Russian Blue

The Russian Blue is a natural breed with a short, dense blue-grey coat and vivid green eyes — an elegant, reserved cat with a gentle manner.

History

It is thought to have arrived in Western Europe from the Russian port of Arkhangelsk in the nineteenth century, which is where the "Archangel cat" name comes from. The plush double coat, its silver-tipped guard hairs giving a shimmer, was fixed as the breed was refined.

Temperament

The breed is known for being quiet, gentle and somewhat shy, devoted to its own people but wary of strangers and noise. Once settled it is affectionate and playful on its own terms.

Care

The dense short coat is easy to keep with occasional brushing. This is a cat that values routine and calm, and it does best in a settled household rather than a busy, changeable one.

Health

The breed is generally robust with few breed-specific conditions; the main day-to-day concern is a tendency to gain weight, since it is happy to eat and not always to move. These are patterns for the breed rather than a verdict on one cat; the measured facts and trait ratings are in the panels.