Coexistence is important that you have with your new friend. Before considering the acquisition of a cat of the breed "Nebelung cat" you know certain factors. You must take into account their character, their need for exercise, their interaction with other pets, their care and if you have small children, their level of tolerance towards them.

The Nebelung cat today originated in the United States in the 1980, but its history is much older and inseparable from that of the Russian Blue Cat.

The Russian Blue Cat already existed in Russia in the 19th century, where it was often hunted for the quality of its hide, which caused a population decline. The breed included both individuals of shorthair like Longhair. If he Russian Blue Cat shorthair was exported to Great Britain from 1870 and quickly met some success there, his cousin from Longhair did not have this opportunity, and it continued to decline. The 20th century and its two world wars sealed its fate, and is now considered extinct. In other words, the Nebelungs current replicate their appearance, but they are not his descendants.

The history of the Nebelung starts in 1984 and Denver, Colorado ((UNITED STATES)UU.), when the cat of the son of Cora Cobb, a computer developer, gave birth to a long-haired gray-blue male kitten. Seduced by this ball of hair, Cora Cobb decided to stay with him and called him Siegfried, in honor of the protagonist of Wagner's opera "The Ring of the Nibelung".

"Nebelung cat"

A few months later, this cat gave birth to another litter in which one of the kittens had long bluish gray hair. Cora Cobb he also adopted this cat and named her Brunilda, again in reference to the characters in Wagner's opera, based on the 13th century Germanic poem Nibelungenlied.

When he moved to Old Paso, Texas, Cora Cobb took to Siegfried and Brunhilde, who thanked him by giving birth to a litter of three kittens in 1986. They all had the same medium-long, blue-gray fur..

This is because the gene responsible for Longhair and the gene responsible for blue-gray hair are both recessive, which means that the individual must inherit it from both parents to have this appearance. Like this, kittens resulting from the mating of two long-haired gray or gray-blue cats must have the same coat as their parents.

Decided to call the cats Nebelung, a clear reference to Wagner's opera and original poem, but also a pun on the German word «Nebel» (What does "fog" mean?) and the Russian «Nebo» (what does "heaven" mean). Then the breed recognition process began, contacting the Dra. Solveig Pflueger, head of genetics of the TICA (International Cat Association).

Following his advice, developed a standard for the Nebelung cat based on the Russian Blue Cat, changing only the description of the fur. The TICA provisionally recognized the breed in 1987, and Cora Cobb founded his kennel, who called Nebelheim.

In 1989, the Nebelung was featured at a cat show in Paris, where it had some success and offspring began to appear in Europe. In 1997 was definitely recognized by the TICA, later for him Livre Officiel des Origines Félines (LOOF) french in 2008 and by the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF) british in 2015. The World Cat Federation (WCF) has also recognized the breed, but neither the American Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA) not even Fédération Internationale Féline (FIFé) have yet taken the step.

Although it is now present in North America, as well as in Europe, the Nebelung still a rare breed of cat, and has not yet conquered the general public. In France, the statistics of Libro Oficial de Orígenes Felinos (LOOF) indicate that less than fifty specimens are registered each year, while in Great Britain these figures do not exceed twenty. Breed is even more discreet in America, where there are only a handful of hatcheries in the entire country.

The Nebelung It has a type morphology Semi-Foreign. Its body, long and elegant, he is athletic and well proportioned, and rests on muscular legs that end in oval legs. The tail is long, at least as much as the body, and the hair of the same is longer than in the rest of the body.

The head wedge-shaped is well proportioned to the size of the animal and the ears they are big and pointed. The boca is slightly turned up at the corners, which gives the appearance of constantly smiling, and the nose is charcoal gray. The eyes They are slightly oval and of a deep green color similar to that of the Russian Blue Cat. But, kittens may have greenish-yellow eyes until they reach maturity, around two years old.

The fur of the Nebelung, that is not fully developed until that age, it's semi-long, and males can have mane. The undercoat it is dense and waterproof, while the outer coat is long and silky. In winter, the coat becomes longer and denser, allowing you to better protect yourself from the cold.

The only coat color allowed is gray., but this one is called "blue" in the world of cat shows. Kittens can have "ghost" stripes, but these disappear as they grow, giving way to a nice uniform tone.

Last, the sexual dimorphism it is quite marked, the female being smaller than the male.

• Male size: 26 to 30 cm.
• female size: 25-28 cm.
• Male weight: 4-7 kg
• female weight: 3-6 kg

The breed standards are documents established by official bodies that list the conditions that a dog must meet. Nebelung to be fully recognized as belonging to the race:

• Norma LOOF (Livre Officiel des Origines Félines)
• TICA standard (The International Cat Association)
• Norma GCCF (The Governing Council of the Cat Fancy)

If he Nebelung it is called often Russian Blue longhair, this is a mistake: is a long-haired equivalent of the Russian Blue Cat, but the Nebelung and this one are two different races that do not share common origins. In fact, contrary to what one might think, the Nebelung does not descend from Russian Blue longhair found in Russia in the 19th century and have since disappeared.

