Rusty is a Siberian!
The Siberian originated in the North Eastern forests of Russia. They developed for harsh conditions. The topcoat is thick, strong and oily, with an undercoat that’s dense to keep out the wind.
A cat’s hair grows out during a 60 to 90 day cycle, rests during a 40 to 60 day cycle, and then falls out. This is mainly influenced by the length of day. During the longer days of spring, more hair falls out. As the days shorten, less falls out and the coat appears to thicken. Indoor cats are less affected and shed on a year round cycle. The hair of a long-haired cat does not grow faster; the growth stage is just more extended than for the short-haired cats.
The hair of a cat is not like human hair. We have a single hair growing out of each follicle. Cats have up to 6 primary hairs, (each surrounded by secondary down hairs), growing from each follicle. The cat also has arrector muscles, (muscles that lift or erect the hair), surrounding each follicle. They raise their hair in response to anger, fear and cold temperatures.
This is a large sturdy cat that’s active and agile. It developed to catch large rodents to survive. It is curious and resourceful. While sociable and passive, it’s not inclined to be a lap cat. It weighs between 10 – 20 pounds.
We are pleased to welcome Rusty to our practice!
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