Coexistence is important that you have with your new friend. Before considering the acquisition of a cat of the breed "Russian Blue 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.

Companion of the Russian Tsars, or from the English sailors?

Was the cat born near the cold waters of the Russian port of Arkhangelsk, or under the Maltese or Spanish sun?

Many legends surround the origin of the mysterious Russian Blue Cat. But, fans and official associations today privilege the Russian track, according to the breed name.

It all started in the 17th century on the shores of the White Sea, in the vicinity of the port city of Arkhangelsk, in northern Russia. Coveted and hunted for its unique thick, bluish fur, this typical cat of the region was quickly adopted by sailors for its qualities to hunt rodents. About 1860, British merchant ships brought this amazing feline to their holds. This allowed the breed to spread, initially in the UK and later in the rest of Europe. But, this diffusion is still quite modest.

The first mentions of him Russian Blue Cat as a whole-part race appear in works published in Great Britain from 1865. They are then evoked there under the name of “blue archangels”, russian shorthair or still foreign blue. But, was not up 1871 when the breed actually became known to Victorian society under the name of “Archangel Cat”, after his presentation at the Crystal Palace in London.

As a cultural center that hosted part of the Universal Exhibition of 1851 and as a cabinet of animate and inanimate curiosities open to the public, the Crystal Palace had international fame at the time. Animal exhibits, especially cats, were the most common and popular. But, the Russian Blue Cat did not arouse much interest in this first public appearance. Introduced at the same time as other blue-coated cats like the Chartreux or the British shorthair cat, it blended into the background and only attracted the attention of some rare fans, among them one such Constance Carex-Cox.

Then, in charge of a hatchery of Abyssinian cats, British shorthair cats and Manx cats, acquired his first Russian blues, developed the breed and took it upon himself to promote it to the general public. He wrote an article defending the differences between the Russian Blue Cat and the British shorthair cat in one of the first reference books on cat breeding, The Book of cats, de Frances Simpson (1903). His pugnacity was rewarded in 1912, When the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF), the main British feline organism, officially recognized the difference between British shorthair cat and the Russian Blue Cat. As a result, a separate class was created for cat shows, which is now registered under the name of “Foreign Blue”. This inversion of the terms in relation to the name used previously (“blue alien”) underlines that his most important feature is the blue of his eyes, more than its appearance “exotic”.

In 1939, still in the uk, officially received the name of Russian Blue. The other countries will adopt this name as the breed is recognized by the different national organizations..

In fact, its mitigated success among the British public does not prevent the Russian Blue Cat be exported to the United States and Canada between 1888 and 1890. There it also suffered from comparison with other local blue cats, including American shorthair cat. But, careful crossing allowed to develop a Russian Blue Cat finer than original, which was successful until 1940.

In the rest of europe, and in particular in France, the Russian Blue Cat was almost a victim of history, especially after the Bolshevik revolution of 1917. In fact, driven by deep anti-Bolshevik sentiment, the population despised everything that could have a Russian origin. The race had a hard time establishing itself. But, was presented for the first time in France in 1925 with the name of Maltese cat, before receiving the official name of Russian Blue in 1939, like on the other side of the canal.

The fighting and deprivation of World War II also endangered the survival of the Russian Blue Cat. But, after the end of the conflict, the dynamic breeding programs in England and Scandinavia make it possible to stop the extinction of the breed thanks to, in particular, to crosses with other cats, that contribute to the appearance of various morphological varieties of Russian Blue. In the United Kingdom, Marie Rochford, the only breeder that has preserved a pure lineage, decides to cross their specimens with siameses Blue Point. This permanently modifies the morphology of the Russian Blue, that gets thinner, to the point where the breed standard changes in the fifties. But, this trend stops a few years later, in 1965-1966, in particular thanks to the breeding program established by the Association Russian Blue. In 1967, the British Russian Blue had returned to its original more rounded shape and the original standard was back in force.

At the same time, in scandinavian regions, local breeders chose to recreate the breed by crossing Siamese with local blue stray cats. Compared to British lines, these lines of Russian Blue have a shorter, denser coat and smaller body size.

In United States, the Association of amateurs of cats (CFA) recognized the breed in 1949. But, the importation of British and Scandinavian specimens makes it difficult to evaluate cats in competitions, since the representatives of the breed have very different appearances. From 1960, Crossing programs between the different types were launched in order to homogenize the physical, what drove in the years 90 to the disappearance of the Scandinavian type in the country, for the benefit of British and American types only.

Is this the end of the tribulations of the Russian Blue Cat?

Not counting the interventions of Australian and New Zealand breeders who, over the years 60, they launched experiments to create russian blues black and russian blues White. The Australian Mavis Jones thus obtained the first Russian Blue Cat black and white in the years 70, when crossing a domestic cat white and a Russian Blue. But, 50 years later, only a limited number of organizations recognize the White Russian Blue and Black Russian Blue as official varieties of the breed. But, is the case of the Australian Cat Federation (ACF) in Australia, the New Zealand Cat Fancy (NZCF) in New Zealand, the Southern African Cat Council (SACC) in south africa, just like him Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF) in the UK and the Official Book of Feline Origins (LOOF) in France. In fact, these various feline organisms have gone so far as to change the breed name to eliminate any reference to color: for them, the cat is now simply Russian. The Cat’s Fanciers Association (CFA) and The International Cat association (TICA) in United States, as well as the Fédération Internationale Féline (FIFé) and World Cat Association (WCF) in Europe and around the world, disagree and refuse to recognize these varieties.

