Color Point or Traditional? - What is the difference and what should I get?
A short answer: personal preference. Both types are purebred Siberian cats with proven history.
In Siberian community, there are often various and conflicting opinions on the types. I am not going to go into this "controversy" simply because even formally both types are registered as purebred Siberian cats with the same breed standard. The only difference between them is the color of their coat and their eyes. Siberian cats come in all kinds of color variations - too many to list - and almost all natural colors are accepted in the standard (aside from a few exceptions). But only Color Points have very strict rules in regards to their light-color coat with darker extremities (points, such as ears, tail and paws) and they all have blue eyes of various intensity. No other eye color is allowed.
Color Point Siberians (formal designation NEM) are also called Neva Masquerade because this type of the breed has been first established as a registered variant in former Leningrad (St. Petersburgh now) in Russia on the river Neva. They also have a very prominent mask on their light-colored faces.
NEM cats are often a bit larger than traditional Siberians (SIB) and their coat may be thicker and not as silky as trads'. They are some differences in personality sometimes and I find NEMs a bit more balanced and less "wild", although the differences may be individual. Personally, I absolutely love ALL kinds of Siberians and have probably the largest selection of all available colors and types because I adore them all! There is simply NO better cat than a Siberian! The rest is up to you :)
Color Point Siberians (formal designation NEM) are also called Neva Masquerade because this type of the breed has been first established as a registered variant in former Leningrad (St. Petersburgh now) in Russia on the river Neva. They also have a very prominent mask on their light-colored faces.
NEM cats are often a bit larger than traditional Siberians (SIB) and their coat may be thicker and not as silky as trads'. They are some differences in personality sometimes and I find NEMs a bit more balanced and less "wild", although the differences may be individual. Personally, I absolutely love ALL kinds of Siberians and have probably the largest selection of all available colors and types because I adore them all! There is simply NO better cat than a Siberian! The rest is up to you :)