Why Siberians?

The fascinating history of the Neva Masquerade breed of cats is a testament to the ingenuity and passion of Russian cat breeders in the 1980s. The name “Neva Masquerade” is derived from the fact that these cats were first bred along the banks of the Neva River, which flows through the city of St. Petersburg in Russia. The area around the Neva River was famous for its masquerade parties, which were a popular form of entertainment among the aristocracy during the 18th and 19th centuries. The cats’ black and gray facial coloring is reminiscent of the masks worn by attendees of these glamorous events.

The Neva Masquerade cat certainly attracts attention, it has a  long, thick fur with a crown and ear tufts, a muscular body and bushy tail. It gives Neva Masquerade the appearance of a mini wildcat. Siberian Neva Masquerade is a color-point cat, which means they have a lighter body with darker points on their face, ears, paws, and tail. Their fur can come in various colors, including white, blue, and red. The “cold” parts of the cat’s body (ears, tip of tail, legs and face) are in the cat’s base color, whilst the rest of the body appears lighter in color. Neva Masquerades  eyes are always blue, thanks to the albino Siamese gene. They also lack the enzyme tyrosinase, which produces melanin resulting in their white body fur, they always have ears and face color points. Neva Masquerades possesses a rare beauty with a different coat pattern. Apart from its coloration, the Neva Masquerade does not differ from the Siberian cat. As the point variation on the breed, these medium-sized cats weigh up to 9 kg. Siberian cats are late developers and are only fully grown once they reach three years in age. Siberian cat, the Neva Masquerade has a round head with a curved forehead, big eyes and wide, medium-sized ears. Their coat is quite easy to maintain, with weekly combing usually keeping it in good condition. Care needs to be taken during the molting season as they can shed considerably, and can mat if not groomed regularly during this time.