Last, it is impossible to close the history of Russian Blue Cat not to mention his long haired brother, the Nebelung cat, born in the years 80 and today recognized as a breed in its own right.

In the news, the emerald-eyed blue feline has a following mainly in the UK (located between the 10 Britain's most popular cats), Japan, EE.UU. (it is located just below the post 20 of the most popular cat breeds in the U.S.), Germany and France, where does he occupy the position 25 of the favorite breeds of cats of the French, nails on 150 annual inscriptions in the Official Book of Feline Origins (LOOF)

The Russian Blue Cat is an elegant short-haired cat with long legs and a slim complexion..

The special feature of Russian Blue it's your calling double fur, in which the outer coat is the same length as the undercoat. This makes the coat stand out and is especially soft and silky.. As the name suggests, the the fur color is always blue or blue-gray. Shading is not allowed, white spots or brindle markings. When they are young, cats may still be slightly tabby.

Although black and white are not recognized by all feline organizations, all agree that the color of the cat's coat must be perfectly uniform throughout the body, including muzzle and paw pads. Shading is excluded, brindle marks or spots. But, kittens can sometimes show ghost markings on their flanks and tail, that disappear at approximately one year of age.

Thanks to the colorless hair ends (tipping), blue fur glows silver in the light.

The elegant Russian has a graceful posture and a head angular with a mouth “smiling”. The Greats eyes, almond-shaped, develop an emerald green coloration in adult animals.

Size and weight

Despite the efforts of the breeders of the Russian Blue Cat for standardizing the physique of the breed, different morphological types still exist, due to its rich history:

Most big cat associations only recognize the color blue, with a tip of slightly white and gray guard hair, giving the coat a shiny, silver appearance. The nose and pads are gray, charcoal or dark lilac.

The white variety, which is only recognized by organizations in some countries, has white fur with silver highlights and pink nose and pads.

Last, the black variety, which is in the same situation as white in terms of recognition, is characterized by shiny jet-black fur from root to tip, and a black or dark brown nose and pads.

The nature of Russian Blue Cat it is fascinating and versatile. On the one hand he is frugal and calm, but on the other hand it can also be temperamental and wild. But, in general it is a balanced cat that establishes a strong bond with humans.

The russian cats prefer to sleep near their owners or even in bed with them, but they are never intrusive. But, they are quite reserved with strangers and the breed does not tolerate noise very well. To feel comfortable, the sensitive cat prefers a regular daily routine and the company of a sitter.

These smart cats are curious and playful, allowing them to quickly learn new skills. If they want, jumping animals can open doors and climb tall cabinets. But, Your cautious and considerate nature ensures nothing is broken in the process. In summary, The Russian Blue is an ideal cat for a calm couple or a single person.

The Russian Blue Cat it is a frugal cat breed, that is also satisfied with living only inside. Unexpected situations outside can even be too much for the sensitive cat and strangers can scare it.. Secure access outside in a fenced garden or on the balcony is a better alternative, depending on the possibility. The cat is also one of the breeds that can even be taken for a walk on a leash if it gets used to it.. The russian cat will also get along well with people who work and have many opportunities to scratch and climb. He is happy to have a partner to cuddle and play with. It also, the smart cat wants to be challenged and needs challenging activities without access to the outside.

Although the Russian Blue it is a calm and relaxed cat breed, there is also a bit of predator in it. Don't need much, but yes a challenging activity. Most cat intelligence toys are seen more quickly than many other breeds. It is best to alternate between different games and toys so that he does not get bored. Athletic cats also want to exercise their athletic skills regularly.. So, there must be one or more scratching posts and enough room to run. You should not miss the daily pampering sessions with your favorite human. The Russian cat likes to observe the surroundings from a high vantage point and relax in peace and quiet.

The Russian Blue Cat it is a long-lived race, with a life expectancy between 15 and 20 years. In fact, this resistant animal does not present any specific health problem, except a predisposition to kidney stones.

On the other hand, being a big glutton, the risk of obesity in cats is real, especially if they are not active enough or are pampered by their owners. So, it is important to ensure that the cat's daily ration is adapted to its needs, asking the vet for advice if necessary.

Last, It should be noted that litters of the English type tend to have more kittens than those of other types.

If you want to have your own Russian Blue Cat, you will find many breeders of this breed. Unfortunately, More and more Internet scams are selling non-purebred or even sick cats at expensive prices. Thus, make sure the breeder is a member of the Breeders Association of Russian Blue. This is the only way to guarantee a purebred and healthy kitten.. Of course, you will pay much more, with prices that are around 700 EUR, but it's worth it. Most kittens are already house trained, vaccinated, desparasitados and chip. If you want to help an animal in need, you can also find what you are looking for in an animal shelter.

Archangel Blue, Archangel Cat.