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Conference misery::feline

Title:Meower Power - Where Differing Opinions are Respected
Notice:purrrrr...
Moderator:JULIET::CORDES_JA
Created:Wed Nov 13 1991
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:1079
Total number of notes:28858

109.0. "Anyone heard of the "SIBERIAN"??" by DELNI::JMCDONOUGH () Mon Dec 30 1991 11:15

     
      I saw a piece on a cat show that was held in Dorchester over the
    weekend....and the "Talk-of-the-Show" was a cat that I'd never heard of
    before, but if I ever have the opportunity to get one I'll JUMP at the
    chance!!
    
      The breed name was  the Siberian.... If you can picture a pale-brown
    tabby face, with shorthair type fur, stripes on all four legs and the
    tail, but with a body that was spotted like an ocelot...then this is a
    fair description of the cat I saw....
    
      According to the people who have this guy, he's a real loveable and
    cuddly cat, very laid-back personality...and well it is that he has
    such a personality...for the most striking characteristic of this cat
    is that he's average for the breed and weighs FORTY POUNDS!!!!
    
    
       John McD
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109.1Wow!BOOVX1::MANDILEChampagne tastes, beer budgetMon Dec 30 1991 11:533
    Now, that's MY kind of cat!
    
    
109.2SiberianNITMOI::OTOOLEMon Dec 30 1991 12:457
    John,
    
    I saw that one on the morning news last week.  I believe they said that
    it was a part of the BOB-CAT family.  
    
    Cindy
    
109.3A REAL "Attack cat"!!!DELNI::JMCDONOUGHTue Dec 31 1991 09:2617
        I read up a little on this...seems that the name does fit, since
    the origin was Siberian wild cats that were domesticated hundreds of
    years ago. However, they are fairly new in the U.S., and probably cost
    an arm and a leg. I understand they do have certification with one or
    more of the certifiers of breeds, but ain't sure which ones have done
    so yet. The small amount of info that I've been able to find so far
    stated that all semblences of wildness and/or viciousness has long
    since been bred down, so they do make superb house pets. Guess that
    would be good, since I know what a little 5 pound girl can do with
    those claws 'n teeth just PLAYING with me....can you imagine what a 40
    pounder could do?? "Gee...I was only playing...sorry that I removed
    your arm....."
    
      I guess you could legitimately put up a "Guard Cat" sign if you had 
    a few of these cats, huh??
    
      JM
109.4ThunderKitty2183::GILLETTAnd you may ask yourself, 'How do I work this?'Tue Dec 31 1991 12:2511
Geez...40 pounds - now that's a REAL ThunderKittie.

Wonder how much these guys eat?  I also wonder how well
they would get along with other cats, given that they
would have most common kitties outweighed something
like 5 to 1.

Nevertheless, this sounds like the kind of cat I want
to own!

/chris
109.5A neat looking cat..DELNI::JMCDONOUGHTue Dec 31 1991 13:188
       Yeah...and the neat thing about these cats is that they are truely a
    DOMESTIC cat---not a wild animal like the Ocelot and some of the othre
    'exotic' pets.  I've always loved the LOOKS of the Ocelot, but would
    never have the heart to keep one penned up... But the Siberian is very
    content and happy to be a 'couch-potatoe'. According to the piece I
    read, the one that was shown had a buddy that was a dog...
    
    JM
109.6hmmmmmm...SOLVIT::IVESTue Dec 31 1991 13:198
    John, are you sure this kitty meowed instead of Barking?
    
    Sounds like a wonderful cat for those of us who like BIG animals,
    (former owner of 5 Saint Bernards.)
    
    Keep us posted on any more info you find.
    
    Barbara
109.7More info on these beautiesPOCUS::DRAKEFri Jan 03 1992 15:3035
    John,
    
    When I first saw your note on the Siberian, I went through some back
    issues of Cat Companion (a Friskies publication).  Each issue features
    a different breed, and in March/April 1991, they had an article about
    the Siberia Cat.  It discussed the first Siberia Cats to be imported to
    the U.S.--three arrived on June 28, 1990.  I'm not sure these are the
    same as the one you saw on TV because they have tabby markings and no
    spots (a couple of beautiful pictures are included in the article), but
    the article states that Soviet breeders say that a male Siberia Cat can
    grow as large as 45 pounds; the cats keep growing for up to five years. 
    Kotofei, the leading cat club in Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) has
    been "meticulous about breeding true Siberia Cats from domestic stock;
    no cats are imported to add or detract from the original lineage."
    
