About us
LAVALIER CATTERY
True Siberian Cats
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Siberian cats hypoallergenic or non-allergenic?
Are your cats free from Feline Leukemia (FelV) & Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV)?
Are your kittens socialized and friendly?
Will I need to sign any contracts or purchase agreements?
What transport methods do you use for transporting kittens/cats?
Are your cats purebreds or are they mixed breeds?
What is the procedure for choosing a kitten?
Can I adopt a kitten if he is in an early age (not 12 weeks old)?
Can I adopt a kitten that has not been spayed/neutered?
Can we visit your cattery before making any decision?
Are Siberian cats hypoallergenic or non-allergenic?
Siberians are hypoallergenic, what does it mean? All felines produce protein: Fel d1 in their saliva. The purpose for this is unknown, but it is confirmed that it triggers allergenic reactions like IgG or IgE. Some research has proven that the Siberian breed has a very low level of Fel d1 in their saliva. This way, people that have an allergy to most cats, haven’t had an allergic reaction to Siberians or had a very small allergic reaction. This way, it’s impossible to guarantee if there will be an allergic reaction or not. Most people with cat allergies have said that Siberian cats were the only breed that they rose at home, and didn’t have allergic reactions with.
Could you guarantee that I won’t have an allergic reaction to Siberians? How could I test if I’m allergic?
Nobody can give a complete guarantee to that. Allergies are different for everyone. A person could have a different allergic reaction than others. Therefore it would be a good idea to test if you’re allergic before buying a cat. Most breeders recommend visiting a friend or a breeder that have Siberian cats at home to test if you’re allergic. Some breeders recommend sending samples of cat fur via mail to confirm if you have an allergy. We reccomend visiting us personally, because testing your allergy on any other Siberian cats does not guarantee that you are not allergic to our cats, and vice versa, if you are not allergic to our cats, it does not make you immune to all other Siberian cats. Some seriously allergic people said that they could live with Siberians after their first allergic reaction settles.
Are your cats free from Feline Leukemia (FelV) & Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV)?
Yes, all our cats were tested on FelV and FIV and all kittens that we send are guaranteed to be free of FelV and FIV.
Are your kittens socialized and friendly?
A cat’s personality is individual to each cat. Some cats can be lap cats, while some cannot. Regardless, all our cats are raised indoors with love and affection. All their life they have been next to their mothers and loving people. We have a big family composed of friendly adults and children. Also in our family we have other pets so they’re not used to just people. As soon as kittens leave their nests, they are free to roam in our house and socialize with everyone. From their birth, they get used to busy household sounds and common human talk and children’s play.
Will I need to sign any contracts or purchase agreements?
Yes, absolutely. Our kittens are sold with a health guarantee. We provide a healthy kitten, but we require certain conditions from the purchaser like: A loving environment, a non-abusing home, and a safe shelter. All the details are listed in the purchase agreement.
What transport methods do you use for transporting kittens/cats?
Obviously the best and less stressful method is just picking up the kitten from our cattery. Nevertheless, we can organize a shipping transfer by air cargo to your most convenient pick-up location. Please be advised, that all shipping and transfer charges are extra.
Are your cats purebreds or are they mixed breeds?
Our cattery owns only purebred Siberian cats. We do NOT participate in crossbreeding and do not mix with Siberian cats with other breeds. All our cats own a pedigree and happen to be the offspring of famous ancestors that showed awesome results on cat shows.
What is the procedure for choosing a kitten?
Firstly, you can choose a kitten via photos taken when they are newborn, 2-3 weeks old, and, 3-4 weeks old. We also respect the people who make their choice by visiting us, and choosing their favorite kitten by personality. To those who want to visit the kittens, we begin to show them after they become 4 weeks old. Before that, we keep the kittens with their mothers at all times for health reasons. After 4 weeks people can see the personalities of the kittens. This is also when the kittens first start communicating with people. Both of these methods allow you to choose the perfect kitten for you, no matter how far away you are.
Can I adopt a kitten if he is in an early age (not 12 weeks old)?
Sorry, no. The reason for this is so they can spend enough time with their mother, and develop proper behavior. Also this time is needed for them to receive the proper vaccinations and visits to the vets if needed. By 12 weeks, we spay/neuter them and after that, they need 1-2 weeks for recovery. The recovery time depends individually on each kitten.
Can I adopt a kitten that has not been spayed/neutered?
Also no. We are a cattery that participates in the TICA “Responsible Breeder Program”. Since we are responsible breeders and prize our reputation, we are against the uncontrolled reproduction of cats. The only Lavalier cats that will not get spayed/neutered, are the ones who will participate in breeding programs.
We will supply a bag of food that was fed to the kitten before shipping so the kitten can get used to the new household. In the long run, you can consult with a veterinarian to see what food is right for your kitten, depending on where the kitten will be raised. Remember that good food will make your kitten look good, and keep it at optimum health.
