Russian Blue Cat Breed Description

Active: The Russian Blue cat is moderately active. They do not lounge the day away but they certainly enjoy a good nap. They love being close to their companions and particularly enjoy cuddling up to the ones they love. But, they enjoy playing with their family and will happily play games.

Size: Russian Blue cats are medium in size and weigh between 5 to 12 pounds.

Characteristics: You will first be struck by the beautiful silvery-blue coat of the Russian Blue. Their coat gives them an elegant appearance that is distinctly their own. The Russian Blue is a medium size cat that is muscular, with long legs and a long body. They are fine boned but often appear larger because of their thick double coat. They have large ears that are set far apart and are somewhat pointed. They have a medium, wedge-shaped head and, in addition to their uniquely beautiful coat, they have striking green eyes. They are wide-set and their vivid green color stands out because of the surrounding blue coat. They are truly a lovely and very beautiful cat.

Temperament: The Russian Blue is a distinguished, reserved, sweet cat. They make wonderful, loving companions but they may be reluctant to be social with people other than their family. They will bond with you and become fiercely loyal. Often, Russian Blues want to be right where you are, at all times. They will follow you around, helping you with whatever tasks you need to do and will happily snuggle up when it is time to rest. They do enjoy games and particularly love to teach their human counterparts how to fetch. They are playful and get along well with children who are gentle and treat them with respect. They are great pets and wonderful companions for families and will quickly wiggle their way into everyone's hearts.

Care: Russian Blue cats are fairly easy to care for. Their coats simply need to be brushed once a week so that they stay can show off their beautiful blue color. They may require more brushing when they are going through a season of shedding. Trim their nails and clean their ears as needed to keep them looking lovely. And, as with any cat, it is important to regularly brush their teeth to prevent periodontal disease. If you are looking for a hypoallergenic cat then the Russian Blue cat is a great candidate. They produce less of the Fel D1 protein which is the true cause for your allergic reaction. There is no cat that is 100% allergy free so increasing the frequency of grooming and bathing your furry friend will also help.

Coat: The Russian Blue cat has a thick double coat that is short, dense and silky to the touch. The color of their coat is a beautiful, silvery-blue color. Though they may appear gray, they actually have an even, bright blue coat and individual hairs have silver tips.

Origin: The exact country of origin is unknown but the Russian Blue first appeared in cat shows in London. Though, it is widely believed that the breed is most likely from Russia because their thick double coat suggests they had been well adapted to living in very cold climates. The common story is that British sailors fell in love with this breed of cat on their travels and brought them home from the White Sea port town of Archangel. In 1871, the blue coated cat first made its appearance in a cat show at the Crystal Palace in London.

They appeared under the name Archangel cat and competed against other shorthair cats. Though they are a shorthaired cat breed, it is not believed that they are related in any way to other shorthaired solid blue breeds (Korat, Chartreux, and British Blue) as their coats are very different. In 1912, the GCCF (Governing Council of Cat Fancy) recognized the breed as a breed of its own and gave it its own class called Foreign Blue. The breed grew in popularity but World War II almost completely wiped out the breed. After the war, breeders set forth to revive the breed and began to outcross with other breeds. Russian Blues were mated with British Blues and blue point Siamese.

During this same time, Scandinavian breeders crossed similar looking blue coated cats from Finland with Siamese cats. The cats had emerald green eyes. Russian Blues made their way to North America in the early 1900s but it took some time for breeding programs to begin in North America. The first Russian Blue was not registered with the CFA until 1949. In 1964, GC Maja Acre Igor II, a Russian Blue, won CFA Grand Champion. In 1965, British breeders began to express concern over the evolving appearance of the Russian Blue cat breed. Russian Blues were bred with the similar looking Scandinavian cats that had beautiful emerald eyes and the Russian Blue look and personality that was desired was finally achieved.

Breeding of Russian Blues took a lot of years and tweaking as many breeders had different preferences as to what exactly they thought the Russian Blue should be like. The breed became very varied and finally, North American breeders began to import Russian Blues from Britain and the breed began to stabilize. Russian Blues are known for their skittish, shy personalities and struggled to perform in cat shows. This problem led to a decline in popularity but breeders worked hard to carefully cultivate the desired personality and, since the 1990s, Russian Blues have done much better in cat shows and have become much more popular among fanciers.