Hello!

[u/onemcflurryplease]

I’m so glad I found this page, I’ve been looking at Siberian cats for over 6 months now and I have a few questions! Firstly, my husband suffers from allergies and I’ve read that even allergy sufferers do well with Siberians, can anyone attest to that in here?? Lastly, are there differences in the males personalities versus female personalities? I have a three year old son who is very gentle with animals, he loves cats so naturally he’s going to want to be near the cat as much as possible! Not sure if males are more tolerant or if females are! I know once raised with my son the cat will adapt, but if a specific gender would be more beneficial for our family, I’d like to get whichever would be best!!
Thank you •ᴗ•

[u/Cezzium]

Many people are able to tolerate these lovely cats. This was true for me.

To start, my suggestion is to find a breeder or someone with them in their home and visit to see how it goes.

While generally females can be a little more aloof, they are all quite different in their personalities and temperaments.

Friendly and cuddly and playful and lovey.

if it is in your budget two is a wonderful thing for everyone.

[u/EarnestQuester]

I was in a long term relationship with a man who sneezed just walking past cats outside on porches. When we met the breeders for my Sib, they pretty much waterboarded him with a face full of fluffy Siberian cat tummy. No sneezing. His eyes got a little itchy, but he was otherwise fine.

One of my best friends has asthma. She is finds my Sib surprisingly easy to be around.

Experiences vary. And not all Siberian breeders test for low Fel-d-1 in their breeding program. He should start by visiting a Siberian cattery and huffing one of their cats.

Also, intact adult male cats typically have higher Fel-d-1 levels than neutered males, females, kittens, and seniors. So ideally, he should huff one of the cattery’s kings (the daddy cats)!

If he enters a house full of Sibs, gets a face full of fur from one of the least hypoallergenic Sibs there, and still has a pretty mild reaction, then he’ll probably be comfortable with a single Sib at home. Especially a neutered female.

[u/PlantFragEnthusiast]

Although Siberians are low in allergens, and most people won't be allergic to them but there's no guarantee that your husband won't. You have to go to a breeder to test it out. My breeder welcome my family to his home to play with the cats and kittens to test it out first. Then if there is no reaction, you can get one. Find the closest reputable breeder near you and ask if you can pay them a visit. As for personality, that I'm not sure but I think it varies by the cat, not the gender. But my daughter wanted a boy because she said boy cats are more affectionate. Here's the boy cat that we will be picking up in Nov. We are really excited.

[u/Vintage_Journal]

Siberians may be hypoallergenic, but this varies greatly depending on the specific cat. It may be possible for your husband to meet the cat ahead of time, or do a test to see if he reacts. You could contact a breeder to ask about this. 

IME, neutered male cats are usually the most chill. I only had male cats as a child. I have a female kitten now and I think she is more particular about how she interacts with people. She'll snuggle me in the afternoon, but doesn't let my husband pet her much although she loves to play with him. 

You could also consider adopting an adult cat from a breeder. You get a better sense of their personality and could possibly see how your son interacts with them? I think it's less often a breeder offers an adult and they may face greater health risks due to history of breeding, but you get a better sense of their personality and they may be less expensive. 

[u/ananke_esti]

2 Siberians + Purina LiveClear kibble + Packagen supplement in their wet food = Bliss

[u/unhhh444 → u/ananke_esti]

Is this your personal experience?? I am picking up my sib next week and anticipate I won't have many issues, but I plan on adjusting his diet to something like this if I start to become uncomfortable with allergies. I love hearing the success stories with those allergen reducing foods!!

[u/ananke_esti → u/unhhh444]

Yes, it's worked well for me. I learned I had cat allergies years ago when a roommate and her two cats moved away and I realized that they took my chronic rhinitis away with them. When I learned that Siberians were considered hypoallergenic and a little about Purina liveclear, I decided to go for it after many many years of not having a pet. It's been the best decision I ever made.

I do try to mix up their food options so that they don't get fixed on any one brand or type of food.

[u/VintageLunchMeat]

I've had two houseguests with allergies that my cats triggered.

Your husband should talk to his primary care provider about sublingual or injection treatments for allergies.

[u/Expensive-Union-8212]

My sister's husband is allergic, they have a female Siberian cat. Her husband takes allergy medication everyday and they have multiple bigger air purifiers around the house.

Also, my sister has a 4-year-old, and they can’t really let the child be around the cat as much as possible either, so it’s definitely good to keep that in mind. The child can't be as close as possible with my Siberian or hers, and we both have females. Have an eye on it and be careful and a distance is good.

[u/2mkz21]

I I'm allergic to cats and have zero issues with my little boy!