    They resemble Maine Coons and Norwegian Forest Cats in many ways.
    The following description is given in Cat Companion:
    
    "According to the Kotofei standard for the breed, the Siberia Cat
    should be 'large, massive, muscled and very strong.'  The head is
    large, broad and rounded, with distinctive cheekbones, full cheeks and
    a massive chin.  The medium-length neck is thick and muscled; the body
    is large, muscled, heavy, compact, moderately long--with thick and stong
    boning; the legs are thick, muscled and of medium length.  Even the
    rounded paws are strong and large.
    
    "The tail should be 'thick, dense and bushy'....Soviet breeders 'want
    the wild look, and like strength and size.'"
    
    I'll send you a copy of the article when I get back to the office on
    Monday.  It's a shame you'll only have xerox copies of the photos,
    though.  If anyone else wants a copy of the article, send me mail.
    
    Chris 
    
109.8Sounds right on..DELNI::JMCDONOUGHMon Jan 06 1992 09:0115
      Re .7
       Sound's like the right one allright... This cat initially DID look
    like a true tabby, with the stripes etc, but when the animal was truned
    sideways was when the spots were evident. It may be that there are
    various marking patterns in the breed, as there are in many of the
    other breeds. About the best comparison I can think of is the "Ocicat"
    markings on the body of this particular one.
    
       What impressed me about this big guy was that he was so docile.
    Yeah, he LOOKED wild, but he was one of those "rubber cats" when he was
    handled....and he surely was not 'drugged' or anything....had a very
    alert look in his eyes, but jsut flopped over the arms of the person he
    was being held by...
    
       JM
109.9Hoo boy - I hope he doesn't spray!A1VAX::BARTHBridge-o-matic does it again!Tue Jan 07 1992 14:026
Hmmmm....what are the LITTERBOX consequences of owning a moose-sized cat?
Probably only have to change the box, what, two or three times a day?

:^)

K.
109.10Howard Huge..??SOLVIT::IVESWed Jan 08 1992 10:5110
    I own a moose sized cat also. Mr. Miyagi is huge but we have a 1 huge
    litter box (and two smaller ones. 3 cats in total) and use Tidy Cat
    MC. This litter is not dusty and absorbes really well and does not
    smell. One of our cats is indoor outdoor and this cuts down on the
    litter box use somewhat.
    
    I change the boxes every week and scoop every day. Himmies are
    very fussy about their boxes and the kind of litter.
    
    Barbara & her 3M's
109.11sounds wonderful, but..FORTSC::WILDEwhy am I not yet a dragon?Tue Jan 14 1992 19:148
I WANT one of these guys to keep Sadie-the-dog company....8^}..

No, seriously, these sound wonderful, but I'm afraid my Dilly-girl would
be REALLY outclassed - being just shy of 7 pounds in weight.  Oh well, she
has Sadie under control, she should be able to train a Siberian to do her
bidding as well....

			Dreaming of even more cats!!!!
109.12COASTL::NDCPutiput Scottish Folds DTN:297-2313Mon Jan 20 1992 18:585
    Well, size has never stopped Bonnie from making her opinions known.
    She's about 5 lbs and thinks nothing of sitting up on her haunches
    and bapping 17 lb Bob across the face. 
      N
    
109.13WISDOM::TAYLORYou're worth your weight in M&M's!Wed Mar 04 1992 11:318
Well, it looks like I MAY be seeing a Siberian some time soon.  Possibly this
weekend.  They're petitioning to be accepted in CFF as an experemental breed.

Not sure how I feel about this.  I don't know a whole lot about their background
and this IS a wild cat, even if it has been "domesticated".  I'm a bit
aprehensive.

Holly
109.14BOOVX1::MANDILEFeeds for all your pet's needs!Wed Mar 04 1992 11:426
    Holly-
    
    If they have any info/literature/where to get one, could
    you pick it up for me?
    
    Lynne
109.15still curious about this one...LMOPST::BEASTY::WIKOFF_TIt is the Adventurers who accomplish great things.Thu Apr 15 1993 18:255
Did anyone ever get to see one at a show (or even buy one)???
Any more news on possible availability of these guys on the east cost?

-Tanya
(a long lost reader back from maternity leave (I had a baby girl - Rachel!))
109.16AYRPLN::TAYLORPMS + a gun, any questions?Tue Apr 20 1993 16:447
    Tanya,
    
    There is a Siberian breeder in Maine.  Her name is Linda Gray.  I'll
    have to see if I can find a number for you.
    
    Holly
    
109.17PENUTS::SEMYONOVTue Apr 20 1993 17:007
    
    Indeed. When I got my Siberian (a long time ago, back in Moscow) as 
    a present from relatives who lived in Siberia, my understanding was 
    that he's literary a half wild animal. A huge, average-length haired, 
    not very friendly beast with the most beautiful face I've ever seen, 
    the colouring and contours of stripes, specs and all were absolutely 
    symmetrical.