Russian Blue

From ArticleWorld

The Russian Blue is a naturally occurring breed that is believed to have originated in Arkhangelsk, Russia. Some say that the Russian Blue is descended from the Royal Cat of the Russian Czars. Although mostly anecdotal, there is some evidence to support this, and the later history of the breed is much clearer. The Russian Blue should not be confused with the ‘’British Blue’’. The British Blue is not a distinct breed, and does not occur naturally, but is a variation of the British Shorthair.

History

Although the traits have been mostly bred out by modern breeding programs, cross breeding the Russian Blue with the Siamese cat was a necessity during and following World War II. There were only a small number of natural Russian Blues, and cross breeding may have saved them from becoming extinct. Since then, the Russian Blue, in addition to being a distinct breed, has been used to help create other breeds. The Havana Brown and the Nebelung both have Russian Blues in their ancestry.

An Australian Russian Blue breeder attempted to create a solid white Russian Blue. Mavis Jones mated a domestic white cat with a Russian Blue in the early 1970’s. By the late 1970’s, at least in Australia, the Russian White and the Russian Black had been accepted as true Russian cats. These hybrids are only recognized and accepted by a few other organizations, and even then, on a limited basis.

Characteristics

The Russian Blue is a shorthaired, medium sized cat. The ‘’blue’’ coat is actually a diluted black, and is what is known as a double coat. Unique to the breed, there is a soft undercoat topped by a coat of longer hairs. The undercoat is solid blue, while the outer coat consists of blue hairs with silver tips, giving the coat a shiny appearance. They have bright green eyes and large, wide set ears.

Quiet and somewhat shy with strangers, the Russian Blue can also be quite playful, devoted, and loving. They require minimal grooming and are quite capable of entertaining themselves when left alone, making them ideal pets.