What is a Siberian Forest Cat?!
Siberian cats are beautiful, have long hair and strong features - as you can see from their photos and research you can find on the internet.
Aside from their stunning features, Siberians have amazing personalities. Some are more lap-cats and some are more adventurous - some are shy and some are the center of attention. However, they all tend to be very loving and friendly. You can even teach your Siberian tricks! Juniper taught me how to fetch (lol) and Jilly will bring me toys (she hasn't mastered fetching yet).
What drew me to the Siberian is not only the above, but they are known to be hypoallergenic due to the lower Fel d1 protein, which is what most allergy sufferers react to. My family members do not react to our cats/kittens, but please know that this is not the case with everyone. If you or your loved one has mild allergies, you/they will probably tolerate the Siberian very well! If you/they have moderate to severe allergies, I recommend testing your allergies and spending additional testing time with the kitten you choose before taking him/her home. It is very hard on kitten and on you if they have to be rehomed. Severe allergies would look like hives or asthmatic symptoms. In this case, it is not worth the chance to try to build an immunity.
More about allergies
Studies have shown that 80% of people with cat allergies have little or no reaction to the Siberian breed. The people that fall in the 20% range that do have an allergic reaction are usually those with severe allergies to cats and those with complications to asthma. The Siberian Cat produces lower levels of Fel D1 and, therefore, may provoke less allergic reactions than most other cats. Therefore, they can have hypo-allergenic qualities. It is possible that you may have some reaction when you take your kitten home. You may be able to build up your immunity. We also have some tips to help manage, should you continue to have reactions.
There is no way of definitive testing to know if your allergies will tolerate a Siberian Cat. The only way to know whether your system will tolerate a Siberians is to spend some time in a home which has an adult Siberian. If you wish to come to our home to visit our Siberians, please email us to schedule a visit.