Many believe that migraters from West Russia (Moscow, etc) brought longhair cats into
Siberia. These longhair cats then bred with the native steppe and forest cats of Siberia.
These combinations produced the Sibeian line that we know and love today.
The first Russian colonizers came to Siberia a few centuries ago. Tomsk, my hometown,
was founded 400 years ago. Therefore, Siberian cats were forming and developing for
400 years in West Siberia.
In the ancient Russian country-side, cats lived pretty much on their own. They lived a
half-domestic, half-wild life. Their owners paid little attention to them or to their needs.
To survive, the cats had to develop certain characteristics. Some of these characteristics
were such things as a thick shiny coat, strong muscular body, massive paws and legs, the
ability to learn fast, and a strong, tough character. Nothing expresses this toughness better
then the look of a Siberian cat. Their eyes tell a story of survival in Siberia. These cats
had to be the strongest and the fastest to survive the frigid and harsh Siberian winters. All
their ancestors were survivors, everyone of them. Take a look at these pictures. This is
the look!
Siberia. These longhair cats then bred with the native steppe and forest cats of Siberia.
These combinations produced the Sibeian line that we know and love today.
The first Russian colonizers came to Siberia a few centuries ago. Tomsk, my hometown,
was founded 400 years ago. Therefore, Siberian cats were forming and developing for
400 years in West Siberia.
In the ancient Russian country-side, cats lived pretty much on their own. They lived a
half-domestic, half-wild life. Their owners paid little attention to them or to their needs.
To survive, the cats had to develop certain characteristics. Some of these characteristics
were such things as a thick shiny coat, strong muscular body, massive paws and legs, the
ability to learn fast, and a strong, tough character. Nothing expresses this toughness better
then the look of a Siberian cat. Their eyes tell a story of survival in Siberia. These cats
had to be the strongest and the fastest to survive the frigid and harsh Siberian winters. All
their ancestors were survivors, everyone of them. Take a look at these pictures. This is
the look!
In the late 18th century, Russians started to colonize into the Far East, moving more and
more eastward. Most of the colonists came from West and East Siberia, probably
bringing their cats with them. These cats in Siberia already had a few centuries behind
them. They had already adjusted to the harsh Siberian climate. In the Far East, these cats
crossed with the Far Eastern Forest Cat.
The Far Eastern Forest Cat, or Feline Euptilura, is found in the Amur river valley of
the Russian Far East. Amur River is a huge river in eastern Siberia. The Amur flows east
along China's northern border and then turns north into the Khabarovsk Region of Russia.
It empties into the northern Tatar Strait, a narrow band of water separating Sakhalin
Island from the east coast of Siberia. The valleys of the Amur and its branches cover
about 715,000 square miles. The cities of Khabarovsk and Komsomolsk stand on the
banks of the Amur.
Click to see the map
The Far Eastern Forest Cat (see pictures below) is a beautiful spotted cat much bigger in
size than most domestic cats. The body length is 75-90 cm. The tail is 35-37 cm. Their
coats are soft, generally pale brown/tawny yellow, but this coloring is extremely
variable, and may be bright reddish or grey. Under-parts are white and they are usually
marked with dark spots, bands, and blotches. There are usually four longitudinal black
bands running from the forehead to behind the neck. The ears are rounded. Two whitish
stripes run up from the internal corners of their eyes and there are one or two white
streaks across the cheeks. The tail is relatively short, thick and fluffy, spotted at the base
and ringed indistinctly toward the tip. The soles of the feet are dark brown. Their legs
are medium to long. Characteristically, the Far Eastern Forest Cat has a medium head.
The skull is short and rounded and the orbits of the eye sockets are open at the back.
more eastward. Most of the colonists came from West and East Siberia, probably
bringing their cats with them. These cats in Siberia already had a few centuries behind
them. They had already adjusted to the harsh Siberian climate. In the Far East, these cats
crossed with the Far Eastern Forest Cat.
The Far Eastern Forest Cat, or Feline Euptilura, is found in the Amur river valley of
the Russian Far East. Amur River is a huge river in eastern Siberia. The Amur flows east
along China's northern border and then turns north into the Khabarovsk Region of Russia.
It empties into the northern Tatar Strait, a narrow band of water separating Sakhalin
Island from the east coast of Siberia. The valleys of the Amur and its branches cover
about 715,000 square miles. The cities of Khabarovsk and Komsomolsk stand on the
banks of the Amur.
Click to see the map
The Far Eastern Forest Cat (see pictures below) is a beautiful spotted cat much bigger in
size than most domestic cats. The body length is 75-90 cm. The tail is 35-37 cm. Their
coats are soft, generally pale brown/tawny yellow, but this coloring is extremely
variable, and may be bright reddish or grey. Under-parts are white and they are usually
marked with dark spots, bands, and blotches. There are usually four longitudinal black
bands running from the forehead to behind the neck. The ears are rounded. Two whitish
stripes run up from the internal corners of their eyes and there are one or two white
streaks across the cheeks. The tail is relatively short, thick and fluffy, spotted at the base
and ringed indistinctly toward the tip. The soles of the feet are dark brown. Their legs
are medium to long. Characteristically, the Far Eastern Forest Cat has a medium head.
The skull is short and rounded and the orbits of the eye sockets are open at the back.
Our Astera (Asthera) lines came from this crossing of the West Siberian cats and Feline
Euptilura, the Far Eastern Forest Cat. This crossing with Euptilura gave Siberian cats of
Russian Far East some features that distinguish them from Siberians of West Siberia,
such as worm brown colors, comparatively soft heir, medium length tail. This makes
Asthera Siberian cats unique from other geographical lines.
Compare the pictures below. Feline Euptilura on the left and Astera cats on the right:
Euptilura, the Far Eastern Forest Cat. This crossing with Euptilura gave Siberian cats of
Russian Far East some features that distinguish them from Siberians of West Siberia,
such as worm brown colors, comparatively soft heir, medium length tail. This makes
Asthera Siberian cats unique from other geographical lines.
Compare the pictures below. Feline Euptilura on the left and Astera cats on the right:
| Unkas Astera, brown spotted tabby male |
| Feline Euptilura |
| Astera Oliska (N)Cirkumpolare brown classic tabby female |
| History of Asthera Siberian Cats Where they come from? |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |