Cat breed · Soviet Union
The Neva Masquerade is a breed or sub-breed of semi-longhaired domestic cat, which originates in Russia. It is the sister breed or colourpoint variant of the Siberian cat, a pedigreed breed selectively bred from a centuries-old Russian landrace.
The colourpoint markings are the result of a colourpoint gene, originally found in Asian cats. The Neva Masquerade is believed to be derived from crossing the Siberian landrace cat with (Asian) colourpointed random-bred cats, or possibly pedigree cats related to those. The colourpoint Neva Masquerade has distinctive blue eyes and darker (tabby) point markings. It is a medium to large sized, muscular semi-longhair breed with a unique triple-coat and bushy tail.
Some cat registries classify the Neva Masquerade as a colourpoint variety or sub-breed of the Siberian cat, whilst others consider it to be a separate "sister" breed. Regardless of its classification, all Neva Masquerade cats are selectively bred and pedigreed today in all major cat fancier and breeder organisations under the Siberian (Forest) cat or Neva Masquerade. This means that all Neva Masquerade cats are purebred cats with a formally registered ancestry.
Health: Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) stands as a significant health concern in the feline world, particularly in Siberian cats. HCM is characterised by the thickening of the heart's muscle walls which can lead to various complications including heart failure, arterial thromboembolism and sudden death.
History: References of the ancient Siberian landrace date back a thousand years, but the colourpoint variety did not appear until the 1970–80s. It is believed that colourpointed cats of Asian origin, or their descendants, were naturally or intentionally crossed into the Siberian landrace to achieve the "Siamese" colourpoint gene.
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