This is a nice picture of a Neva Masquerade. I believe that the cat was bred in Russia. Either that, or one of the Russian satellite countries. The photographer is LETO PHOTOGRAFIA. I am unsure but I think she is Russian and living in Russia. Please correct me if I am wrong.
All I know for certain is that this is a nice, well-taken photograph of a pointed Siberian cat. The cat fancy decided to give pointed Siberian cats a special name which is the Neva Masquerade. It seems to me that the Russians call this cat the ‘Nevsky Masquerade’. Fair enough. There’s a kind of Russian ring to that name.
THERE ARE MORE PAGES ON THE SIBERIAN CAT AT THE BASE OF THE PAGE.
This individual cat’s name is: Feofan Nevsky Modern. His date of birth is 17th of August 2021. His blood type is AA, if you’re interested 😉! He is, of course, a purebred, pedigreed cat registered as it happens with the CFA, an American cat registry and association.
So, what about this beautiful cat breed? This is a colourpoint cat or a pointed cat. They have blue eyes which is different to traditional Siberians which have green or yellow eyes. That must come from the Siamese (see below). As mentioned, they are Siberian cats in every respect except for the colourpoint coat.
As you might expect, they are a hybrid between the Siberian and the Siamese. In other words, they are the result of a cross between Siamese and Siberian cats in Russia in the 1980s.
The name originates in the Neva River near St Petersburg, Russia, a place known for masquerade parties. They decided that the black/grey colouring of the Neva Masquerade’s face resembles the masks worn by partygoers. I think that it is a nice name and the story is a nice one.
The Siberian cat is a large, strong, thick-coated cat with excellent musculature and physical condition. They are extremely agile and good at leaping. When the cat is still, their back is long and very slightly arched. Their hind legs are slightly longer than their forelegs.
Their history includes the story that they resided in Russian monasteries acting as guards watching out for intruders. The Russian monks cared for and treated them as pets.
The first Siberian cats were imported to the United States on June 28, 1990. I’m referring here to Siberian cats in general not the Neva Masquerade which is a Siberian cat with particular markings as mentioned.
The Siberian’s long, thick coat is similar to that of the Norwegian Forest Cat with a tight undercoat that thickens in cold weather. Russians describe this as “triple coated”. All the hairs are of equal length. The cat has a nice ruff which frames the beautiful face.
Their temperament is described as being “strong and independent requiring plenty of living space in which to roam”. They are not a lap cat but will form a “very special bond with people they love”. They are said to have a dog-like devotion to their human companion.
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