Cats do not depend on common bathing, but they require good combing at least once a week. During shedding time, when they replace their fur, we recommend brushing them at least twice a week.
We highly recommend having a good scratch pad so your cats can enjoy scratching the scratch pad, not your furniture and clothing. Scratching is part of their natural behavior; it helps them improve the strength of their claws and paws.
Can we visit your cattery before making any decision?
Yes you can. All the visits are strictly by appointments. You have to pay $50 visiting fee before your visit. This fee is not refundable, however, if you decide to purchase a kitten from our cattery you'll be given a discount of $50 from the final price.
About siberians
According to some data, the ancestors of the Siberian cat appeared in Russia, close to the end of the 10th century. They were given as presents from the Byzantine monks, to children of Russian kings. After some time, they managed to get outside, and eventually bred with the already existing breed of Russian forest cats. Since then, the Siberian cat showed up in traditional Russian folklore. The first official mention of the Siberian cat was made in the 16th century, and by that time, they were discovered all over Russia. Sadly revolutions, wars, and economic and political instability, almost made the breed go extinct in the European part of Russia.
Breeding Siberian cats was first emphasized in the 80’s in Moscow and St. Petersburg, Russia. The breed was described rather hazily: a big cat with thick, long fur, of any color other than white. Finding the cats that fit into this category wasn’t easy, because many cats fit the requirements, but almost none of them belonged to the Siberian breed.
Russian breeders finally found a few cats that fit into the categories, and didn’t belong to the Siamese, Persian, Maine Coon, and the Norwegian Forest cat breeds. The breeders, who wanted a fine breed of Siberians, looked for them in Siberia and the Eastern parts of Russia, where the best examples of the breed were present in the wild, and many households.
Some breeders wanted to make the traits of the Siberian more outstanding by breeding them with the Siamese and Persian breeds. Since then, Russia acquired a new breed of cats, The Neva Masquerade (Colour point), which is commonly mistaken with Siberian cats to this day. The Neva Masquerade has long fur, blue eyes, and the colour-point commonly seen in breeds derived from the Siamese breed. The colouration of the Neva Masquerade is different than the Siberian’s. The most common colouration of the Neva Masquerade is the Seal Point colouration, which encompasses a light body, with dark spots on the face, ears, feet, and tail. Sadly, the decorative additions, cost the Neva Masquerade its hypo-allergic nature.
The Siberian cat is a strong and powerfully built cat. The average cat weighs 6 kg (13 lbs.), and can reach 12 kg (26 lbs.). Such a large body requires large and muscular legs. The Siberian’s crowning features are the fur located between its paws, which it acquired from its forest and steppe ancestors, and its hypo-allergic fur. Its fur consists of a layer of thick outer fur, and a layer of very dense inner fur, which allows the cat to be comfortable in any weather.
Despite its rough appearance, it’s a very polite breed. If you respect it, its territory, and its friendship, then it will respect you in turn. Some Siberians can become lap-cats if they fully trust you. They are also born hunters, and will happily play with you. The more you talk to them, the more they talk back. The talkativity of this breed depends entirely on the emotional, verbal, and physical communication the owner displays. Siberians are very attached to their owners and their household. If you went away, they’d wait for you and miss you a lot.
This link contains the description of the standards of a Siberian cat based on The International Cat Association (TICA)
Welcome to Lavalier Cattery
True Siberian Forest Cats
in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
The Siberian breed has a long history. Siberian cats are commonly referred to as the natives of the great Siberian forests. This ancient breed of cats, co-existed along-side the pioneers of Siberia, lived with monks in isolated northern monasteries, and accompanied the natives of Siberia as pets and guarded their food from rodents and pests.
This versatile breed of cats has adapted to the harsh, cold climate of Siberia, where the temperature barley rose above -40 in winter. This led to them developing 3-layered fur, which served as protection against the cold winds, and fur on the bottom of their paws, which helped them move along the frozen forests of Siberia.
Existing in such harsh conditions has led them to developing their own unique appearance. Siberian cats look serious, proud, and even solemn at times, but while looking harsh on the outside, they are tender kind and loving on the inside. They are very patient, intelligent, playful, and can adapt to any household. If their owner is lonely, they will be nearby, have conversations, and patiently await attention if the owner is busy. If it's a noisy family with little children, they can adapt as well. They will play with children and forgive them, and will co-exist with and tolerate other pets.
The Siberian breed has become very popular in the past decade, due to it being confirmed hypoallergenic, which makes them irreplaceable pets for people suffering from allergies. The saliva of Siberians contains very little Fel d1 proteins which, when in contact with fur, produces allergic reactions IgG or IgE. But keep in mind, that while they may be hypo-allergenic, that it does not mean that they are 100% allergy free. Many allergic owners who have had Siberians in their households, have not experienced any allergic reactions. This fact and their generous and loving nature, makes this ancient breed more and more popular in common households, as more people enjoy their kindness and affection.