ForestWind Siberian Cats

Exercising a cat can be as easy as tying a toy to a fishing pole and waving it around, or flicking a laser pointer around the room and have the cat chase it. But, if you want to get a bit fancier with your play and exercise times together...

 Can a Siberian Cat Learn Agility?

Many Siberians enjoy learning Agility.  Yes, felines are naturally agile, but in this case "Agility" means enticing a cat to run through, around, over and under a series of obstacles in a course.

You can create a feline agility course at home by setting up a series of obstacles and balances in an open area of your home.

Using a favourite teaser, get your Siberian to begin chasing it. Then lead her up and onto, or over, the first obstacle. As she becomes proficient at chasing the teaser onto or over the obstacle, slowly add more steps to the chase. She will quickly understand to chase the teaser up and over, around, and under, various obstacles in the course.

Do Siberians play fetch?

You bet!  Through experience, learn which small, light toys your Siberian will elect to chase and bat about rather than pounce on and kick or bite.  Having determined this, be sure that there is enough 'give' in the toy for her to grasp in her mouth to carry. Then the fun begins! Throw the toy a small way from you. Then when she goes to it, shake or rattle another toy in your hand to get her to come back to you. It may take several days or a week for her to begin to get the hang of it.

While many pet training books urge the use of food treats as training devices, it is best to avoid them when possible. Instead, substitute healthy food that she would normally be getting as part of one of her meals. Use calorie replacement, so if you are offering freeze dried chicken puffs as a training tool, slightly reduce the amount of food offered at that meal. Be sure not to overly reduce the meal, and to also take into consideration the caloric effect of a lot of exercise.

Or …

“One of the best ways to get a cat to exercise is to get a kitten,” Dr. Graves, DMV says. “Kittens are a pain in the neck. I can’t tell you how many times an owner has a cat losing weight, and they come in, and we can’t figure out why. Then I find out they got a kitten four months ago and, well, that’s the reason. Cats do well in groups. They play more; they tend to eat better.”

ForestWind Diiana and ForestWind Daniil, December 7, 2011

by Dr. Becker

Cats present a special challenge for the humans who love them because most mask the pain when they are injured, ill or debilitated.

Cats also present a challenge to the veterinary community because there are a limited amount of medical options available for feline pain relief.

The "rest of the story" at-a-glance:  

<>Cats present a special challenge to owners and veterinarians because it’s often difficult to tell when a kitty is in pain. Also, there are a limited amount of pain killing drugs that are safe and effective for felines.

<>Just because your cat isn’t showing pain doesn’t mean he isn’t feeling pain, and that pain can often be severe. Pain is a serious medical problem, and it’s our job as pet owners to take action when we suspect our cat or dog is hurting.

<>Felines instinctively hide their pain as a survival strategy, so it’s important for cat owners to know and look for the subtle signs a kitty is in pain.


<> There are many causes of pain in cats, from injuries to arthritis to dental disease. Some causes are obvious – others are not. That’s why staying alert for behavior changes and other signs of pain is so important to your cat’s well-being.

<> Resolving the root cause of the pain and managing existing pain with a combination of medications and complimentary therapies are the treatment goals for cats who are hurting.

Get "The Rest of the Story," including helpful charts from Dr Becker, here.

This is gorgeous, available Elinora, silver classic with white She turned three months yesterady and is now ready to be adopted  

This is Evlyna, our blue silver classic girl. She is stunning, and also turned three months yesterday. She's ready to snuggle into your lap and purr then night away!

Unfortunately, we are no longer able to recommend Orijin foods. We have received notice from another breeder as well as a kitten family that their cats experienced signficant diarreah after feeding Orijin.

Here at ForestWind we have also experienced this with our last round of Orijin brand with both our dogs and cats. We thought "it is just us" but when we received the same information -- without mentioning Orjin or our experience with another breeder and one of our close pet moms, we knew it was more than coincidence. Pet Food companies have up to three months to notify the public of a recipe change. Also, the sources of their ingredients may be to fault without the company realizing it. Whichever it is, the diareah is too significant a symptom in our Siberians to take any chances with their health.

There doesn't appear to have been a receipe change, but this severe symtpom in three different geograhic areas in response to the same food tells us "Better Safe Than Sorry" and we are no longer using Orijin food for our Siberians or our dogs.

Reproduction in the Healthy Siberian

The average onset of puberty and sexual behavior in cats begins at about five to nine months of age.  Most, but not all, cats who are sexually mature, indicate this through changes in their behavior. Siberian cats, being much closer to nature, tend to come into maturity early.

The old fashion ideas about not desexing cats at a young age increase the likelihood of pregnancies, negative behaviors, and later breast and reproductive cancers. The "have a litter before they are spayed" school of thought has gone the way of the "It's perfectly safe for cats to wander around alone outside" theory.

Males demonstrate sexual maturity through territorial urine spraying, roaming, and aggressive behavior toward other males in their domain –this can even be cats that your Siberian sees outside the windows of your home.

