Nebelung Cat Breed Description

Active: Nebelung cats are a moderately active cat breed. They enjoy games and physical activities that are challenging such as climbing and jumping but their laid back, unimposing personality makes them an easy companion and someone you will want to cuddle with at a moment's notice.

Size: The Nebelung cat breed is medium to large in size, typically weighing between 5 - 16 pounds.

Characteristics: Nebelung cats are generally very similar in body type and size to Russian Blue cats but the primary difference is coat length. Nebelungs are longhaired cats with a beautiful blue color that gives them a majestic appearance. Their coat is silver-tipped which gives it a luminous, almost sparkling look that is sure to dazzle. They have muscular, long, graceful bodies that make them quite agile. Nebelungs have a somewhat triangular shaped head with large ears. But, what really stands out on their head is their stunning, wide-set green eyes.

Temperament: The personality of a Nebelung cat is as soft and lovely as the misty fog they are named after. These cats tend to be quiet and gentle, thriving on affection and fitting into any household as the ideal companion. They love the outdoors. They are not a highly active breed of cat but they still enjoy playing, jumping and climbing. Their curious personality will lead to explore their environment and, while they tend to be initially shy, they will soon warm right up and make themselves at home. They are not a particularly needy cat but bond closely with their favorite humans and remain loyal, lovable companions through the years.

Care: The medium to long coat of the Nebelung is soft but its denseness and length requires twice per week combing or brushing to prevent tangles and mats. Other than that, all Nebelung cats need is routine care such as nail trimming and ear cleaning.

Coat: The coat of the Nebelung is its prized possession and is medium to long in length, dense and very soft.

Origin: The Nebelung cat breed's history begins in Russia in the mid-1980s. Cora Cobb, a computer programmer, gave her son a black domestic shorthair cat named Elsa and Elsa then mated with a longhair cat. Elsa gave birth to a litter of kittens but one kitten in particular stood out from the rest. This kitten's name was Siegfried and he was the only kitten that had blue long hair. A few months later another litter was born and once again, there was one standout kitten. This time the kitten was a female named Brunhilde and she too had a long blue coat. Cora Cobb bred these two cats together and they became the foundation of the Nebelung breed. Cobb gave these beautiful and intriguing cats the name "Nebelung" which means "mist or fog" in German and is in reference to the distinct long blue coat that Nebelung's possess. Cobb set out to get the breed recognized and in 1987 TICA (The International Cat Association) granted "New Breed" status and as of 1997 they were granted full recognition and Championship status. Nebelungs have been bred with Russian Blue cats because of their similar features so that the gene pool can be expanded and the breed advanced and today the breed continues to grow in popularity and become more widely available. Nebelungs are now recognized not just by TICA but by the American Cat Fanciers Association (ACFA), the World Cat Federation (WCF), Livre Officiel des Origines Félines (LOOF), and independent cat associations in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany as well.