Behind its stocky and muscular appearance, the Siberian cat is actually a big ball of soft and affectionate cat full of hair. It is an intelligent cat, lively and very attached to his master who makes him an ideal companion.
The Siberian is a cat who is used to jumping, running and hunting for his own needs. Therefore, it adapts very little to a single life indoors. Having a secure garden is ideal for Siberians, which allows them to climb and scratch as they wish on larger or smaller trees and to roam preferably in the bushes to hunt mice or birds.
The long coat of the Siberian can easily get tangled and tied because of its abundant and dense undercoat. Especially in winter and during moulting, Siberian cats need a little more attention from their master to care for their coat. It is recommended that they get used to the comb and cat brush at an early age and brush their hair every two or three days to remove excess hair and untangle healthy hair.
When the good weather arrives, the Siberian loses much of its coat. By giving him catnip for example, the elimination of hairballs will be facilitated. In principle, during the summer season, the Siberian takes care of his coat, which is shorter and thinner. You can supplement the diet of your cat with malt paste and catnip to facilitate the rejection of swallowed hair when it is washed.
Related article: Winter Fur
It is not only outdoor cats who enjoy regular grooming sessions with the use of brushes or combs. The cat brush is also used to remove small fragments of leaves or plants that are attached to the cat’s coat, it will also allow them to get used to the long care of the winter days.
In addition to this particular care, a balanced diet is essential so that your Neva Masquerade kitten can enjoy a long active and healthy life. As a carnivore, he needs a diet rich in healthy protein and low in carbohydrates. A visit to the veterinarian will shed light on possible health problems and enlighten you on the necessary care or on an appropriate diet for your cat.
Siberian cat’s diet
The Siberian cat’s diet must be high in protein and low in fat and low in carbohydrates. In addition to commercially available high quality croquettes, it is advisable to occasionally offer raw foods such as meat, offal, eggs or fish to Siberian cats. Check out this article for more information on healthy food, and what to not feed your cat with.
Suggested article: Do Siberian Cats And Neva Masquerade Spray?
Estimating The Cost and Maintenance of a Siberian Cat
You will commit to taking care, all your life, of a kitten and a Siberian cat. This kitten will need you, your caring attention, your affection, to become a healthy adult cat.
You will need to invest in some items needed or useful at first. Here is a list (not exhaustive) that can help you build the starting kit. The budget of preparation to the arrival of your kitten can therefore be around 150 €, to which it will be necessary to add the sterilization.
Subsequently, the maintenance of your cat will induce regular fees. It is recalled that a cat lives on average 12 years in good conditions and without incidents, so this budget is brought to be engaged every year of the life of your cat.
1) The essential equipment
You will find below the average price of the material necessary for a cat taking as reference of the material in a basic range:
- The cage of transport of the cat: 30 euros
This purchase is essential for any transport to the vet, to keep your cat, to go to friends, to go on vacation with your pet. It can be a box or a bag, knowing that the airlines require a box and that personally I also advise a rigid box for the transport of your animal.
An adult Siberian cat cannot be satisfied with the smallest model, it needs at least the size “M” or “II” for a female and even a little big for a male. A box of medium size is recommended.
- The litter box: 8 euros
Your cat absolutely needs a litter to do his needs. The disadvantage of an unclosed tank is that the cat, who loves to scratch the pebbles, sand or crystals of his litter, puts a lot outside! It is better to invest in a closed litter box (with a roof).
- The litter house: 20 euros
The cat scratches at will and the litter stays inside. Plus, you do not have to bear the odours of litter. More pleasant in an apartment where the litter is not in the sight of everyone. It must be large enough for the cat, adult, to be able to stand in without discomfort. It is better to use only closed bins.
- Litter: 1 euro up to 5 euros (for silica)
The bag is 1 euro and the litter is to change 3 times a week. A bag can suffice for the 3 changes. There are more expensive beddings, it all depends on the budget you want to spend. Silica is ideal, a bag, a cat, a month! Absorbs odours and captures allergens! Indispensable I would say in apartment, even more if you are allergic! Be aware that your cat’s litter requires regular maintenance, if possible daily. We use silica (distributor brand) but also sand (clumping litter) of good quality.
- Litter shovel: 2 euros
You can regularly remove the dung with this shovel but it will not dispense you to change the litter.
Don’t forget to play and activate your cat! Here are some great entertainment tips by Petfinder.
- Cat food: 1 to 4 euros per day
It is not easy to estimate the annual cost of maintenance of an adult cat and especially the share of the food budget. The latter depends in fact on several elements:
- the size of the animal;
- its physiological status (whole or sterilized cat)
- but also and especially of the type of food chosen: industrial food vs. household food, croquettes vs. wet foods, mixed feeding, premium feeding vs economic feeding.
