Last Friday, I began an exploration into what kind of cat
Santa Claus would have, if Santa Claus had a cat.
To recap, Santa Claus is a substantial, jolly old elf who lives
at the North Pole with Mrs. Claus and a bunch of equally jolly but
less-substantial elves. Clearly, not just any cat would fit in under these
conditions. The cat who aspires to live with Santa should be
- large,
- well insulated,
- intelligent, and
- able to get along with elves.
Additionally,
5. He or she should not be afraid to ride in a flying
sleigh pulled by reindeer.
I first chose the Norwegian Forest Cat as the perfect cat for Santa, but there is a second possibility,
and that is…
The Siberian Cat
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Clearly, the Siberian is a cat built for winter weather,
perfect for life at the North Pole with Santa.
Photo by Jan Warner [CC-BY-SA-3.0], via
Wikimedia Commons.
|
These prized cats of Russia would be perfect for Santa. Why?
They tick all the boxes:
- Siberians are certainly substantial. They are large, powerful cats and can weigh up to 26 pounds. These cats easily meet our first requirement for life with Santa.
- They also have a dense triple coat that is water repellent, and they have tufted paws to help them get around in snow. Plus, Siberians have a big, bushy tail they can wrap around their face to keep warm. Requirement #2? Definitely a check!
- The Siberian cat is known for being intelligent, sociable, and loyal. They are also athletic and playful, and love a good game. Santa better watch out, though, because all that intelligence and activity also makes the Siberian a good problem-solver, so it will be hard to hide things from her. Requirement #3? Check!
- Siberians are sociable cats, and are known to be patient with children. Therefore, a Siberian cat will probably do just fine around a bunch of elves. (I am using children to stand in for elves, because—surprisingly—most cat books do not mention elves at all.) That’s a check for requirement #4.
- Finally, these cats have been described as being “fearless and easygoing.” These traits will be another big plus in dealing with elves. And, of course, I think it would take a pretty fearless, easygoing cat to get in a flying sleigh with a very large elf who says “ho, ho, ho!” a lot. Requirement #5, check.
So, I believe the Siberian would be an excellent choice for Santa. In case you're still not convinced, check out my interview with cosmocat Puri Gagarin, a Siberian with his eyes on the stars.
And don’t be surprised if you see Santa arriving with a rather large, friendly cat at his side this year. I say it’s about time.
And don’t be surprised if you see Santa arriving with a rather large, friendly cat at his side this year. I say it’s about time.
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Siberians are known for being sociable, playful, and
easygoing. Look, this one already has her Santa hat
on and is ready to play with some elves
or hop on a flying sleigh!
Photo © Elen | Dreamstime.com -
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Sources
The Cat Fanciers’ Association, “Siberian,” http://www.cfa.org/Breeds/BreedsSthruT/Siberian.aspx
Pickeral, Tamsin. The
Elegance of the Cat: An Illustrated History. Hauppauge, NY: Barron’s, 2013.
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