These types of behavior begin to appear even before some of the physical characteristics related to sexual maturity develop. Tom cats often develop jowls (prominent cheeks) and a broad head. Unaltered males are more muscular and may develop a greasy patch of fur at the base of their tail in a condition called Stud Tail.

Female cats typically reach sexual maturity about the same age as males. Females can become pregnant at their first breeding, a fact that has caught many a pet owner by surprise.

Unlike dogs, there are no external physical signs of estrus (heat) in female cats; no bloody vaginal discharge and no swelling of the vulva. Female cats indicate that they are ready to be bred entirely through behaviors designed to attract and encourage males.

A female cat (Queen) beginning her estrous (heat cycle) becomes restless and vocal. She rubs her head affectionately against her owner or any upright object, marking these with the oily secretions on the relatively hairless areas below her ears on her forehead.

A sexually receptive queen will roll on the floor or tread with her hind feet if scratched at the base of her tail.When treading, the Queen alternately lifts her left and right rear feet in quick succession while raising her hind quarters in the air and crouching on her front legs. She might yowl a long, mournful, guttural cry and wander around the house or sit at the door. Many people are unfamiliar with these normal estrous behaviors and think their cat is ill or in pain.

At first the period of sexual receptivity is very short. If there is no successful mating, the hormones that induce this behavior will wane and for several days she will no longer seek out a male or act interested in mating. Eventually, the period of receptivity will last longer and she will go out of heat for only one or two days, only to quickly return to her estrous behaviors of crying, rolling, and treading.

Not all female cats will exhibit the prominent behavior associated with sexual receptivity, very young females in particular. Owners of these cats are likely to let the cat out the door as usual one morning and receive a surprise just over two months later. Hence, all female cats should be kept indoors and away from their male siblings until they have been spayed.

The early age of sexual maturity in the Siberian cat is one more reason that ForestWind Siberians practices early spay/neutering, and your kitten is safely desexed by our Veterinarian before going home with you.

Gum disease in cats is painful and can be avoided or minimized by feeding a healthy diet and by bushing your cat's teeth and gums several times a week (Ideally daily). We use a wet terry wash cloth to scrub the cat's teeth, as we find it easy to manipulate white holding the cat.

What does gum disease look like in cats? It has severe inflammation around the canines (pointy teeth) and premolars. Purebred cats with either Persian or Siamese ancestry are more likely to have this condition. Nevas (aka "Blue eyed Siberians) were developed by mating Siberians to Himalayans and Ragdolls to "improve their coats and color." Unfortunatley these cats also inherited the many diseases of these other breeds, not just the blue eyes!

What are the signs of this disease you may notice at home?

• ptyalis (drooling from too much saliva)
• halitosis,(bad breath) 
• Dysphagia (difficulties in swallowing)
• anorexia (won't eat or will only eat soft food),
• weight loss,
• scruffy hair coat.

Causes and Risk Factors - Actual cause unknown, bacterial, viral and immunologic etiologies are suspected.  Significant findings of feline coronavirus were found in one study. It is likely several factors, one of which is a weak immune system - often caused by too many generations of inbreeding by a breeder in order to "set show type" or breed a well selling color or size cat.

What is the Treatment?

Teeth Cleaning: First line therapy involves teeth cleaning above and below the gingiva as well as strict home care. Unfortunately, lack of permanent response to conventional oral hygiene, antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, and immunosupressives is typical and extraction is often needed.

Extractions, partial removal of bone,  and deep cleaning in more serious cases: Currently, the only treatment that will deliver consistent results of 70% cure without the use of follow up medications, are extractions of all the teeth distal to the canines. In addition to extraction, all quadrants are flapped and a bur is used to remove a trough of bone where the roots were, thus removing most of the keritinized gingiva, periodontal ligament and periradicular alveolar bone.

In some cases all teeth must be removed if there is no improvement after partial removal. You want to be sure you are working with a feline dental specialist as the exact steps and techniques to ensure that all of the keratanized gingivitis and all pieces of tooth are completely removed. Postoperative application of fluocinonide 0.05% (Lidex Gel) to the gingival margin helps in the healing process.

Drugs:  There are many drugs that your Veterinarian may prescribe. It is diffuclt to medicate cats so consider asking your vet to have the medication compounded. This adds a flavour palatable to your Siberian making pilling or liquid medicating a bit easier.You may need to bring the name and contact information of a compounding pharmacy to your Vet. Not all Vets commonly have meds compounded. Here is a link:

Link to a compounding pharmacy.

The high rate of disease in cat breeds developed from Persians, Himalyans, and Siamese is one of the reasons ForestWind Siberians spend so much time, effort, and money to locate and import  pure Siberian lines for breeding. Making this even more challenging is the need to locate low COI (cats who are not inbred) lines. However, avoiding Siberians who were outcrossed to develop a fluffy show type cat results in healthier kittens and long lived pets for you.

Pet your Siberian cat to fight depression?

Therapists have been known to prescribe a pet as a way of dealing with and recovering from depression. No one loves you more unconditionally than your pet. And a pet will listen to you talk for as long as you want to talk. Petting a cat or dog has a calming effect. And taking care of a pet -- walking with it, grooming it, playing with it -- takes you out of yourself and helps you feel better about the way you spend your time.

