Their head forms a modified wedge (a wedge with rounded contours), it is broader at the top and narrows slightly to the muzzle. The muzzle is broad, short and rounded, with a very slight whisker break. On top the head is almost flat. The nose is medium long and forms a gentle slope from the forehead to the tip, before the tip it forms a slight convex curve. The chin is an interesting part, because in some organizations it is permitted to recede.
The neck is quite substantial.
The ears are medium large with rounded tips, and slightly tilted forward., they are set at the side of the head.
The eyes are large and almost round, the outer angle is slightly slanted towards the base of the ears. The eyes can show any color, which is not associated with the color or the pattern of the coat.

The body is medium-large with substantial bones. It is medium in length, barrel-shaped with a strong belly, very strong and muscular. The legs are medium in length and strong with large rounded paws, which should show also toe tufts.
The tail is medium in length, broader at the base and slightly tapering to a blunt tip. Sometimes it appears to be slightly shorter than the length of the body.

The coat is very important. It is medium long and a so called triple coat, with an extraordinary thick undercoat, it is a so called all-weather-coat and water repellant. The hairs on the shoulder blades and the lower chest are thick and somewhat shorter. There is a full ruff around the head. On the belly and the britches the hairs may be slightly wavy, but note that a wavy coat is not characteristic for this breed.

The characteristic feature of the Neva Masquerade are the Points:
the body is almost white, only the ears, the face (mask), the legs and paws and the tail are coloured.

Note:
When you read the description, nothing is extraordinary, nothing is short or long in this breed, all parts are medium, which is very important.

History

The Siberian and Neva Masquerade appeared first in March 1987 in a show in Leningrad (St. Petersburg), organized by the cat clubs Kotofey and Kis. In 1987 and 1988 the first standard was written by Olga Mironova and Olga Frolova.

On May  8-9 in 1989 another exhibition in Moscow was organized, where 13 Siberian were exhibited in the novice class and where also Mars was shown as novice.
On September 23-24 in 1989 a show was held in Riga, where Roman was exhibited in the section "Officially not recognized breeds" - including Siberian and Neva Masquerade - with No. 146 in the novice class.
On September 18 in 1989 a group of breeders from Leningrad and Moscow applied at SFF for registration of the Siberian.
On August 6 in 1990 the Soviet Felinology Federation SFF confirmed an official standard and registered under Certificate No 1 the breed Siberian and under Certificate No. 2 the Nevskaya maskaradnaya.
In 1991 the FAR (Felinological Association of Russia) organized a show, where 30 Siberian competed for the title Champion.

Roman, brown tabby-white, born 1987 owned by A. Ivanova (Kotofey), was one of the cats after which the standard was written.	Mars, blue tabbypoint-white, born 1988, owned by Maya Kalinina (Kotofey), shown in May 1989 in Moscow, a show organized by SFF, is the foundation male of the Siberian Colorpoint.

On January 5-6 in 1991 Kotofey organized an exhibition, where 119 Siberian were entered, with 29 Colourpoint Siberian. In the novice class 50 Siberian, with 13 Neva Masquerade, were shown.

On June 28, 1990 the first Siberian kittens arrived in USA to Elizabeth Terrell (cattery Starpoint): Kaliostro Vasenjkovich of Starpoint, Ofelia Romanova of Starpoint and Naina Romanova of Starpoint.

In 1992 the breed was first officially recognized by the WCF, to which the federations Kotofey and Kis belong, in the recognition show in Prague, CZ. All colors, also the Neva Masquerade (as Siberian Colourpoint) was accepted.
In May 1994 the first Neva Masquerade, Dimka Laskoviy Zver (blue tabbyppoint, owned by Tatyana Pavlova) became the 1st World Champion of Siberian cats and Neva Masquerade.

On July 24, 1990 the Siberian were accepted for registration by ACFA, which granted on February 23, 1992 provisional status and finally accepted the Siberian on February 20, 1999 for championship.

The colorpoint Siberian advanced to championship in CFF in January 5, 2002.

On July 5, 1995 the Siberian was accepted by ACA for championship.

On January 5, 1997 the colorpoint Siberian was accepted by TICA as NBC, where it advanced to championship on January 5, 2002.

In May 1997 the Siberian was accepted by FIFe, general assembly in Finland, but without the Neva Masquerade.
It took until January 1, 2009 that the Neva Masquerade was recognized by FIFe as "provisional breed". Since 1.1.2011 the Neva Masquerade is fully accepted in FIFe.

On May 1, 2000 the Siberian was accepted by CFA as miscellaneous breed, where they had been already presented on June 24, 1993 by Linda Gray, but had not been accepted in 1993. In February 4/5, 2006 the Siberian advanced to championship in CFA.

In 2002 the first Siberian cats entered the UK, where it was recognized on September 8, 2004 by GCCF for championship.

Temperament

The Neva Masquerade has a dog-like character and a very lovely disposition. They are not shy, very friendly and come out to greet every visitor. The cats are very intelligent and learn quite fast. Their voice has a chirping sound, they are not very noisy. They seem to be fascinated by water and like to play with the water drops. They are real lap cats.

Grooming

Breeding and Health

Since April 2008 a HCM research project is running, conducted by Dr. Kathryn Meurs, Washington State University, Veterinary Cardiac Lab.
HCM ... hypertrophic cardiomyopathy