffer from allergies. I never had a problem the whole time I had that cat...But, I just recently read about a study done in the United Kingdom showed that only 10 percent of allergic cat lovers could tolerate Cornish Rex cats and Devon Rex cats. I guess I was just lucky with the cat I had. The coat of a Cornish Rex is far different from that of the Siberian who actually has 3 layers and the dense coat of the Russian Blue.
The heavy coats of Siberian cats – designed to withstand the worst of the Russian winter – provide a natural, insulating barrier between the sebum on the cat's skin and the surface of its coat. Siberian cats have a recessive gene that reduces the concentration of Fel d 1 in their saliva. They can, consequently, truly be considered hypoallergenic cats or so the study says. Apparently the Siberian is far more reliable a choice for allergy sufferers than the Cornish Rex according to this study...I certainly wasn't aware of that when I chose a Cornish Rex approximately 30 years ago. In fact, I specifically asked the Canadian Cat Association what breed I should choose because of the allergy factor and the only one they recommended to me at that time was the Rex. I even got breeder names from them. I was lucky with my cat and loved her dearly, but at that time, I thought that type of cat was my only choice. I obviously, have learned otherwise since then. I have to admit though, I wasn't aware until now that the Russian Blue was also a good choice for allergy sufferers.
The study did indicate that Russian Blue cats are also thought to be hypoallergenic cats, but no studies currently exist to tell us why. Perhaps geography is involved. Since both Russian blue cats and Siberian cats are native to the same country, it is possible that the gene that produces lower Fel d 1 levels in Siberian cats may also be present in Russian Blue cats.
Just like you said, it could be that they are from the same country that the Fel D 1 levels are lower for both breeds. Very interesting....Sorry that this topic has taken a bit of a turn, but I find this extremely interesting and something that could help those who would love to have a cat companion and aren't aware that it 'could' be possible.
Now we are OT, but I want to comment as I do have personal experience here, in RB..
I myself am a believer the RB is less allergy troubling than many other. I had feks long time a bridge partner, who was highly allergic. He got really anxious when a dog once appeared in the bridge local. Yet, he (nor anyone other) did ever reacted on me. Although our RB stud did loved to sleep on his Pa´s trousers. (ie mine trousers), Yeah, quite irresponsible by me, thinking about twice. But my bridge partner never had any difficulites being in my company several hours each evening... And nobody else either so far as I could see and notice.
Although the daughter of our breeder didnt managed their familys RB, but managed their Birma. (- how they did copy, I dont know. If they got the cats when she she was already adult and left the parents home, or if they had her and the cats in another parts of the house).
So, RB is a interesting try for someone mildly or medium allergic, but no sure thing.
The ancestry is interesting though. Sibirians ARE spread quite recently from the mainland Russia, in big part from Siberia, yes.
The beginning of the RB is also there, but it is in practice a myth (a myth which I had written myself as a series of short stories. ) The modern Russian blue were reconstructed shortly after the wwII. So it is very difficult to say what is old parentage from late 1800:ies, and what is entirely new groups of genes from 1945-55...
This is going along with the whole off topic hypoallergenic thing (sorry OP), but my mother-in-law had a pair of cats that were siblings that she got from a barn (polydactyl, and definitely nothing resembling a purebred cat), and they bred once (don't lecture me, this was my MILs deal, I was a teen LOL) and those 2 cats and 2 of the kittens remained her pets. My brother is quite allergic to cats, as is a friend of mine, and when either of them were over they said they couldn't even tell there was a cat in the house, let alone 4 of them. I assume there must have been genetics involved.
OP, I don't know about cat breeds, but your cat is adorable regardless of breed!
OP, I don't know about cat breeds, but your cat is adorable regardless of breed!
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And one thing in that link above:
However, she is gorgeous!
Suspect it's more likely I'll win the lottery I don't do than your cat has any genuine Siberian in her. Well over 90% of cats don't have any particular breed or breeds in their parentage.
However, she is gorgeous!
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I think even different moggies cause different amounts of allergic reaction with different people. My sister-in-law has three moggies and my mother-in-law (who is allergic to many animals, including cats) says she is only allergic to one of the three cats. I also read once that one of the sexes (I think it was female) tends to have less of the protein that causes the problem. All very interesting, I think.