Cats are diagnosed with Feline Idiopathic Cystitis (FIC) when they have one or more of the typical symptoms of lower urinary tract disease:

• urinating outside of the litter box,
• straining to urinate,
• painful urination,
• producing only small amounts of sometimes discolored urine,
• and/or frequent attempts to urinate

and other potential causes have been ruled out. 55 - 60 % of cats with these symptoms are eventually diagnosed with FIC.

One of the biggest difficulties in treating FIC is that we don’t really know what causes it.  Risk factors are:

• stress and obesity
  
• viral infections,
• immune dysfunction,
• deficient glycosaminoglycan layer protecting the inside of the bladder,
  
• abnormally permeable bladder wall.

Treatment recommendations are all aimed at one or more of these potential causes.

I. Stress Relief and Environmental Enrichment

Research shows cats with FIC tend to have a neurohormone imbalance, making them especially sensitive to environmental stress. So while all cats benefit from environmental enrichment, it is an essential part of treating cats with FIC.

A. How to treat boredom in your cat?

• play with your cat a total of at least 20 minutes a day (can be broken into separate playtimes) ,
• regularly rotate the toys that are available (we suggest having a canister of catnip to bury toys in on rotation. keeping the catnip smell fresh entices kitty to play),
• routinely buy or make new toys,
• keep several different types of scratching posts available (we suggest at least the following: Sisal wrapped tall pole on your climber; a ultimate cat scratcher separate sturdy standing sisal scratcher; and a cardboard scratcher on the floor. Typically we've used the flat refills from the Alpine brand, lately we've added the wavy ones. More expensive but they like to lounge on them!).
  
• place a comfy perch near a window (even better if it is safely protected and you can safely open it).

B. Reduce stress between pets.

• Feed in several locations;
• Offer litter boxes in several locations;
• different climbers and resting spots through out the house,
• try feliway spray and feliway diffuser
• separate them at night so that they know they are "safe" from the other pets and won't be disturbed - this means a closed door.
  

II. Litter Boxes

A. Clean Litter Boxes

• Dirty litter boxes are another common source of stress, so keep them scrupulously clean.

B. Open Litter Boxes.

• Do not use closed boxes. Open litter boxes smell better to your cat and are less cramped than those that are covered.
  

C. Provide multiple litter boxes

• at least one more than the number of cats in the house
• in mutliple locations to spread the waste around and prevent conflicts around elimination sites.
•  

III. Dietary Changes and Water Consumption

A. Eating wet food helps cats with FIC.

• Increasing the fluid amount in you cats' foods is a simple and effective way to increase a cat’s water consumption.
• Raw feeding or adding chicken stock to food is an easy way to increase your cat's hydration.
  
• Cats that are well-hydrated produce dilute urine, which is less irritating and "washes away" inflammation from the bladder wall.
• Dilute urine is also beneficial if your cat has been diagnosed with urinary crystals or stones.
  

An ideal treatment protocol would completely eliminate a cat’s symptoms for the rest of her life — and this may occur in some cases — but if you and your veterinarian come up with a plan that is not too difficult to follow, and dramatically reduces the intensity and frequency of flare-ups, you’ve made major strides in improving your cat’s quality of life. Hopefully, future research will come up with both a cause and a cure for the frustrating condition that is FIC.

Your Siberian cat is a healthy weight if...

• Ribs are easily felt (Siberians are solid, well muscled cats and should NOT have visible ribs. Ribs can be felt under a healthy and flexible coat, and beneath a strong layer of muscle).

• Tucked abdomen — no sagging stomach. Many Siberians have a "pouched" belly. This is NOT a sign of being over weight. An overweight Siberian's stomach will be "full" and extended. A "pouch" droops slightly, allowing for gorging if food is plentiful.

• Waist thinner than chest when viewed from above (Siberians tend to be evenly weighted throughout their tosos. This pet weight measurement is more relevant to canines. Be sure to be aware of this so that your Vet doesn't inadvertently tell you your healthy Siberian is "fat."

On the other hand... you know your Siberian is overweight when...

• It’s *very* difficult to feel ribs under fat

• Protruding stomach: Stomach feels "Stuffed" all the time.

• Wide back side to side.

• No waist (remember - waist is much more minimal in the Siberian cat than in the Maine Coon or Siamese).

Why Would a Siberian Cat become overweight?

> Lack of exercise

> Overeating due to boredom

> Poor quality foods

> Too many commercial treats.

When talking about food related weight issues in felines,  Dr Louise Murry, DMV shares that "Cats are different, they become overweight not from treats, but because their diet is too high in carbohydrates. Cats are nature’s pure carnivores,” she says. “They were never meant to eat carbohydrates. Their bodies are not designed to handle them at all. Unfortunately, a lot of the cat foods on the market are high in carbs, especially dry foods. It’s easy for us to leave a bowl out all day, but then they’re snacking on carbohydrates all day.”