The Russian Blue Cat

By Omer Ashraf

A beautiful feline breed, Russian Blue is said to have originated from Archangel islands in Russia a long time ago. There it was highly valued for its lustrous fur and unique personality before it was brought over by sailors to Britain in the later half of nineteenth century. Formal recognition was received by the Russian Blue in coming years and soon it was found all over Europe, including Scandinavia where the cat had a slightly different physical appearance. In United States though formal breeding was undertaken nearly a century later, when breeders started crossing Scandinavian and British variants to produce the modern Russian Blue. As it has moved through time and places, Russian Blue has had several names including Archangel cat, Foreign Blue and Maltese.

A graceful animal, Russian Blue has a regal appearance. It has a long and sleek body, giving it a svelte look. Its lustrous double layered coat makes it stand out from other shorthair felines. The beautiful coat, that is quite dense, is seen only in blue color and has silver tipped hair that give it its sublime sheen. Head of the Russian Blue is often compared in shape to that of the mesmerizing cobra, with large widely spaced ears and bright round emerald eyes adding to the cat's charm. Prominent whisker pads give the face a sweet, smiling expression.

Owing to their beauty and elegance, Russian Blues have been used at times in creation of certain artificial breeds. Their traits are highly valued for inclusion in the gene pool of prospective breeds. They are also known to shed less than most cats and are quite suited to living with people who are allergic to feline fur. Many consider them to be a sort of hypoallergenic animal though there is some debate regarding this issue.

Russian Blues are very calm and gentle cats who get along well with all members of the family. They are not overly demanding or vocal and in fact produce a very soft sweet voice when they wish to communicate with others.

The author is a blogger about cats and an expert on Russian Blue cat.