Native Country

Russia

Breed Description

Head: Short, wedge-shaped, with straight lines. Flat forehead and skull. Medium length muzzle. Straight nose. No nose break. Strong chin.
Eyes: Large, fairly wide set, almond-shaped (almost round, barely oval). Colour: vivid green. Eye colour in kittens ranges from yellow to green. Definitive color is not attainde before the age of one.
Neck: Long, slender and straight.
Body: Long, foreign type. Fine to medium-boned. Muscled.
Paw: Long and fine boned. Firm muscles, paws round or ova laccording to TICA or FIFe.
Tail: Long (but in proportion with the body), straight, tapering from a moderately thin base to a thin tip.
Coat: Short, dense, very fine, and plush. Stands out from the body. Soft, silky to the touch. Double coat with a very thick undercoat. Solid, uniform blue-grey colour, with silvery sheen caused by silver tapping. Slate grey nose leather and dark lavender paw pads.
Fault: Square, round or Siamese-like head. Round or yellowish eyes. Weak chin. Massive, stocky body. Tail overly thick at the base. Close lying coat. Tabby markings, white spots.
Comment: The standard for the Nebelung (more common in the USA) is the same as that of the Russian Blue, but its double coat is longer and of a lighter blue-grey shade.

History

The origins of this breed are disputed. Some experts believe that relatively longhaired, blue-coated cats lived along the shores of the White Sea in the Port Arkhangelsk region beginning in the 17th century. In the 1860s, an English or Russian merchant ship may have carried these cats to Great Britain, where they were shown in London as Russian Shorthairs, Archangel Blues (after Arkhangelsk Port), and Blue Foreigns beginning in 1871. Others theories hold that the breed originated instead in the Mediterranean region, like the Chartreux; hence the name Spanish Blue. The breed was officially named the Russian Blue in 1939. Following World War II, Russian Blues were crossed with British Shorthair Blues and particularly with Blue Point Siamese in order to restore the breed.

Behavior

The Russian Blue is a gentle, affectionate cat easily distinguished from other breeds. Those attracted by the physical beauty of the Russian Blue find the disposition of these unassuming cats equally appealing. Russian Blues are quiet, clean cats who are playful and loving companions. Despite their shy nature, Russians are devoted and quite affectionate towards their loved ones. They are very intelligent and have been reported to open doors and teach their owners to fetch. Sensitive to the mood of the house, Russians will ‘clown' to quiet a crying baby or sit patting your face to chase away the blues. They get along well with children and other pets.