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One of our recent visitors who had decided to get a Siberian cat asked a very good question: what about the breed's temperament? Particularly from the perspective of someone who wasn't a breeder, but an owner (if one can own cats!). Well, as you can probably guess from my putting up this goofy web site, my experience thus far has been very pleasant. I didn't really know what to expect when we got Nina and Sasha, as I'd never had a cat - just lots of dogs and horses when I was growing up. These cats are not like dogs, but if you're looking for an animal that's tons of fun, enjoys being around humans (albeit on the cat's terms), and is great for some relaxing "kitty therapy," then a Siberian cat should be at the top of your list!
Nina and Sasha are very friendly and - once they got acclimated to their surroundings, which took a couple weeks (see Our First Siberian Cats) - are not timid fraidycats. As young kittens, they seem to bond more with whomever they're around the most (in our case it's my wife who works at home), but they have also developed a good relationship with the three human amigos in the family (myself and my two stepsons). I'm late to work every morning because Nina likes to have some purr time when I get out of the shower, and Sasha will start purring most of the time if you even look at him (although he's not so keen on sitting on our laps). Kitty therapy is one of my favorite parts of the day! The Siberian's personality is often quoted as being "dog-like," but I think that's a bit misleading: you have to remember that they're cats, the supreme species on the planet, and things are on their terms! Like with Nina: in the morning when I'm getting ready for work she'll sit in my lap and purr for as long as I would stay there (or until we were interrupted by Sasha pouncing); other times during the day she'll turn up her nose and walk away when I want to pet her. Sasha is a total purr machine, but he's not really a lap-cat (part of that is probably because I'm sure he gets hot with his thick coat - we'll see how he is in winter!). He loves getting petted, but there are other times when he's simply not interested. I guess the long and short of it is that Siberians can be very affectionate animals, but inside they're still the independent forest hunters that their ancestors (not too many generations removed!) were. And each of them has his/her own personality that you have to respect. But I think, especially if you're getting a kitten (and I would encourage you to consider getting two - I can't imagine just having one!), that you have a huge influence over how your kitty is socialized: give it lots of love and attention, and it will learn to return it to you. So, that's what I can tell you from personal experience thus far. Now, this reader had a peculiar situation: they had a dog and a bird that their new Siberian would be joining. As I told her, I'm only guessing here, so take this for what it may be worth (and if you have comments or suggestions, please post them through the link at the bottom of this page)! The Bird: I hate to say this, but I believe a domestic bird is future cat food unless it's in a really sturdy cage that your cat won't be able to knock over or otherwise get to. Siberians are from forest predator stock that was really only semi-domesticated up until a couple/few decades ago, and their hunting instinct seems to be extremely strong. They go nuts (Sasha does, at least - he's got a much stronger hunting instinct than Nina) over anything that moves: bugs, spiders, birds (outside, in our case), even reflections on the ceiling from the sun bouncing off my watch or laptop screen! So I'd recommend keeping your bird in a room that kitty can't get into, but your little furball will probably always be at that door listening to the bird...waiting... The Dog: I don't know. This might or might not work. Our breeder (Reigning Cats) had dogs, but I believe they were segregated from the cats. But I know that there are folks who own both species and in many cases they get along very well together. Unfortunately, the opposite is also true: when I was growing up our dogs - big Weimaraners who were champion field dogs - were veteran cat killers: cats were prey, and that was that. A particularly ferocious large male forest cat - Siberian, Maine Coon, or Norwegian - might have possibly given them pause, but I wouldn't have bet on it. But not all dogs are that way, and I've also seen where a cat - in this case an adult male Maine Coon - wasn't bothered in the least when he was introduced into a family of five West Highland White terriers, which are very feisty hunters known for their courage and tenacity. But when all five Westies tried to charge in and tear the Coon apart when he was first introduced, he hissed, bared his fangs, poofed out his fur, and terrified all five of his would-be assailants. After that was sorted out, they all got along famously. So, that's it in a nutshell. Everyone is going to have different experiences, and every cat has its own personality. But, speaking for myself, I'm very happy to have the blessing of a couple Siberian cats in our home, not least of all because I no longer have to chase down any crickets that get into the house! Discuss this article on the forums. (1 posts) |
