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Siberian Cat Personality. The King of the Forest
Siberians are great companions
Dog-like personality of Siberian cats
Siberians are highly intelligent cats
Siberian cats are great with kids
The ancestor of today’s Siberian cat, also known as Siberian Forest cat, was the wild cat that inhabited the woods of Russian Siberia. Siberia is a frigid region in the North of the country, famous for its long, cold winters.
Siberian cat’s personality definitely reflects this cat’s motherland. You can see it in their physical appearance (large body, strong, muscular paws, bushy tail and thick, long coat protecting them from the weather).
They also have a unique temperament characterised by calm demeanour, intelligence and devotion to the owner. It’s hard to find a cat with a more affectionate personality than a Siberian cat.
At a first glance, the Siberian cat may seem quite strong-willed and almost a little “snobbish”. Their royal looks and calm, reserved demeanor might give you that impression. But that’s far from the truth. Don’t let the looks deceive you.
While Siberian cats are fairly independent and definitely strong-willed, they are also incredibly friendly and affectionate. These cats love spending time with their people. It is not an aloof or solitary breed.
Siberian cats are great companion cats: loyal, highly intelligent and well-attuned to their surroundings, and particularly their owner’s mood. You won’t find a cat breed that’s more willing to share their life with humans than a Siberian cat.
Siberians will happily participate in everything you do on a daily basis. They will always be interested in you. If you get a Siberian cat, you will never feel lonely again.
A Siberian will meet you at the door when you come from work, will be eager to share your bed if allowed and will help you around the kitchen, especially if it earns them a treat. However, they are delicate enough to also happily leave you alone if they feel like that’s what you prefer at the moment. Those are all great traits of Siberian cat character that you will find very pleasant to live with.
“I love how easygoing he is. Sometimes it seems that his paws never touch the ground because my kids are always carrying him everywhere. He never scratches, only meows occasionally to complain. I also love how deep and rumbly his purr is. All I have to do is tell him “what a good boy!” and he rolls onto his back and starts purring.” Read more
Speaking of Siberian cat personality, people often mention how much these cats are like dogs. Siberians have a very “dog-like” personality in terms of their loyalty, obedience and desire to please the owner. (You won’t find that in other cats…) Most of the time they like being obedient and are very cooperative! You can easily teach your Siberian the house rules and they will (for the most part) be happy to follow them.
They understand when you don’t want them to do something or be in a certain area of the house, and will try to make you happy. That makes them a great pet to live with. Of course, they are still cats, and quite playful at that, so some mischievous behavior is to be expected.
Siberians have a great sense of humor and are natural comedians. You’ll notice you laugh out loud way more often than you ever used to before adopting your Siberian cat.
Siberians are really, really smart cats. They can even learn tricks if you are devoted enough to spend some time training them. They will sit, and shake paw, and roll, and some even like playing fetch. Training your cat is a great way to establish and strengthen bonds with it and to have fun together!
Siberian cat personality is very well suited to living with children. If you need a nanny for your kids, think of adopting a Siberian cat! 😉 They really are great with children. Siberians are virtually non-aggressive and very patient. They will love to entertain your kids (and themselves). They can easily tolerate some rough play when it occurs, and are always interested in what the little people are up to while you are busy doing chores or working. Despite their size and royal demeanor, Siberian cats can be very playful and highly energetic.
Siberian cats are only moderately vocal in that they won’t annoy you with their meowing for prolonged periods of time, but they aren’t silent. They like chatting with their owners now and again, some more than others. However, your house will not be full of yowling. That’s not their style. Siberians will often express themselves through unique chirping and chortling sounds, telling you about their adventures at the end of the day. They also tend to purr quite a bit and quite loudly!
Do you work a lot and worried if your schedule would work well with having a cat? A fairly independent cat, the Siberian will do just fine staying home alone while you are at work, and can be trusted not to wreak havoc or spoil your personal possessions. They do like hiding little things, however, especially the ones they like to play with. So you might find that some things disappear – such as a spare set of keys, or your sock. It will probably be returned in a little while.
Of course, if you are away from home for days at a time, you should find your Siberian cat a cat sitter or someone who can visit them daily to change their food and water and provide a bit of interaction. Or you could also take your Siberian on a trip with you!
Siberian cats do really well when they have a lot of interaction with other pets and humans on a daily basis. A social and friendly breed, Siberians thrive in multiple pet households. They will be a great playmate for a dog or another cat, providing each other with daily entertainment. Being somewhat bossy your Siberian will probably be at the lead of the pack.
You do, however, have to be careful with Siberians living next to small animals such as hamsters, birds or rats. Descendants of wild forest cat, Siberian have superior hunting skills and a very strong prey drive. A smaller animal might not be safe in presence of your Siberian cat.
“I would recommend a Siberian to anyone who wants a cat to be part of their family like a dog. They are incredibly affectionate and they need attention. Leaving them alone for an extended time isn’t a good idea. I know of many Siberian owners who have other pets to keep them company.” Read more
Siberians do well living indoors, but if you want to let them outside, they are definitely equipped to manage the great outdoors. Their thick, dense coat will protect them from the cold. Their superb hunting skills could also provide them with some freshly caught nutrition. (Although you might not want to picture that!)
Whether you want your cat to spend time outside or not is up to you. It is certainly entertaining for the cat, but be aware that they can potentially get a disease from other animals, or even potentially get hurt. There is also traffic to consider, as well as ticks, fleas and other parasites. Larger animals could also be a threat to your cat. (Although frankly speaking Siberians are very street-smart and can intimidate even a larger animal.)
All in all, we would recommend keeping your Siberian indoors, even though they would probably vote otherwise. If you do let them outside, do make sure they have all their shots!
Want to know even more about Siberians? Here is the Animal Planet video about Siberian cats.
Thinking of adopting a Siberian cat or kitten? Siberian cat personality is really something unique. This wonderful, friendly, well-mannered, whimsical and loyal cat will make a great addition to your family. Just be careful – in a few years you might end up owning more than one. As they say, Siberian cats are like poatato chips – you can’t have just one.
