Russian Blue

The Russian Blue is a pedigree short-haired cat (Russian Blue cat, or Russkaya golubaya koshka in Russian). It is known for a solid blue coat that has been its defining feature for over a century.

The coat is a dense, plush double coat in pale blue-grey with a silvery sheen. The undercoat is soft and downy and the same length as the guard hairs, which are an even blue with silver tips. The eyes are a vivid emerald green, and the paw pads are pinkish lavender to mauve. The tail may show faint, barely visible tabby striping.

Russian Blues are small to moderate-sized cats, weighing 3.6 to 6.8 kg (8 to 15 lb) when fully grown. Males are typically larger than females. The breed is accepted by all major international cat registries and is considered relatively rare.

The Russian Blue was selectively bred from a naturally occurring landrace that may have come from the port of Arkhangelsk in Russia. They are also sometimes called Archangel Blues. Sailors are believed to have taken them to Great Britain and Northern Europe in the 1860s.

The first mention of an Archangel Cat in British print was in 1862, and one was first recorded in a show in 1872 at The Crystal Palace in England. Writing in 1895, Harrison Weir reported that early show cats under the Russian Blue name were British-bred grey tabbies, while separate grey cats from Archangel had also arrived in Britain. Russian Blues competed in a class with all other blue cats until 1912, when they were given their own class.

The breed was developed mainly in the UK and Scandinavia until after World War II. Numbers were low after the war, which led to crossbreeding with the Siamese. US breeders then combined Scandinavian and British bloodlines to create the modern American Russian Blue. The Siamese traits have now largely been bred out.

Russian Blues have also been used to help create or alter other breeds, such as the Havana Brown and the Nebelung.

Russian Blues are generally considered quiet, though there are always exceptions. They are normally reserved around strangers unless raised in an active household. They are loving and easy going, but they do not like change and prefer predictable routines.

They are highly intelligent with an excellent memory. They learn where favourite toys are hidden and lead their owners to them for a game, and they remember favourite visitors, racing to greet familiar faces even after a long gap. Many have been trained to do tricks.

They are exceptional athletes, rivalling Abyssinians for leaping and climbing, and can be fierce hunters of rodents, birds, rabbits, small mammals and reptiles. Kittens are energetic and can become mischievous if bored. The breed is slow to mature, keeping many adolescent traits until 3-4 years old, and even older cats are easily enticed into play.

What it does record is that the breed has been used in Italy to make Oriental Shorthairs healthier and more robust. The gestation period is approximately 64 days.

One well-known Russian Blue, Marty, who inspired the Nyan Cat meme, died in 2012 from feline infectious peritonitis.

This is general awareness only, not veterinary advice. Always consult a vet about your pet's health.

What is a Russian Blue cat?

It is a pedigree short-haired breed with a solid blue-grey, silver-tipped double coat and bright green eyes. All Russian Blues are purebred cats with a formally registered ancestry.

How big do Russian Blues get?

They are small to moderate-sized, typically 3.6 to 6.8 kg when fully grown. Males are usually larger than females.

Are Russian Blues quiet?

They are generally considered a quiet breed, although there are always exceptions. They are normally reserved around strangers unless brought up in an active household.

Is a Russian Blue the same as a British Blue?

No. A British Blue is not a distinct breed but a British Shorthair with a blue coat. Chartreux and Korat are also separate blue breeds with similar traits.

Is every blue-grey short-haired cat a Russian Blue?

No. Short hair and a darker slate-greyish blue colour are often seen in random-bred cats unrelated to the pedigree breed. Mislabelling such cats as Russian Blues can affect the breed.

When do Russian Blues grow up?

They are slow to mature and keep many adolescent traits until they are 3-4 years old.

The Russian Blue is also called the Archangel Blue.

The Nyan Cat meme was inspired by its creator's Russian Blue, Marty.

Russian Blues have appeared on screen, including Arlene in Garfield: The Movie and Smokey in Stuart Little.

Tom of Tom and Jerry is said to have been inspired by a Russian Blue.

Russian White and Russian Black cats exist and are accepted as Russian cats by the GCCF in the UK, in separate classes, though several registries recognise only blue.