Today we’d like to introduce you to Sara Danielson
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Moubani Cats was started by two friends, one in California and one in Washington State. We unexpectedly discovered the Siberian cat after attending a TICA cat show for the first time. Neither of us knew there was a such thing as a low-allergen cat. We became obsessed. We both bought a female Siberian and worked in mentorship with the breeders we adopted from. Our first litters were born 2 years later. Collectively, we show our Siberians at TICA cat shows at least 4 times a year. We have been working with Siberians since 2015.
There is a lot of time, care, thoughtfulness & cost that goes into breeding. We do it because we love it. It is a joy for us to research pedigrees, collaborate with other Siberian breeders, create our yearly breeding plan, show our cats – and, of course – welcome our new litters each year. It can take years for us to work with other breeders in Russia to select the exact Siberian to bring over to the USA. The Siberian breed is strengthened and maintained by conscious breeders – and not everything happens instantly.
Our breeding program centers around both HEALTH and FORM.
HEALTH is strengthened through genetic testing & tracking all reports of illness along the breed lines. As well as through day to day operations. Sanitation & space are critical elements of a healthy breeding program. Cleaning happens daily & we keep no more than 2 litters at a time in any given home. We are a cooperate of families that work together to share the joy of responsible breeding; having multiple homes helps us to ensure that our kittens are never overcrowded & always have enough attention. Genetic testing allows us to know which lines are the most safe to continue breeding; whereas, an indication of illness means that a particular cat should retire from breeding
FORM is strengthened by patience & knowledge about the breed standard of the Siberian cat. The world cat registries define the Siberian as a strong, heavy cat with round features (round eyes, slightly rounded ear tips, a broad round muzzle) weighing as much as 20 pounds. The coat is triple-layered & eventually develops into what resembles a lion’s mane around the neck. The full weight, size & fur coat of the Siberian can take up to 5 years to fully manifest. Watching the lines for years and years is required to be able to select the appropriate Siberians to continue breeding.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
One of the great obstacles to working with pedigree animals is that there is very little support from veterinarians. Since most veterinarians are trained only in “spay and neuter”, they are severely lacking any knowledge or experience about reproduction. There is also a social stigma attached to breeders and commentary that assumes that all breeders are “bad”. This creates a situation where breeders struggle to get help when needed and to get information when needed. Fortunately, there are intelligent breeder communities and organizations that train breeders how to safely raise animals and to be ethical in practice. Although many people will actively seek out a purebred animal for free at an animal shelter, they also stigmatize breeders. This contradiction is something we work to bring to the attention to people: without ethical breeders, all cat breeds would cease to exist.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
We are a big supporter of small business. We believe that small businesses are the soul of every city. They provide character, inspiration, and uniqueness. We also always recognize the work and courage that is required to start and run a small business. And we recognize the need to keep our community dollars local to our community so that our communities can reinvest in themselves. We are one of many small business owners and we strive to enrich our homes and communities with the beautiful, authentic, healthy lineage of the natural-breed-cat: The Siberian.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
Success, we believe, is a combination of hard work and blessings. We work hard to do our best and to care for our animals and to improve the breed. We have also had the support of many kind and generous individuals that have helped us along the way, and that continue to support our work.
Pricing:
- The price of our Siberians range from $2500 to $3500.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.siberiancatslosangeles.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moubanicats_siberiancattery/
- Youtube: @siberian4731
Image Credits
Photo credits: Moubani Cats
