3 breeders are on record here.
Large, powerful cat with long triple coat and strong build. Russia's national cat adapted to harsh Siberian climate.
Ancient natural breed that developed in Russia's harsh Siberian forests. Considered Russia's national cat. Known for potentially hypoallergenic qualities due to lower Fel d 1 protein levels.
Generally described as curious, intelligent, loyal, sweet, agile, playful, affectionate and adventurous.
That is the breed in general, not a promise about one animal. Ask the breeder what their own line is like, and meet the parents before you decide.
Breed reference from The Cat API.
Drawn from sources, not opinion: The Cat API; UC Davis VGL — PKD1 test; FIFe breed standard. An empty column means we hold nothing for that side, not that there is nothing to say.
The Siberian standard is published by the FIFe (Fédération Internationale Féline), the international federation of pedigree-cat clubs, and it is what show judges apply. This section sums up what it says about coat and colour. It does not assess any one animal: use it to know what to ask the breeder.
Summer coat is distinctly shorter than the winter coat.
The winter coat shows a well-developed shirtfront, full frill and knickerbockers.
Permissible
Shortened from FIFe standard SIB — each label is the standard’s own wording with the verdict lifted into the tag beside it. Read the full clause at source. FIFe lists this standard’s last modification as 01.07.2026. Text read on 31 Aug 2026.
A tick means FIFe recognises that colour in at least one variety with that pattern. It does not mean every combination is recognised.
| Colour | Solid | Tabby | Smoke | Silver | Golden | Corin | With white |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black | Accepted | Accepted | Accepted | Accepted | Accepted | Accepted | Accepted |
| Blue | Accepted | Accepted | Accepted | Accepted | Accepted | Accepted | Accepted |
| Red | Accepted | Accepted | Accepted | Accepted | Accepted | Not accepted | Accepted |
| Cream | Accepted | Accepted | Accepted | Accepted | Accepted | Not accepted | Accepted |
| Black tortie | Accepted | Accepted | Accepted | Accepted | Accepted | Accepted | Accepted |
| Blue tortie | Accepted | Accepted | Accepted | Accepted | Accepted | Accepted | Accepted |
| White | Accepted | Not accepted | Not accepted | Not accepted | Not accepted | Not accepted | Not accepted |
Read from the table at the end of the FIFe standard. Smoke, silver, golden and corin are FIFe’s own names; the exact EMS codes and the eye colours are in the standard.
The colour varieties FIFe recognises for this breed are listed, with their EMS codes, in the table at the end of its standard. FIFe describes each colour group in the General Part of its standards.
The colours and patterns the standard admits, and what it prefers, discourages or disqualifies in each. An accepted colour says nothing about health. Quotations from the FIFe are in English, as the standard publishes them; the headings are ours.
Known hereditary risks for the Siberian breed, and the specific documentation to request from any breeder before paying a deposit. A responsible breeder will have these readily available; deflection is a red flag.
3 conditions documentedThis is breed-level literature, not veterinary advice about an individual animal — your vet knows the animal.
Health checklist (PDF)Documented in this breed, but no source says how many of its dogs carry or have them. That is a gap in the evidence, not a sign they are rare.
Breed-level information from The Cat API. It describes the Siberian in general; any individual animal can differ.
A thickening of the heart muscle that can lead to heart failure, blood clots or sudden death, and is the most common heart disease in cats generally. HCM is specifically documented in Siberians, but — unlike Maine Coon and Ragdoll — no causative mutation has been confirmed in this breed, so a DNA result cannot stand in for a cardiac exam.
What to ask for
A recent echocardiogram report from a veterinary cardiologist for both parents. No DNA test exists for HCM in this breed
A thickening of the heart muscle that can lead to heart failure, blood clots or sudden death, and is the most common heart disease in cats generally. HCM is specifically documented in Siberians, but — unlike Maine Coon and Ragdoll — no causative mutation has been confirmed in this breed, so a DNA result cannot stand in for a cardiac exam.
What to ask for
A recent echocardiogram report from a veterinary cardiologist for both parents. No DNA test exists for HCM in this breed
Found in roughly one in a hundred to one in twenty of the breed's dogs screened.
An inherited kidney disease in which fluid-filled cysts form in both kidneys, often visible before 12 months old, and enlarge over the cat's life until they cause renal failure, usually later on. UC Davis names Siberian specifically as an appropriate breed for this test, alongside Devon Rex and the Persian-derived breeds where the mutation originated. How common the PKD1 mutation is depends on where the cats come from: a Japanese screen found it in 13 of 233 Siberian kittens, about one in eighteen, but a 2022 screen of over 11,000 cats found it in only 1 of 559 Siberians. The test also misses some Siberian PKD: a pointed Siberian (Neva Masquerade) with cysts on ultrasound tested clear for PKD1 and carried a different mutation, in PKD2, and other Siberians with PKD carried neither.
What to ask for
PKD1 DNA test on both parents, showing an N/N (clear) result, plus a renal ultrasound from a veterinary specialist, since the DNA test does not detect every form of PKD in this breed
An inherited haemolytic anaemia in which red blood cells break down early, causing intermittent lethargy, weakness, jaundice and weight loss; onset age and severity both vary and cannot be predicted from the genotype alone. UC Davis found the mutation at meaningful frequency in Siberians specifically, not just as a generic domestic-cat finding. In a 2012 study 17 of 377 Siberians carried it (one with two copies), about one in twenty-two, and a 2022 screen of over 11,000 cats found 9 of 558, about one in sixty.
What to ask for
PK deficiency DNA test on both parents, showing an N/N (clear) result
An inherited kidney disease in which fluid-filled cysts form in both kidneys, often visible before 12 months old, and enlarge over the cat's life until they cause renal failure, usually later on. UC Davis names Siberian specifically as an appropriate breed for this test, alongside Devon Rex and the Persian-derived breeds where the mutation originated. How common the PKD1 mutation is depends on where the cats come from: a Japanese screen found it in 13 of 233 Siberian kittens, about one in eighteen, but a 2022 screen of over 11,000 cats found it in only 1 of 559 Siberians. The test also misses some Siberian PKD: a pointed Siberian (Neva Masquerade) with cysts on ultrasound tested clear for PKD1 and carried a different mutation, in PKD2, and other Siberians with PKD carried neither.
What to ask for
PKD1 DNA test on both parents, showing an N/N (clear) result, plus a renal ultrasound from a veterinary specialist, since the DNA test does not detect every form of PKD in this breed
An inherited haemolytic anaemia in which red blood cells break down early, causing intermittent lethargy, weakness, jaundice and weight loss; onset age and severity both vary and cannot be predicted from the genotype alone. UC Davis found the mutation at meaningful frequency in Siberians specifically, not just as a generic domestic-cat finding. In a 2012 study 17 of 377 Siberians carried it (one with two copies), about one in twenty-two, and a 2022 screen of over 11,000 cats found 9 of 558, about one in sixty.
What to ask for
PK deficiency DNA test on both parents, showing an N/N (clear) result