As an example, for an entire cat of about 5kg, it is necessary to count:
- from 100 to 450 € / year in dry feed (croquettes);
or
- 250 to 1250 € / year in wet feed;
or
- 450 € / year in household food.
On average, there are 50 to 60g of kibble per day and per adult cat, which represents between 1.5 kg and 2 kg of dry food per month. I’d advise you to choose good quality croquettes (Royal Canin, Virbac, ProPlan, Hill’s, etc.). They are certainly more expensive than the croquettes available in the supermarket, but they cause less kidney problems, and a quick calculation will convince you that avoiding veterinary fees is worth the extra cost that these brands impose.
- Bowls (food and drink) from 5 to 10 €.
They must be in neutral material, washable: it is advisable to avoid plastics or metal; the ceramic or the glass are suitable, to choose in a rather shallow form allowing the cat to eat / drink comfortably.
About the drink, the cat is an animal that drinks naturally little, but whose kidneys are sensitive: it is advisable to encourage your cat to drink regularly. A water fountain (30 €) is strongly recommended. Whether the water is presented in a bowl or fountain, it must be clean, ideally changed every day.
If you live in a region where the tap water is very calcareous, prefer bottled water or filtered water. This will prevent the formation of small crystals in their kidneys or bladder.
Related article: See what tools we recommend.
2) Accessories
- The cat tree: 30 euros to 400 €
It allows your cat to scratch his own object and it will greatly avoid that it attacks the leather sofa or the furniture maintained with beeswax! It’s a must! Our kittens are used to using them. Moreover, they like to climb! To make one’s claws is an instinctive need, whatever the cat! It is also possible to make one with rope (sisal) around a piece of wood.
Prices vary according to the size of the structure and the quality of the materials.
- The scratching post: 10 euros
These are cardboard or carpet scratchers. You can make it yourself with a corded piece of carpet that you will fix on a wall. Indeed, the cat prefers to make his claws “vertically”.
- The toys: from 3 euros and more
The game is fundamental for the cat but a simple ball of crumpled paper can enchant it.
- A brush (a card or a Furminator): from 10 to 50 €
It is very useful for the cats with half-long hairs which must be brushed every week. Depending on the type of fur of your cat, they can cost between 10 and 50 €. I’d recommend a Furminator size S (40 €), very effective during moulting and adapted to the fur of Siberians.
3) Health Costs
Health is a very important part of the budget you spend on your cat, and you cannot escape it if you want to keep your cat healthy. The prevention is very important: it will deworm, vaccinate. An annual visit at least to the veterinarian is needed when all is well. This is usually the case for a Siberian cat.
- Castration: 80 euros
It is mandatory for a male to avoid urinary marking in apartment and fights if he has the opportunity to go out.
- Sterilization: 160 euros
It is recommended for a female to avoid heat if she is in apartment and pregnancy if she has the opportunity to go out. Not to mention the discomfort of ceaseless meowing and the risk of pyrometer (uterine infection linked to repeated heat).
Some tips for spending less?
For care, there are clinics with lower rates and or veterinary schools. There is also insurance (mutual type) that cover veterinary fees. (Ask your veterinarian for information.)
Here’s a really nice Raise-A-Cat guide from wikiHow for some extra knowledge.
Another important point: Securing your home
Before the arrival of your kitten, windows and balconies must be secured, either by a safety net, or by any other means suitable to the situation. Be careful about green plants: a list of poisonous plants is available on the internet, please take the time to check if the plants in your home do not pose any danger to your cat. This security depends on the situation and is not quantifiable. Household or dangerous products must be out of reach of your cat.
Some of our foods / drugs are toxic to the cat; the best known are onions, chocolate and especially paracetamol. Consult your veterinarian before giving a medicine from human medicine to your cat.
Protect electrical cables by placing them out of reach of your cat, do not let your cat play with the power cords.
Check out this article from International Cat Care about making your home cat friendly.
Separated from his mother, brothers and sisters, your kitten may feel frightened once you arrive home. In order to make the most of his change of scenery, it is essential to prepare his arrival in his new family.
Plan the arrival of your kitten on weekends. It is a period of calm during which family members are generally more available to care for him. The discovery of its new environment must take place very gradually and gently. Let him meet new family members and potential peers already present in your home.
Finally,
stop your enthusiasm and that of the children, act gently and without shouting. Avoid passing from hand to hand. Raised in a too noisy or agitated atmosphere, your kitten could become a shy and fearful adult. We must find the right balance and play with him to socialize.
Neva Breeder:
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