Most breeds of cats now sharing our homes, have experienced some level domestication; however, we should better refer to the Siberian breed as being tamed. The Siberian Forest Cat is a direct descendant of wild cats, possibly the Snow Leopard, Manul aka Tallas’s Cat, lynxes, or potentially an unknown now extinct breed. They have endured the harsh conditions of Siberia for a thousand years and have thrived through natural selection and their more recent co-inhabitation with Humans. There is a distinction between a “tamed” animal and a “domesticated” animal. To be specific, domestication is process whereas certain desirable traits are selected in a species for breeding over generations (eugenics), and on a specific population. Taming is done to a specific animal in specific controlled conditions. Taming is best achieved with kittens. Responsible Siberian Cat Breeders spend much time interacting with and socializing kittens from the day their eyes open. Most other domestic house cats can no longer survive through its natural hunting skills, but can survive on human handouts and human waste, as a scavenger. Siberian cats adapt extremely well and still possess their natural hunting skills. They move into our homes, win over the respect and affection of their human room mates, and dictate their desires with expression, chirps, purrs, head butts, and body language. Many owners of Siberians claim they have an extra-sensory connection with their beloved feline companion. Previously I dismissed these claims as simply a deep emotional bond, but have been recently inspired by an increased number of reputable cat owners reports of amazing incidents.
Domestic cats development is different from the development of domestic dogs. Dog breeds have a long history of refinement, and selection for specific work, such as herding, retrieving, and hunting. Today, most designer breeds, mixed breeds, and pure breeds descend from crosses between different original canine breeds. Wild cats were originally tamed to provide rodent control for human settlements. Cat breeds were more recently developed from these tamed, random-breeding cat populations. Modern Cat breeds were selected more for their appearance rather than performance. The Siberian cat is different, it is the result of nature and not that of human selection. It is a survivor with great abilities. Those that know and love the Siberian cat are dedicated to maintaining the Traditional Siberian Cat just as nature has provided. They are an ancient breed, very strong and hardy, thought to be the ancestor of all long coat domestic cats. Now that we can experience the amazing characteristics of the Siberian Cats in our homes, we can also share in a new understanding and harmony with Nature.