The Siberian Forest Cat: Russia's National Long-Haired Treasure

The Siberian Forest Cat is Russia's oldest and most iconic cat breed, with a lineage said to stretch back more than a thousand years. Its most striking feature is a thick, water-resistant triple coat that can survive Siberian winters of -30°C. Strong and large — up to nine kilograms — it is also remarkably agile. The breed has another delightful trait: it produces less of the Fel d1 protein that triggers most cat allergies, making it a relatively 'hypoallergenic' cat. Officially recognized by international feline registries in the 1990s, the Siberian has since found homes around the world. Russia has even used it in national imagery — in one ad, a Siberian cat walks slowly across the snow with the frozen surface of Lake Baikal behind it.