Mary Allen
The Russian Blue is not a beginner cat. However, if you meet her high standards, you will have a highly intelligent and beautiful friend in her.
Russian Blue is anything but ordinary. As a baby, she is often compared to the ugly duckling from Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale, which blossoms into a proud tail.
It’s a long way from the kitten’s tabby markings to the blue-grey shimmering silver fur of the proud adult animal. However, the catwalks these confidently and gracefully. The proud, blue-grey Russian knows what she wants, and that’s no small thing.
Here you can find out what you should know about these cats – as an owner or just out of interest.
Where does the Russian Blue come from?
As the name suggests, this breed originated as a natural breed in the Russian expanses. But since it became known and has been successfully bred, it has spread all over the world and is still very popular.
The spread of the breed probably began in the port city of Arkhangelsk. Ships from all over the world were anchored here, and their crews liked to take cats on board to protect them from mice. This is how the first Russian Blue came to England in the 19th century. There, other cat breeds such as British Shorthair or European Shorthair were crossed. This gave the cat a shorter but thicker coat and a particularly intense eye color.
Hybrids (mixed breeds) of the Russian Blue are Russian Shorthairs that can also be bred in solid black or solid white. However, the eye color must correspond to the emerald green of Russian Blue.
At Russian Blue, there are three breed types, also known as breeding lines.
- The Siberian or Scandinavian type is slightly smaller than the other two. The ears are further apart. In terms of character, this variant is a bit shy, which is why it is not so popular.
- The English type, which is the most powerfully built, has its ears set close together.
- The least shy and most sociable is the American type, which has ears set wide apart and is a little lighter in color.
Many breeders are not averse to mixing the three types because this preserves a large gene pool. The susceptibility to breed-related weaknesses or diseases also decreases in cats.
What does the Russian Blue look like?
The Russian Blue is a medium-sized shorthair cat breed with a distinctive coat that requires little grooming. In addition, there are the unmistakable eyes and an elegant habit.
The body
Sometimes, at first glance, the Russian Blue is confused with other cat breeds such as the British Shorthair. This happens especially when the latter has a gray-blue to silver coat. However, the Russian Blue is more delicate, which makes it look a lot more elegant. This elegance is enhanced by the long legs and small, delicate paws.
The fur
What sets these cats apart most from other breeds is their soft, silvery coat. The color is particularly impressive. The silver shimmer comes from the colorless ends of the hair. The coat is uniformly blue, blue-gray, or gray. Breeding prohibits spots, and tabby (mackerel or brindle) is also undesirable. Minor tabby markings will only be tolerated if limited to part of the tail.
Strict breeders even check the color of the nose and the pads of the feet. Ideally, these body parts should also have the same uniform blue-grey coloration.
What is interesting about this breed is that kittens have what is known as ghost markings. This means that within the first year of life, the animals change from tabby, multicolored kittens to unmarked, monocolored adult animals.
In addition to the beautiful blue-grey color, the coat must be particularly silky. Because both the undercoat and the top coat are of the same length, the fur is particularly dense and very soft and plush. For these reasons, experts speak of a so-called double coat in the case of the Russian Blue. Such a cat needs little grooming for most shorthair cat breeds.
The head
The head is slightly round and is referred to by breeders as wedge-shaped. The ears are noticeably wide apart. The whisker pad is considered to be particularly characteristic of this cat. The whiskers are shaped in such a way that they conjure up an endearing smile on the animal’s face.
The eyes
Anyone who knows similar breeds such as the Chartreuse cat or the British Shorthair often throws the Russian Blue in the same pot. However, it is the eyes that make this cat unmistakable. With deep eye contact, you will fall in love with almond-shaped, bright green to dark emerald-colored pearls. In addition, the eyes of the animals are relatively far apart. The Russian Blue is rightly one of the cats with the most beautiful eyes.
How big is a Russian Blue?
It is a medium-sized breed of cat, with a shoulder height of between 25 and 30 cm for cats and around 35 to 40 cm for males.
