Mary Allen
Neva Masquerade is a beautiful and playful cat. In return, those who meet their needs will receive a loyal and cuddly companion for life. Learn all about the Neva Masquerade cat breed here.
Neva Masquerade cats are among the most popular pedigree cats among cat lovers. Here you will find the most important information about the Neva Masquerade.
Origin Of The Neva Masquerade
The Neva Masquerade is a blue-eyed Siberian cat. Where the short summers are hot and the long winters are freezing cold lies the origin of this impressive feline. The Sibirskaja Koschka, as it is called in Russian, is said to have been created without human intervention several hundred years ago. They are therefore counted among the “natural” cat breeds today. In its homeland, this cat has long been valued as a cold-resistant mouse catcher and a house cat.
When she wanted to claim a place in the cat scene in western Europe in the late 1980s, she initially faced a lot of resistance. Some breeders of other large forest cats like the Maine Coon, Norwegian Forest, Turkish Van, and Turkish Angora felt a little threatened by the Russian immigrant. But the initial resentment against the “new” forest cat species quickly subsided, and the Siberian cats were able to establish themselves in their niche, from which they harmoniously enriched the other forest cat species without any claims to competition.
The Appearance Of The Neva Masquerade
The Neva Masquerade is described in the breed standard as a medium-sized to large cat and is particularly impressive because of its lush fur. Neva females are usually smaller than males. The Neva Masquerade’s body is muscular and relatively heavy. The neck is short and strong. The paws are correspondingly large. Larger cats are preferred. The legs of the Neva Masquerade are also muscular and of medium length. The tail reaches to the shoulder blade, is slightly pointed, and has bushy hair. The head of the Neva Masquerade should be short and broad, with wide cheekbones set low. The eyes are large and blue, slightly oval, and rounded at the bottom while being slightly slanted.
Coat and colors of the Neva Masquerade
The coat is of medium length and very dense. The dense undercoat is fine, the top coat is coarser, water-repellent, and shiny. The summer coat is significantly shorter than the winter coat.
Like all masked cats that are partially albino, Neva Masquerades are born almost entirely white. A mutation causes the enzyme tyrosinase, which is responsible for the formation of the pigment basic substance melanin, to function inadequately. This recessive hereditary metabolic disorder causes tyrosinase to stop working effectively even at normal body temperature so that only the cooler parts of the body such as the extremities, tail, ears, and nose gradually turn dark while the body fur remains lighter.
Allowed point varieties at Neva Masquerade are seal, blue, red, cream, seal/blue tortoiseshell, smoke, tabby, and/or silver/golden. These color point varieties are also allowed with white.
The Temperament Of The Neva Masquerade
Like the Siberian cat, the Neva is very spirited. The representatives of the breed are happy, spirited, curious, original, and playful cats. The Neva Masquerade wants to be occupied and needs a place to live. If possible, you should provide her with a secure balcony or, even better, a secure garden. She will be happy to use it in any weather, because her dense, warm winter fur protects her very well from the cold weather, even in ice and snow. An equally active second cat makes her happiness perfect.
When the Neva Masquerade has run its course (hunting games are very popular), there is also time for cuddles on the sofa. Most Nevas get along very well with (cat-friendly) dogs and are happy to explain house rules to the wagging fraction of the household. They are also easy to inspire children because they prefer action to boredom. Sturdy scratching and climbing trees are an absolute must in a Neva Masquerade territory because they are in no way inferior to the Siberian cats when it comes to movement, even if their coloring makes them appear more noble and distinguished.
Keeping And Caring For The Neva Masquerade
The coat of the Neva Masquerade is often a little bit softer than that of the fully colored Siberians, but it does not require a lot of care. Occasional brushing and combing are sufficient. You should only comb out the dead hair more frequently during the change of coat.