Cattery of Siberian Cats
About the breed
The Siberian, including the Neva Masquerade, has been formally bred and recognized in Russia since 1987. Since that date they have obtained world recognition and their popularity grows with every year. At cat shows all over the world, the Siberian is drawing a lot of attention.
They are big, brawny cats with powerful paws, blue eyes and a beautiful coat. The paws, tail and ears are dark and there is a dark mask on the muzzle. Breeding of these magnificient cats started in Saint Petersburg (Russia) which stands on the Neva River. That is how the Neva Masquerades got their name - both from the mask on their face and in honour of the Neva river.
Neva masquerade cats do not need a lot of grooming. A good combing once a week will keep their fur sleek and tangle free. They are very healthy cats - having inherited the Siberian’s natural strong, good health. They are quiet, proud and very clever animals. With their gentle, loving devotion, Siberians are well suited to family live. They have a special affinity to the younger generation and will usually spend their days with the children of the family.
One more often sees a seal tabby point (ivory colour to the body with mask, paws and tail in a dark brown strip). It is rare to see a seal point (mask, paws, ears and a tail with a continuous brown colour). There are other variations - blue tabby point and blue point (the same only in a grey colouring with the coat a colder shade of ivory). Rarer still are red tabby points and red points (coat usually white and with marks of red colour). In our cattery " Iz Odissei " cats of all colors get divorced.
Siberian breed standard
Head: Head short and broad with low set wide cheek
bones, rounded muzzle and chin, forehead slightly curved, gently rounded
contours and slightly curved profile. Nose of even width from bridge
to nose leather.
Eyes: Large, slightly oval shaped with rounded lower line, set slightly oblique and wide apart. Eye color to be uniform and harmonizing with coat color. Any shade from yellow/gold to green is accepted. In whites and vans the eye color may also be blue or odd-eyed. In pointed cats the eye color is blue on principle, the deeper the blue the better.
Ears: Medium-large, wide at base with slightly rounded tips. Set wide apart and tilted slightly forward.
Body: Medium sized to large cat, well-muscled and heavily built. Neck short and substantial, legs also muscular and of medium length; feet big, compact, round and well tufted. Tail as long as to reach the shoulder blade, slightly tapering, furnished bushy.
Tail: medium length, thicker at the base, slightly tapering to the tip.
Coat: medium long. Guard hairs are solid, glossy. On the flanks fur is softer, lightly-lying, very dense. Undercoat is double, but its grade of expressiveness depends on season The decorative coat is long, dense, in the way of the back of the neck, complete ruff and frill. Fluffy "britches" and the tail excellently trimmed with fur. During fading season the decorative coat is too scare. "Agouty" and "tabby" colors have a coat texture which is more typical.
Colors: The pointed variety is named Neva Masquerade. Chocolate and cinnamon and the according diluted colors (lilac and fawn) are not accepted in any pattern combinations (solid, bi-color, tri-color, tabby), either in the Neva Masquerade or in the Siberian. Burmese pattern is also not accepted.
Click on the sketch to see the full version of the image:
color:
seal-point
color:
seal-tabby-point
color:
seal-torty-tabby-point
color:
blue-point
color:
blue-tabby-point
color:
seal-smouk-point
color:
seal-silver-tabby-point whis white
color:
red-tabby-point