How heavy is a Russian Blue?
A female cat weighs 2.5 to 4 kg, tomcats weigh an impressive 4 to 6 kg.
Character and essence of the Russian Blue?
The Russian Blue kittens are real bundles of energy in terms of their character. It almost seems as if this breed uses up most of its reserves as a baby, as the character becomes calm and confident in adulthood. That is why the Russian Blue is not really suitable for a household with small children.
This velvet paw prefers a quiet apartment where there is no danger and no unforeseen things happen. The structure is part of the everyday life of animals. On the other hand, slightly older children who accept that the animal needs its resting areas and respect them fit perfectly with the character of the Russian Blue.
Animals of this breed are also confident in the face of family growth in the form of other cats or a dog.
Some lovers of this cat breed also call her a diva because it takes her a while to build trust. That is why she is rather shy of strangers and only approaches them slowly – perhaps this gives her the aura of the aloofness of a diva.
What she lacks in temperament as an adult, she makes up for in her intelligence. It is quite comparable to a dog in its ability to learn.
The correct attitude of the Russian Blue
The Russian Blue doesn’t bother the pure housing attitude at all. She doesn’t necessarily need a garden or free range as long as you give her enough attention. Of course, she also loves hours of sunshine on the balcony, but then you should secure her well with a cat net.
It’s amazing what this cat can learn with a little encouragement. She manages what is important enough to her: opening doorknobs or pushing open drawers for food and treats … she can do all of that.
The Russian Blue is one of those cat breeds that will keep you entertained for hours with smart cat games. She can also be trained like a dog with the clicker, so you can teach her lots of tricks and you can have lots of fun together.
At night, the cat likes to lie in a “cave” where it can feel completely protected and safe. It often burrows under blankets and pillows, so you have to go and look for it here and there.
What care does the Russian Blue need?
This shorthair cat breed requires little grooming. The double coat of the Russian Blue hardly sheds any hair. This and the fact that it hardly produces any allergens makes it a cat that is also tolerated by allergy sufferers. But beware: severe allergy sufferers also react to the low hair loss and the low allergen emissions. It is therefore prudent to spend some time with a Russian Blue before an allergy sufferer decides to purchase from a reputable breeder.
A weekly combing is sufficient for maintenance. This is how you regularly thin out the loose hair.
What typical diseases does the Russian Blue have?
This breed is not sensitive to hereditary diseases. Due to the large gene pool and crosses from earlier decades, these seem to have all but disappeared from the genetic material. Of course, that doesn’t mean she’s immune to common cat diseases. Like all cats, including indoor cats, they must be regularly examined and vaccinated.
How old does a Russian Blue get?
A Russian Blue has an unusually high life expectancy of around 20 years.
How much does a Russian Blue cost?
Many professional breeders across Europe offer Russian Blue kittens for sale. These should stay with the mother for at least 12 weeks.
A purebred Russian Blue costs between 500 euros and 700 euros. At first glance, this may seem like a lot, but it is better to pay this amount than just half for a so-called “bargain”. On such occasions, you are likely to end up with a kitten that has not been vet checked, vaccinated, responsibly bred, and has not been able to stay with its mother long enough.
Never buy a “cheap kitten”, even if the pedigree of your new cat means nothing to you. If the breeder can present papers, this is at least an indication of responsible breeding.
If you’re a true cat and animal lover, visit your local animal shelter or scour the internet for orphaned cats looking for homes. Countless small animal souls have been abandoned or lost their homes for other reasons. If it has to be an elegant Russian Blue, you can certainly find one or at least a robust and confident Russian Blue crossbreed in an animal shelter.
What makes the Russian Blue so special?
A coat with an incomparably silky, blue-grey shimmer, which even people with mild allergies can get along with, eyes like emerald-green lakes, and a loyal, highly intelligent nature make the Russian Blue a wonderful companion for several decades.
We hope you enjoy this very special cat breed.