Are Siberian cats friendly?
Have you always wanted to own a cat that’s going to be your best pal and not going to hide under the bed every time you enter the room? Even though cats can be quite independent, you cannot go wrong with a Siberian cat when it comes to friendliness and affection.
Even though every individual cat is different, Siberian cats as a breed are very friendly and out-going. They are not the solitary, aloof type of cats that avoid the company of people or only enjoy it in small amounts. Siberian cats thrive in company, especially that of their favourite humans. Siberian cats are friendly, happy, intelligent, inquisitive, and would make excellent companions for just about anyone.
Siberian cats have a lot of dog-like traits that other cats don’t – one of which is their friendliness and a desire to stay close to their owners at all times. If you or your partner always wanted a dog, but live in a smaller apartment or can’t get one for any other reason – the Siberian cat could be a great alternative.
Siberians make truly great companions- devoted, loyal and always ready to be by your side. They will not annoy you by their presence, however, and will leave you alone if they feel like that’s what you want. They just like to stay close and are always up for doing something together – such as playing, chatting or sleeping on your lap.
Siberian cats are very inquisitive and love games. They will be excited about any game you can come up with. These cats especially like anything that reminds them of hunting, such as chasing things, running after a ball, etc. They can be taught to fetch things.
Siberians can also be taught tricks, although some individuals are too independent for that. You can teach your Siberian cat to retrieve objects, to find hidden objects, to sit, and heel, and to understand the word no (although that one will probably be easily learned by your cat just living with you).
To teach your Siberian cat tricks, use small food rewards every time they follow your command. Be careful not to over-do on treats containing artificial ingredients or carbohydrates, those are not good for cats in any amount, and if you do too much, they may lead your cat to become obese. Other than that, teaching your cat tricks will bring you and your cat hours of entertainment and will make you even closer.
Going back to Siberian cat’s dog-like character, you can also teach them to walk on a leash. Walking a cat is not for everyone, but if you want to do it, it could also give your cat lost of fun and entertainment and a glimpse of fresh air and outdoors now and again. Not every cat would happily take to walking on a leash right away, and the general rule of thumb is that you need to start them young, as kittens.
One note here: do not use a collar. Any collar, even the one that says it’s break-out (meaning if anything happens, you cat can wiggle its way out of the collar). Normal, non-break out collars are dangerous in that, if your cat ever happens to run away and snag the collar on anything, it can choke itself.
The break-out collars are only a little better in that the cat actually has a chance to break out, but the way those collars are designed isn’t really that safe and it’s definitely not guaranteed your cat will be able to break out. It’s best not to risk it. Also, if your cat ever dashes away and pulls on the collar, the pressure on its neck can hurt it.
Instead of a collar, use a cat harness. Those are much more safe for cats and don’t put all the pressure on their necks, spreading it all over their body instead.
Before taking your cat outside, or even before putting the harness and leash on, show your kitten the leash and the harness inside. Let them smell it and play with it. Cats are curious and cautious when they see new objects. Let your cat get used to these things. Then put the harness and the collar on your cat, before you go outside, and let them walk in the harness for a little while inside.
They might not like it right away and will most likely try to escape or fight the harness and collar. Don’t let them do it for too long so they don’t develop a strong dislike for the objects, and take them outside.
Out in the big world, there will be many more new objects and things for your Siberian to be fascinated with and they will likely forget all about the harness and the collar, exploring the great new world. Be sure to hold on to the leash: your cat might get spooked or overly excited about something and start running away from you. Siberian cats are superior hunters and have very strong prey drive.
They will run after anything that seems interesting to them, so be aware and prepared. Also, don’t take your cat outside without proper anti-flee medication, and don’t let them eat anything off the ground to reduce the risks of infection or parasite.
If you can avoid the risks associated with taking your cat outside, both you and your kitty will find your walks very enjoyable and a great time spent together!
If you want a really friendly Siberian cat, try to pick a male kitten. Although a cat’s character really varies between individual cats, males are generally more friendly, happy, easy-going and like company.
Females tend to be a little more reserved, cautious, independent, sometimes moody. A female cat will not always be happy to be around you, or being picked up, and may prefer to spend more time on her own, busy with her own life. It’s almost like females have their own agenda in life, in which you might find yourself not quite in the center but on the periphery of her priorities.
Males, on the other hand, will see you as the center of their lives, and everything in their life will revolve around you. They will always be up for your company, fun, and games and whatever you come up with.
Not to say that females are completely aloof or too independent. Compared to other cat breeds even a female Siberian would probably be more social and loving than a male of another breed. You will love your female Siberian cat just as much as you would love your male, regardless of these slight differences.
Also, these gender differences seem to be somewhat mitigated if your animal is spayed or neutered. A neutered animal doesn’t display as much gender-related behavior as an intact one. Since you will most likely have a spayed/neutered cat, the difference might really be not that big. However, do keep it in mind when choosing a kitten.
Siberian cats make truly wonderful pets, friendly, loyal and affectionate. Some Siberians are more like lap cats that will stick to you like glue and stay at your feet or on your lap for most of the day. Others will be more independent, but still friendly and loving, and always up for some time together. It’s really hard to find a friendlier and more charming breed of cats than Siberians!
If you would like to read more about Siberian cat personality, check out this article.
