If you are looking for a gentle, quiet, intelligent cat, you may have found your match. It’s easy to see the appeal of the Russian Blue. His long, graceful, slim body is topped by a short, plush double coat tipped with silver. Round green eyes gaze out from his triangular head. He also comes in a longhaired variety known as the Nebelung, which means “creature of the mist.”
Did You Know the Russian Blue Has a Reserved Temperament and Undemanding Nature ?
The Russian Blue was once known as the Archangel Cat, not for his angelic temperament but because he originated in the Russian port city of Archangel. Russian folklore credits him with healing abilities and bringing good luck.
The Russian Blue and the Nebelung share the same affectionate but reserved temperament and undemanding nature. That doesn’t mean they can get by without any attention, but they won’t mind if you have to go off to work to earn money for cat food and toys. They do like consistency, however. Forget to feed your Russian Blue his dinner on time or make too many changes in his schedule and you are sure to receive complaints.
Don’t get a Russian Blue if you want a cat who will follow you from room to room or greet guests with enthusiasm. The Russian Blue can be affectionate but is not inclined to be clingy toward family members, and guests will see only a flash of tail as he exits the room upon their entry. He does best with older children who won’t rush at him and scare him. If he is raised with young children or cat-friendly dogs, however, he can get along well with them.
The Russian Blue enjoys playing with feather toys. Sometimes he will retrieve, but his favorite game is to teach his people to retrieve. He has a quick brain and is capable of figuring out how to get into cabinets or open doors. Like most cats, the Russian Blue loves to jump and climb. You will often find him resting in a sunny window. He weighs 5 to 11 pounds.
It’s essential to purchase your Russian Blue from a breeder who gives kittens plenty of handling from day one. A Russian Blue kitten may not warm up to you right away, but he should appear comfortable with handling by the breeder. If he shies away from her, look elsewhere.
The breed is well suited to any home with people who will love him and give his gorgeous coat a weekly combing. Keep him indoors to protect him from cars, diseases spread by other cats, and attacks from other animals. He can live 13 years or longer.
Other Quick Facts About the Russian Blue
The Russian Blue has a luxuriant silvery-blue coat, glowing green eyes, and long legs and body. His moderately wedge-shaped head is not too long and not too short. The large ears are wide at the base with tips that are more pointed than rounded.
Russian Blue kittens are sometimes born with “ghost stripes” that look like tabby markings, which usually disappear as the cat matures and develops into an adult coat.
European Russian Blues tend to be larger than American Russian Blues, and Russian Blues in Australia and New Zealand (known simply as Russians) come in white and black as well as the classic silver-blue.
The average size of a Russian Blue litter is three kittens.
