Have you finally decided to become a parent to a purebred Siberian kitten? That’s great news! You won’t regret that decision. Siberian cats make really wonderful pets and loyal companions. But how do you find a Siberian cat for sale near you? Well, you could look for one in rescue or look for some Siberian cat breeders online.
First of all, please check SPCA or other cat/animal shelters. Although there are a lot of Siberian cats for sale offered by catteries across the world, you also have a chance of saving a Siberian cat from rescue and giving them a second chance at having a great life.
That would not only be wonderful for the Siberian cat in question, but you also get a cat for as little as an adoption fee, and also get a whole lot of good karma points!
Visit your SPCA or other animal shelters. You can check their website or even call them to ask if they have a Siberian cat by any chance. Although it’s not very likely, as Siberian cats rarely end up in rescue, you never know for sure.
Another place to look for a Siberian cat for sale or adoption is your local Craigslist. Although this also doesn’t happen too often, sometimes people need to re-home their cat for one of the many possible reasons, and you may just find a Siberian kitty waiting to be re-homed.
Be very cautious, however, especially if the owner asks to send them any types of deposits or fees online. Don’t send any money to anyone until you meet the cat and make sure the owner is completely legitimate.
Although we sincerely hope no Siberian cats ever end up in rescues or offered through Craigslist, there is a small chance that you can find your kitty through one of these channels. If that doesn’t happen, your next step is to look for the breeders offering Siberian cats for sale in their catteries.
Finding a few good, reputable Siberian cat breeders is actually a task that can be somewhat more involved than you may think.
In the past few decades, Siberian cats have become more and more popular not only in the country of their origin (Russia) but all over the world. You can find breeders offering Siberian cats for sale in almost any country now. But how do you pick one to work with?
You can start by looking at our list of Siberian cat breeders by country/territory here to find a breeder that’s close to you. Maybe you even have one in your town! Don’t worry if there seems to be no one working with Siberians in the vicinity. Breeders can often ship cats via airplane or meet the new kitten owners halfway between where they are located and your home.
Try to find a few breeders that are located relatively close to you (in your state or province) and go from there.
When you have found a few Siberian cat breeders you might be interested in – how do you pick the right one? Here are a few important things to consider to ensure you are working with a conscientious breeder who will provide you with a healthy purebred Siberian kitten.
Your introduction to the breeder starts with your first visit to their website. Does their site look professional, easy to navigate and provides all the necessary information? Do their pictures look real? Do they provide their location and contact information on their website? All those are signs that the breeder is legitimate and real.
Communication between you and the breeder starts with their first response to your email or phone call. Do they sound friendly and respectable? Are they open and willing to talk to you, on the phone or via correspondence? Are they answering all of your questions and providing additional information? Do they sound like they care about their cats and kittens?
Other signs pay attention to:
One good sign that a breeder is responsible and really cares about their kittens and the potential new owners is when they ask you questions about yourself, your household, your schedule, other pets etc.
This means they care about where their kitten is going to live and whether you’ll be able to take proper care of them, as well as whether the kitten will be a good match for you.
This is a great sign of a conscientious breeder. In fact, you should be worried if they don’t ask you any questions. Definitely be worried if it feels as if the breeder is just trying to push you to buy the kitten or leave a deposit as soon as possible ahead of all the other matters.
In the breeder’s home
A breeder might (or might not) be open to you visiting their premises before purchase to get acquainted with the parents and the kittens. If you have such a chance, notice how the premises are kept. Is the part of the house where kittens are kept clean? Do the cats look like they have enough space and everything they need to thrive (food, water, toys, cat trees, scratch posts?)
If the place looks and feels unsanitary or dirty, it might tell you something about other things this breeder isn’t doing right. If the breeder refuses to let you visit them and the cats beforehand, it is best to move on to someone else.
Siberian kittens and their parents
When you are at the breeder’s place, spend some time with the kittens and their parents, or at least their mother. The kittens inherit a lot of personality traits from their mother, as well as most of their habits and manners.
If the parents are calm, confident and non-aggressive, it’s a good sign. Ideally, a breeding female would display excellent qualities common to the breed. Of course like any mother, the cat might be a little worried when a stranger is near her kittens. But she shouldn’t be hissing or growling or displaying any other signs of aggression.
Paperwork
Ask the breeder to show you their papers. It’s great if the breeder is a registered member of TICA (The International Cat Association). Siberian cat breeders who are members of TICA have to sign up for the TICA Code of Ethics which to a certain degree proves their good work ethics and good standing in the world of breeding.
With a TICA registered breeder, you are more likely to get a cat that was well-bread, without defects or genetic mutations, without any inherited diseases or negative character traits. Basically, you will be truly getting what you are paying for.
Age of kittens
Most Siberian kittens are ready to go to their new homes at twelve weeks of age. If the breeder is willing to give you your kitten before age of twelve weeks, go somewhere else. No kitten should be separated from their mother before the thirteenth week age.
Thirteen weeks is when they mature enough to be ready to live on their own, as well as finish learning everything they need to know from their mom. This includes eating, drinking, their bathroom habits, behaviour, relationships with humans and much more.
By the age of thirteen weeks, the kittens should be able to eat on their own, know their manners and can use the litter-box. No breeder would ever want to give any kitten away before that age as it can be detrimental for the kitten’s health and development, resulting in a very difficult cat to live with for a new owner.
Reputable Siberian cat breeders will have registration papers
When offering you a Siberian cat for sale, breeders have to have registration papers both for the kitten and its parents. If the breeder doesn’t have them or is unwilling to show them, it’s a red flag.
Kitten health
A reputable breeder will be able to guarantee that your Siberian kitten is in excellent health. This includes, as mentioned above, the absence of defects or inherited illnesses. Your kitten should also have done their first to the vet and the breeder should have a certificate proving all necessary vaccinations.
You should also check if the kittens look clean and healthy. Pay attention to such red flags as signs of diarrhea, stuffy noses or weepy red eyes or unusual discharge.
A breeder will always have a contract for you to sign with all pertaining information on your Siberian kitten and the conditions of sale. Be wary if the breeder does not offer a contract or tells you it’s not important. It very much is. It protects you, the breeder and the kitten, which is what most breeders are deeply concerned with, and should be!
Spaying/ Neutering your Siberian kitten
A good breeder will require you, in written form (usually within the contract that you sign at purchase), to spay/neuter your kitten at proper age (6 to 8 months old) and to never declaw your kitten!
Now that you know how to find a Siberian cat for sale in your region and how to pick a good Siberian cat breeder and avoid bad ones, you are all set to go. I hope you find your Siberian kitten soon.
Check out this list of reputable, TICA-registered Siberian cats breeders here.
