Long before cat shows existed, Siberians lived in the forests and villages of Russia. The Cat Fanciers' Association calls the Siberian "Russia's native forest cat" and says it first appeared in recorded history around the year 1000, in the harsh climate of Siberia.¹ The breed standard puts it simply: this is "a cat that nature designed to survive."¹
Built for winter
A traditional Siberian is medium to medium-large and strong, with "surprising heft for its size."¹ The look is soft and rounded rather than extreme. The head is a short, broad trapezium with a rounded muzzle.² The ears are medium, broad at the base, and set wide apart, and the eyes are large and slightly oval.² The tail is bushy and reaches to the shoulder blades.²
The coat is what people notice first. It has three layers, with a dense, soft undercoat beneath a firm, glossy, water-repellent top coat.¹ ² It's longest on the neck, chest, "trousers," and tail, and it changes with the seasons, getting fuller in winter and lighter in summer.² Many adults wear a full ruff around the neck.¹
Siberians also take their time growing up. CFA notes the breed can take as long as five years to fully mature.¹ We love watching that slow bloom.
The traditional colors
Siberians come in many beautiful colors, white and gray among them. We breed the traditional Siberian, in the colors of the natural Russian forest cat. The colors we work with:
- Brown tabby: warm brown with dark stripes, the classic forest look
- Golden: soft honey and apricot tones
- Smoke: dark on top with a pale undercoat that shows when the cat moves
- Black: deep and glossy
- Red and cream: warm ginger and soft cream tabbies
- Tortoiseshell: black and red woven together
Colors that came from other breeds, like chocolate and lilac, are excluded by the major registries (WCF, FIFe, TICA, and CFA).¹ ² ³ ⁴ Every Siberian family has its favorites. Ours is the traditional look.
About allergies
No cat is allergy-free. Please read our allergy note and visit us before you commit.
Come meet them
If a traditional Siberian sounds like the right companion for your home, we'd love to hear from you. Start with the waiting list.
Sources 1. CFA Siberian Show Standard (2024): https://cfa.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/siberian-standard.pdf 2. WCF Siberian standard (2022): https://wcf.de/pdf-en/breed/SIB_en_2022-02-24.pdf 3. FIFe SIB/NEM standard (2026): https://fifeweb.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/SIB-NEM.pdf 4. TICA Siberian (SB) Breed Standard, revised 05/01/2026 (effective May 1, 2026): https://tica.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/SIBERIAN.pdf