One of the most unexpected joys of raising Siberians is discovering just how far a little kitten can travel.
A kitten born here in Singapore may eventually wake up in Tokyo.
Another may spend its days watching the rain in London.
Another may be chasing sunlight across an Australian home.
And another may be curled beside a family thousands of kilometres away in America.
We sometimes look at photographs from our graduates around the world and think:
How did you get so far from home?
A Little Piece of WinterForest
Our graduates now live with families in different parts of the world.
Some remain close to us in Singapore.
Others have travelled much farther.
Different homes.
Different climates.
Different languages.
Different routines.
But remarkably similar stories.
A kitten becomes curious.
The kitten settles in.
The family falls in love.
And eventually, that little Siberian becomes the centre of the household.
What We Love About This
A breeder can tell you that a kitten has a wonderful temperament.
But watching that temperament develop in another home is something altogether different.
We hear about graduates who sleep beside their humans every night.
Cats who greet their families at the door.
Cats who have become inseparable from another family pet.
Cats who have children following them around.
Cats who have become quiet companions for someone living alone.
These stories mean far more to us than any photograph ever could.
One Breed, Many Homes
Perhaps that is one of the remarkable things about the Siberian.
They adapt.
Not by becoming a different breed, but by becoming part of the life around them.
A Siberian living in Singapore may spend the afternoon stretched beneath an air-conditioner.
A Siberian in London may spend the afternoon watching rain against a window.
A Siberian in Tokyo may become fascinated with the sounds of city life.
And somewhere else, another may have decided that the family sofa belongs entirely to them.
The surroundings change.
The relationship does not.
Our Graduates Are Part of Our Story
We don't consider the day a kitten leaves WinterForest to be the end.
It is the beginning of another chapter.
We love receiving photographs.
Updates.
Birthday messages.
Funny stories.
And occasionally, a slightly embarrassed message beginning with:
“You won't believe what he did today…”
Those are the moments that remind us why we do what we do.
Because a WinterForest kitten may be born in Singapore.
But home can be anywhere.
And wherever they go, a little piece of their story goes with them.
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