The Siberian is a landrace variety of domestic cat, present in Russia for centuries,[3] and more recently developed as a formal breed, with standards promulgated since the late 1980s.[4] A longer name of the formal breed is Siberian Forest Cat,[1] but it is usually referred to as the Siberian or the Siberian cat.[3] Another name for the formal breed is the Moscow Semi-Longhair.[2][clarification needed] The cat is an ancient breed that is now believed to be ancestral to all modern long-haired cats.[3] The cat has similarities with the Norwegian Forest Cat, to which it is likely closely related.[3] It is a natural breed of Siberia and the national cat of Russia.[citation needed] While it began as a landrace, it is selectively bred and pedigreed today in at least seven major cat fancier and breeder organisations. The colorpoint variant of the breed is called the Neva Masquerade by some registries, including Feline Federation Europe (FFE).
There are claims that it is hypoallergenic and produces less Fel d1 than other cat breeds.
