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While working toward the Shorthair judging program, Iris bred two litters of Orientals, including GC/GP Silverlock's Thai Juan On, a blue Oriental Longhair who was CFA's 3rd Best of Breed in 2001-2002. He was also a Junior Showmanship cat shown by Sarah Peralta of Lexington, MA, and is now living in happy retirement with Sarah's grandmother Marion in Lynn, MA.
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Other shorthairs shown as Silverlock cats include GP/RW Placercats Paul Bunyan, a silver tabby American Shorthair,
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CH Vagary Maxaquin of Katskans, a black and white Manx,
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and CH Dendereh's J. Crew of Clarion, a ruddy Abyssinian who managed to produce a rare "Abygora" during his stay in Massachusetts.
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And then there is Denali. . .
"I was walking down Silver Persian Row at the 2005 Madison Square Garden cat show when I fell madly, head over heels in love with a fabulous silver kitten. Imagine my reaction when his breeder, Tracy Smith, asked if I would like to help show him in Premiership! He is now GP Simbakui Denali of Silverlock, and a purrmanent fixture in my house, where he is being spoiled rotten."
-- Iris
Click here to visit Denali's breeder Tracy Smith of Sambakui
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Hypoallergenic? Maybe.
Friendly, mellow and affectionate? That's fur sure!!!!
Although still relatively new to the U.S., Siberians have been popular in their native land and Europe for many years. This medium-to-large cat is best known for three things: its unusually thick, dense coat, its gentle and easygoing purrsonality, and the possibility that it may be a good choice for cat lovers who have allergies.
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Coat Type:
One of the most unique attributes of the Siberian is what the CFA standard calls a “triple coat.†This essentially means that in addition to the guard hairs and awn hairs most cats possess, these cats also have a dense, downy undercoat that helps protect them from the worst of the Russian winter. The coat is heaviest near the chest and shoulders, with a full ruff under the chin. While this coat type needs more grooming than the easy-care Turkish Angora, Siberians are not the major challenge that some other longhair breeds represent. Two or three thorough combings a week are all that you need to keep the coat in shape and reduce shedding.
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Head, Body, and Structure:
There is nothing extreme or angular about Siberians. Their head and body structure are characterized by soft, gentle curves, yet they project an impression of immense strength and substance. Bodies and legs are medium in length, as is the tail. They are heavy boned and very muscular. Slow to mature, they aren’t considered fully grown until 5 years old.
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Personality:
The Siberian is as intelligent as the Turkish Angora – perhaps more so – but is nowhere near as “busy†or outgoing. They are mellow, rather sedate cats, more likely to be found in your lap than chasing a toy around the living room. A Siberian will politely ask for your attention, but rarely demands it. When given your attention, they revel in it, purring loudly as you stroke their luxurious coats and snuggling next to you in bed. This doesn’t mean they aren’t playful, just that they don’t crave toys and make up private games with them as some of the more active breeds do!
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What about the allergy issue?
It has been scientifically proven that the concentration of Fel d 1 (a protein found in saliva and skin secretions) tends to be lower in Siberians than in the average mixed-breed cat. Since most people who have cat allergies react to Fel d 1, this has made Siberians extremely popular as “hypoallergenic†cats. Some Siberian breeders test every cat and breed selectively to achieve even lower levels of Fel d 1. We are new to the breed and aren’t yet able to do this; instead, we encourage you to arrange a visit to see what type of reaction you may have. Allergies can often be managed by bathing your cat and we can help you learn to do this as well.
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