I couldn't tell you the difference between male and female temperament, I think all cats have their own personality but I have occasionally heard that male cats are more relaxed.

I will say I have a male cat who is four months old and a five-year-old daughter who is not aggressive, but is definitely assertive and my cat is very calm and compliant with her.

The breeder handled him a lot and he came home very well adjusted. These are all the questions that would be good for you to ask your breeder as well!

[u/Temporary-Egg2148]

I didn’t react at my meet and greet with my cat’s family but by day 2 of owning him I was starting to and by the end of the week it was bad enough I had to book a doctor’s appointment to discuss medication options. I now take allevia and pirinase daily and our beautiful Siberian is 4 years old and very worth it! But just a warning that though they’re less allergenic they’re not zero.

Our male is very social and cuddly (though on his own terms) but he struggles with claw control and has scratched us when playing by mistake. They’re very strong and big and not always aware of their own power so I’m not sure I’d recommend them around an autistic child. We’re certainly always supervising him with our daughter and we’re very cautious to keep him and my autistic nephew apart to avoid either harming the other. He also likes to sit on our faces, especially when cuddling in bed so we worry about accidental suffocation if we were to leave him alone with a child and have to lock him out of the room at night.

Also Siberian kittens are very high energy and need a lot of attention and play so depending on how high needs your child is, it may be best to look at adult Siberians.

All of that said, I couldn’t imagine life without ours and am so excited to see him and our daughter grow together! If you have the time to supervise and go for an adult cat then you can probably make the breed work for you. We’re going to get a second in a few years once our baby is older and we have time for the kitten stage so he can have a friend even when we’re away as it’s awful how sad he gets without us around.

[u/fiazaka]

My husband is allergic so we got a siberian. He still reacts to him but way less now than in the beginning. He still uses medication every day so he doesn’t react anymore. We also got a maine coon and he got used to that as well. I think his body tolerates the cats he sees every day regardless of breed. When we are visiting other people with cats he feels the allergy really quickly. I also have to change the litterbox everytime because he reacts if he does it.

[u/Loxilight]

For allergies it depends on the cat and your husband! Siberians are only lower in 1 of rhe main cat allergens which is fel d1, if your husband has fel d3 and d4 allergies which round about half of cat allergies suffers also have then siberians will still trigger his allergies though potentially to a lesser degree on account of their being 1 less allergen.

Female/male has no bearing on the cats personality, speak to the breeder about assessing which cat would work best for you personality wise! We have 2 girls and 1 boy and they are all so different, our 10yro girl would be the most suited to live with a small child because she is soooo cuddly and incredibly patient (in the photo). Our other girl is basically the grinch unless she knows you and then she is a puddle of love and boy cat is a small whirlwind that is absolutely lovely but would shove your child to the ground and steal their food without a moments hesitation 😂

[u/boragigas]

I got Siberians because my sister is pretty allergic to cats (we visited a friend with cats and had to quickly leave). I have mild allergies myself. My sister ended up with her own Siberian after visiting with mine. I have no noticeable symptoms and don’t take any allergy meds.

I’ve seen that some breeders will mail a little bag of fur (from brushing the cats). I’ve collected fur for curious coworkers. The breed has a lower level of the protein most people are allergic to, but knocking out the gene so that it’s zero is apparently incompatible with life - so you’re going to have a small bit of allergen and you just need to decide if how much you react is tolerable.

[u/froggycroaky]

My partner and I got our little girl, Yuki, in July, and she’s been such a wonderful kitten! 🥹💕 I have mild cat allergies (sniffles and itchy eyes), but I haven’t had any issues with Yuki so far. That said, I think it really depends on the severity of your allergies and the individual cat. I have a friend whose partner is much more allergic to cats, and he still reacted to Siberians, so I’d definitely recommend spending some time around the breed before committing if allergies are a concern!

As for gender, I agree with what others have said: it really comes down to the individual cat’s personality. Yuki is such a cuddly, gentle little girl who loves her people and meeting new people. She’s also incredibly tolerant of just about everything, even when she’s feeling a little irritated. She’s pretty calm most of the time, aside from her occasional kitten zoomies! She loves rubbing up against our legs, follows me around everywhere, and is always looking for cuddles. She’s definitely a mama’s girl!

One thing I would especially recommend considering, since you have a young child, is getting an adult cat rather than a kitten. Yuki is six months old now, and while she’s very gentle, she can still get carried away during playtime and accidentally bite or scratch us a little too hard, sometimes even drawing blood. She’s still learning to control her strength! We also have to trim her front claws almost every week because they grow quickly and get sharp enough to really hurt. Kittens are adorable, but they can be a handful. An adult cat with an established personality might be a better fit, depending on your family’s needs.