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IC Peyton & Ch Aremisia
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Russian Blues are rare. There are no other cats like Russians.
Every cat lover should have a Russian Blue. They greet you with their "smile", adore you while awake and later sleep by your side.
The Regal Russian Blue, with its elegant coat, sparkling green eyes and stately manner has always been associated with Royalty.
History of the Russian Blue
The Russian Blue is a natural breed , it is not the result of crossings with other breeds.
Russian Blues always lived at the Russian court and were favoured by the Csars and Russian aristocracy for their plush double coats which are sometimes compared to the coat of a beaver or seal. In particular Csar Peter 1st and his daughter Elisabeth loved the beautiful Russian Blue with its deservedly haughty air, but gentle soul.
Csaritsa Katharina 2nd however preferred dogs to cats and started to give these beauties away to the foreign ambassadors as a present for their Principals, one of them became the favoured pet of the English Queen Victoria. This is how the Russian Blues spreaded to other courts and blue cats in general became known as royal cats.
The thus exported Russian Blues have had a profound influence on the Maltese Blues, the Chartois Blue, the British Shorthair Blue and the Spanish Blue. They gave them their fine colour and muscular body but never the double dense coat.
| IC Peyton male - 15 months |
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Also some illegal ofspring of escaped cats from the Russian Court were smuggled to England on ships that left the Russian port on Archangel Isle, so common people called it the Archangel cat or the Foreign Blue.
First shown in 1875 at the Crystal Palace in England as the Archangel Cat, the original Russian Blue competed in a class for all blue cats. In 1912 the Russian Blue was given a class of its own. but during the Second World War, the breed almost became extinct, being saved only by the outcrossing to Siamese. Eventually Breeders made a co-ordinated attempt to return to the pre-war characteristics of the breed, and in 1965 the show standard was changed to state specifically that Siamese type was undesirable in the Russian Blue.From its early origins until after World War II, English and Scandinavian breeders worked to develop the foundation bloodlines for the contemporary Russian Blue. Although Russians were imported to the United States as early as 1900, there is little recorded work with the breed in America until after World War II. American breeders combined the English bloodlines with their plush, silvery coats and Scandinavian bloodlines with their emerald green eyes and flat profiles to produce the Russian Blue we know today.
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Kitten Alexej male - 10 weeks |
Physical Characteristics
The Russian Blue has a double coat which is very different from any other breed; it is short, thick and very fine, its density causes the double-textured coat to stand out from the body. A clear, even blue colour, with the silver tipping of the guard hairs giving the cat an overall lustrous silvery sheen.
The head is wedge shaped with a flat skull, broad at eye level, nose of medium length, and a strong chin. The prominent whisker pads are a distinctive feature of the Russian Blue, and excitement or alarm causes them to "puff up". The ears are large, wide-based and set vertically on the head. Eyes are wide set, almond in shape and a vivid green in colour. The Russian Blue has a build which is very muscular.
The body is long and graceful in outline, with a long tapering tail, long legs and small oval feet.The overall impression of the Russian Blue is a powerful elegant cat with a long, well muscled body and graceful carriage. It is not a cat of extremes - neither fine or cobby, but gives the impression of strength. It can appear heavy because of the plushness of the coat. Arranges itself neatly and, when at ease, looks majestic. Russian females have a slightly finer, smaller build and a sweet, serene expression.
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IC Peyton 4 yrs & Ch. Aremisia 3 yrs |
Living with Russian Blues
The Russian Blue is the aristocrat of cats due to its its elegant athletic appearance: its slender, muscular grace and its serpent-like stare. Nevertheless, Russian Blues are gentle, and affectionate; kittens as well as adults are playful lovemachines . Because they are quiet and clean, and they enjoy the comforts of a secure home, they make excellent pets.
The silver tipping on each hair seems to make the cat himmer. The soft, velvety feel of the coat is also immediately distinguishing. "Handling a Russian Blue feels like running a silk scarf through your hands." Those who have a Russian and another breed of cat in the household, can tell with a single touch which cat jumped onto the bed in the middle of the night.
Russian Blue cats are intelligent, quiet, and sensitive. They like to be clean, and they shed very little. They love to play with small toys around the house, and they enjoy jumping and climbing, but -- unlike some other playful breeds -- Russians are rarely destructive. Because they are intelligent, they can train their people to perform simple tasks such as throwing toys so that the Russians can retrieve them. They are agile, light-footed cats that may seem to fly around the house with the grace of a dancer.
Russian Blues easily bond with their people and are loyal to those who love them -- frequently following them from room to room to be near them. They keep talking all day to you. Russians show their affection in a variety of ways. Some enjoy leaping onto the shoulder of their person and riding there. Other Russians are eager to butt heads with their person.
They can live with dogs in the house and are then generally on top of them as a Russian considers the house its own palace and all others living there as staff.
Typically, Russian Blues are hearty, healthy cats, and with proper diet, exercise, veterinary care, and affection, they are capable of living well into their teens and beyond.
A Russian Blue is a good choice for the modern home because their undemanding nature fits perfectly into today's busy schedules. They will entertain themselves if left alone for the day and be a contented companion upon your return. The Russian requires a minimum of grooming with periodic nail clipping and a coat that can be kept looking good by frequent petting and an occasional combing.
But beyond appearances, the real pleasure of the Russian Blue is its unique personality which sets it apart from other cats and makes it an interesting, entertaining and affectionate companion to its owners and friends.
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Natalja holding
Victoria |
Author:
Natalja Bik-Galutskaja
20 Rue Adrien Bernard, 34140 Meze, Herault, France
Tel.: +33-4-67-18.08.61
natalja.bik@wanadoo.fr
