Siberian Cat Colours Ultimate Guide I The Discerning Cat

The first known reference to Siberian cats is from 1000 AD. These beautiful cats originated in the cold weather climate of Russia. Traditionally they roamed in the wild forests of Siberia. That is why they are now referred to as forest cats.

The Siberian is one of the 3 breeds of forest cats. They are also one of the oldest cat breeds that are “natural” or were not human developed by crossing with other breeds.

This lack of cross-breeding plus their past in Russia means that they are generally robust and healthy cats who tend to experience minimal health problems.

Those harsh Siberian winters also result in this breed developing a long, waterproof fur coat. Indeed, unlike many other cat breeds Siberians tend to quite like water.

Siberians are powerful cats whose hindquarters tend to be longer than their front paws, allowing them to jump very high. They tend to take around five years to reach full maturity, at which point most will be medium to large sized cats — particularly the males. However, their eventual large size is offset by their gentle nature.

This adventurous and affectionate cat breed also comes in a wide range of colors — up to 200. Here is my guide to Siberian cat colors to help you find the perfect Siberian cat pet for you.

⇒ Don’t miss my guide to buying Cat Walking products, the 7 Best Escape Proof Cat Harness options and the Best Carrier for Cats.

Siberian Cat Colors: What are the Choices?

Siberian cats come in all types of color combinations. Their colors and patterns can be deep and dramatic. The most common colors include orange, gray, black, blue and white.

Siberians are allowed to have any amount of white to add flash to their base colors.Tabby Siberians have white chins, which can appear to extend to their throats and chests in the lighter colors, but these are not technically white markings.

There are three major types of Siberian cat colors. The first, and most common, is tabby. The second is full color or Selfs . The third is the Neva Masquarade or Color pointed. This is both a pattern type and a color type.

And remember, the color of Siberian cats can change over time. This tends to take the form of fading or of markings becoming less distinct.

⇒ For everything you need to know about taking care of your finicky feline check out my guide to How to Groom a Cat, the Best Cat Brush, Caring for Cats guide and my quick cat check up guide.

1. Tabbies

Brown or Black Tabbies

These are possibly the most classic tabby colors for Siberian cats. These tabbies are mostly various shades of brown rather than having much black but they can be referred to as black tabbies.

Siberian tabbies can come in virtually any shade of brown from pale gold to dark chocolate brown. These cats also tend to have more of a wild/forest natural look.

Silver Tabbies

There is a large range of options when it comes to silver tabbies. Most silver Siberian cats are black or black-silver or brown. These cats have black tips on mostly white fur which gives a shimmery effect. These silvers can vary from a very dark chocolate brown to a very pale shade of brown.

All silver tabbies have a white fur undercoat. The “color” only occurs further down their fur which gives the silvery effect. There are also red silvers, blue silvers and cream silvers.

Golden Tabbies

As there is silver there are also golden tabbies. These Siberian cats tend to be less common. They tend to be a brighter shade of gold and black paws. Some brown tabbies can appear quite golden in color.

⇒ For all things fun with your kitty check out my guides to clothing for cats, the best toys for cats, great gifts for cats and my annual cat planner for kitty photo opportunities across the year.

2. Solids or “Selfs”

A solid or “self” Siberian cat has no pattern showing — just a solid color. All Siberian cats have a tabby pattern genetically but sometimes it is overlaid by a solid color so it will appear to be just one flat color.

When the silver gene is added to solids the color becomes a smoke. The most common solid colors are black, blue, red and white.

3. White or Bicolor

These Siberian cats will have some areas of white on their coat. Those white areas could be anywhere but are often on their chests or paws. Bicolor means your cat’s coat is mostly white.

⇒ Check out my guides to the best treats for cats, high-calorie cat food, high fiber cat food, low protein cat food, best food for cats with ibd, best cat foods for older cats that vomit, best food for constipated cats, best kitten dry food and a complete cat feeding guide wet and dry food.

Siberian Cat Patterns

Siberian cats come in multiple patterns. These vary from the classic blotched style pattern to striped mackerel to a mix of stripes and spots to shaded tabby patterns. Siberian cats also come in solid colors — like our own black Siberian cat Alexei.

Another pattern option is the “Neva Masquerade” as mentioned above. These Siberian cats only have color on their faces, legs and tails. Their body will be pale and they also have blue eyes.

If the silver gene is present your Siberian may be shaded or its color may become smoky.

⇒ Check out my guides to the Best Cat Products and the Best Cat Litter

Siberian Cat Eyes

Siberian eye colors range from green to copper. All kittens have blue eyes but only the Neva Masquerade style will have blue eyes upon maturity. The eyes tend to be slightly oval and set quite widely apart. Some Siberian cats even have different colored eyes.

In Summary: Siberian Cat Colors

As you can see, Siberian cats come in a wide range of colors and patterns. My siberian cat, Alexei, is a solid and black. However, his underbelly is more smoke and apparently his coat may change over time to become more chocolate brown. Now that I have him I don’t care what color he is as I love him so much!

No matter what color your Siberian cat is they will most likely be an affectionate and loving pet.

⇒ About to become a fur parent? Check out my Complete Guide to How to Look After a Kitten.

Please Note: This post contains affiliate links. That means if you click through on most of the links and end up making a purchase I will receive a small commission. This will not effect the price that you pay. I wanted to make sure that you were aware of this.

Like this Post? Why Not Pin It?

Originally published at https://thediscerningcat.com on August 31, 2020.