Russian Blue

The Russian Blue is a naturally occurring breed that is easily confused with other blue cats. Some people simply see a color and assume the domestic cat is automatically a Russian Blue (or another blue breed such as the Korat or British Shorthair). However, the Russian Blue is a purebred pedigree going back at least eight generations.

A Russian Blue is an all blue cat (in the cat world, blue is actually grey), but it has a couple distinguishable differences that can help tell it apart from other blue cats. This cat has a double coat. One is the undercoat; a soft, downy like coat that is bluish-grey. It is the same length as the guard coat and actually appears slightly wavy when looking close. The other coat is the defining layer which has a silver tip to it, giving off a shimmering appearance. The only other breed that has a coat like this is a Chartreaux (also a blue cat). The Russian Blue has also has distinctive eyes. They are round, dark green and very vivid. Unlike other blue cats, which typically have grayish paws, the Russian Blue has mauve colored paws. This cat is very soft to touch and has beautiful features. In addition, she has a very fine boned structure and an agile elongated body.

Russian Blues originated in Arkhangelsk, Russian which has led to the term Archangel Blues. It was believed that the first Russian Blues were brought to England and other parts of Northern Europe by sailors from the Archangel Isles back in the 1860s. They were later brought to the United States in the early 1900s. During World War II, people began cross breeding Russian Blues with Siamese cats in an attempt to boost the waning gene pool. This was eventually nixed and a group of British breeders got together to once again bring the breed back to its original appearance.

The Russian Blue is well known for its great attributes; they are highly intelligent and are great companions. It is not uncommon for this type of cat to be able to open doors or even windows, and they sometimes like to play fetch. These independent cats are moderately active and also playful. They are not as vocal as many other cats and are typically easy to train. Russian Blues are also known to be shy, or timid, around strangers but they warm up quickly and easily to their family members. They typically get along very well with children or other pets in the household and are revered as clean cats. If a Russian Blues litter box is not clean, she will often eliminate elsewhere. And although no cat is completely free of allergens; Russian Blues do not produce as much glycoprotein Fel d 1, which would leave them to be considered hypoallergenic. This makes this breed a good choice for sensitive humans.

The Russian Blue has been acknowledged to be a good pet for single individuals; families with older children; first time cat owners; or anyone who is willing to keep the home (and cat) clean, with minimal change. While Russian Blues love their families, they tend to gravitate towards one favored person. Overall, these cats are intelligent, tolerant, and intuitive which makes their beauty much deeper than their ever-popular great looks.