But, the rules allow the crossing between these two breeds, what, of course, can only lead to confusion. A kitten resulting from such a union is considered as Russian Blue if you have short hair, and as Nebelung if, on the contrary, the Longhair.

The Nebelung he is extremely affectionate with his family and loves to spend time with them. But, he is a rather shy cat, you need some time before you trust humans; after adopting one, you should not be forced to socialize with your family, but should be allowed to get used to at your own pace. Once you feel comfortable, he will follow his family members throughout the house and remain devoted and loyal to them for life.

Like is logic, even when it is well integrated into your home, prefers the tranquility of a family evening to social life. It is common for him to run away when guests arrive at the house, and can stay hidden for a while before showing up to greet newcomers.

They get along very well with the children in the family who have learned to behave with an animal, but they run away from the too boisterous youth. in addition, can live very well with other cats, or even with dogs accustomed to cats, as long as you are not being chased around the house and introductions are made on your terms, that is to say, without forcing you to socialize quickly.

In general, cats don't like changes, and the Nebelung is no exception. He likes routine and does not like his habits to be altered. It is an excellent alarm clock, that every morning reminds its owner that it is time to get up and, step, to give him breakfast. So, not suitable for people who move often and / or have a chaotic lifestyle.

When you feel safe in the family nucleus, this peaceful companion becomes active and playful, not hesitating to invite his master to play or run after a shiny object that has fallen to the ground. Once they have had enough exercise, they will gladly accommodate with a family member to receive well-deserved caresses.

As an intelligent race, the Nebelung is even able to learn some tricks, like fetching a ball or opening the door to the candy closet. This intelligence enables you to understand the intonations of voices, and makes you able to recognize the compliments, but also teasing: it's not uncommon to see him sulking at his family after making them laugh against their will, for example, falling off the couch.

Last, it is a cat made to live in an apartment and not in the garden: finds your marks faster and feels safer there, what favors their adaptation. In fact, even if I have access to the outside, you probably prefer the comfort of home to the possible novelties that await you outside. It also, it is a breed of cat that tolerates loneliness well, so it can be left home alone when your family is working: unlike other active and intelligent breeds, there is no need to fear that he will adopt destructive behavior, especially if you get extra care at night.

The Nebelung it is a very resistant cat breed, no known genetic diseases.

This does not protect him from most of the diseases that all cats are exposed to; even if he spends his life inside, it is essential to vaccinate him well and give him adequate antiparasitic treatments.

The most important health risk is Obesity. It is not a disease in itself, but it can cause serious problems. The owner is the only person who can protect the dog from this condition, so you should make sure to weigh it regularly to control your weight and avoid being overweight.

15 to 18 years

"Nebelung cat"

The maintenance of Nebelung cat is not difficult, but it takes a little time.

Its beautiful coat should be brushed twice a week to remove dead hairs and distribute sebum from the skin. These actions help keep the coat shiny and avoid knots..

During the moulting season, in spring and autumn, this brushing should be done every day to deal with the large amount of dead hair.

It also, it is advisable to spend a few minutes each week to check the condition of the ears, cat's eyes and teeth: to avoid any risk of infection, must be kept perfectly clean. Ears and eyes can be wiped clean with a damp cloth if necessary.

When they get too long, it is necessary to trim the claws with a nail clipper. As the Nebelung it is generally an indoor cat, natural wear is usually insufficient.

Last, It should be noted that the Nebelung has a very high level of cleanliness, even more than most of its congeners. So, to avoid problems, it is important to replace the litter box and clean it regularly.

The Nebelung is not demanding in terms of food and can be fed with commercially available industrial cat food. These must be of sufficient quality to provide you with all the necessary nutrients and vitamins to keep you healthy.. Y, as in the case of any cat of any breed, diet should be adapted to your age and activity level.

The Nebelung he's a big glutton, and your appetite can be a source of trouble. So, it is important to respect the daily servings recommended by the manufacturer, and pay attention to the calorie content of any cat treats you receive; the ideal is, of course, deduct from your ration of croquettes or pate the amount contributed by them. It also, not usually able to self-regulate, so it is better to avoid having food available all the time.

In case of excessive weight gain, do not let the situation get out of control, Instead, you have to quickly consult a veterinarian to establish a new feeding program more suited to your needs..

A kitten Nebelung it costs on average about 1.200 EUR, but the price range goes from 1.000 to 1.400 EUR, depending on the physical characteristics of the kitten.

The price of females is usually slightly lower than that of males, but there are no big differences.