The Russian Blue is an unusually sweet cat that stands out from the rest with her mysterious gray-blue coat. Let’s take a closer look at what she looks like, what makes her special, and where the breed came from.
Breed History
Nobody really knows where the Russian Blue came from; at least, there are no reliable sources about the breed’s origins. As the name suggests, these cats are thought to come from Russia (the port city of Arkhangelsk, which is why they’re sometimes called Archangel Blues). But according to various legends, the breed may have appeared in England, America, Spain, or the East. One thing is certain: the Russian Blue is one of the oldest breeds, since it’s mentioned in English records from the 1860s.
Russian Blue Personality and Traits at a Glance
| Affection for family | ★★★★☆ |
| Shedding | ★★★★☆ |
| Health | ★★★★☆ |
| Playfulness | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Vocality | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Good with kids | ★★★☆☆ |
| Friendliness toward strangers | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Ease of grooming | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Gets along with other pets | ★★★★☆ |
| Intelligence | ★★★★☆ |
Breed Overview
The Russian Blue delights her owners with grateful purring, a cheerful mood, devotion, and incredible charm. Her personality is well worth considering when you’re choosing a “new family member.” Reviews from people lucky enough to already have such a loyal friend at home are heartfelt and only positive.
You can learn how to recognize a cat of this breed from her description, and the breed standard describes her perfectly.
Breed Standard (Appearance)
A Russian Blue kitten stands out not only for her ash-blue coat, the first thing you notice when looking at pictures of her, but also for a number of other features (the standard).
- Head: wedge-shaped (if you draw lines between the eyes and the tip of the nose). The top of the head is flat, and the skull is long.
- Neck: straight and fairly long.
- Body: quite graceful. Her neat, medium-sized build with a fairly long torso sets her apart from other breeds.
- Ears: large, wide at the base, and pointed at the tips. Inside they’re pink with a little hair.
- Eyes: almond-shaped, set wide apart, a beautiful green color, and very expressive.
- Legs: long, like everything else. The paws can be oval or round. The tail is thin and tapers to a point.
- Coat: short. You couldn’t call it fluffy, but it’s very dense and soft and feels a lot like plush. It has an undercoat and an outer coat.
Cats of this breed can be medium or small in size and weight. Russian Blues often live 15–20 years.
You might also like: names for your cat.
Russian Blue Personality
The Russian Blue is active and very friendly. These cats won’t pester their owners, since they can find something to do on their own. They handle being alone fairly calmly, which makes them ideal pets for people who work long hours away from home.
Russian Blues are very curious. Not a single detail in your home will escape them: they’ll explore every one, sniff it, and, if possible, check out the inside too. These cats are very intelligent. Once they’ve learned your gestures and facial expressions, they’ll understand you without a word.
The Russian Blue doesn’t like strangers and prefers to hide somewhere until they leave.
These cats are excellent hunters, so if you have mice in your house, they won’t be around for long. Besides mice, they’re happy to hunt insects, leaping all the way up to the ceiling.
Caring for a Russian Blue
Caring for a Russian Blue isn’t hard at all, especially since these cats rarely get sick and have no known genetic diseases. Of course, that doesn’t mean they never get sick. They can catch any cat illness if the basic rules of care aren’t followed. Owners will need to:
- Brush the cat once every seven days. Bathe her from time to time, although Russian Blues aren’t fans of getting wet.
- Feed her like any other cat, without forgetting about vitamins and a balanced diet. These cats aren’t picky eaters.
- Keep the litter box clean, since these cats are very particular about their bathroom spot.
- Trim her claws now and then if she doesn’t wear them down enough on her own (usually she handles that herself).
Photos
Russian Blues come in just one color, blue, which can look grayer or bluer depending on the cat and the light (see the photos). There have been many attempts to breed other colors, but they haven’t been accepted by the major US cat registries.
Look at the photo of the blue cat whose coat looks almost navy. This color is so unusual that when you first see it, you might think it’s fake (as if someone had dyed the cat blue). The grayer cats of this breed are just as interesting: their mesmerizing eyes combined with that unusual gray coat are something unbelievable and gorgeous.
The Bottom Line
The Russian Blue is a cautious cat. Rather than exploring the house, she prefers to settle in the safest spot and study the habits and ways of everyone who lives there from there.
Russian Blues usually have quiet voices, and the breed isn’t especially talkative. Jumping, on the other hand, is their specialty: a Russian Blue can easily reach any height, especially when she’s doing her favorite thing, playing with her owner.
That said, Russian Blues can get along easily not only with the family members they adore but also with strangers and other animals.
It’s important to know that Russian Blues can’t stand closed spaces, so never lock your cat alone in a room!
These cats are very smart, and you’ll be surprised how quickly a Russian Blue figures out and accepts the house rules.
The breed is often called hypoallergenic. That doesn’t rule out allergic reactions in some cases, but it means the cat tends to cause fewer allergy problems than the average kitty.
Since this is a natural breed, no hereditary diseases have been noted.
Russian Blue Owner Reviews
Ekaterina: “I’ve had two Russian Blues for 8 years now, and in that time I’ve formed my opinion of the breed. Russian Blues are incredibly clean and graceful. These cats aren’t just cats; they’re ladies with personalities. They won’t simply walk up to strangers, they won’t eat just any food, and they won’t let people they don’t know pick them up. If those people keep trying, they may even scratch. Speaking of scratching, they love it. I’ve replaced the wallpaper and furniture more than once in 8 years, but sadly I can’t break them of the habit. In every other way, it’s an ideal breed with the most beautiful coat.”
Andrey: “Our Matryona is great in every way, but she’s not affectionate! Or rather, her share of affection usually goes to whoever gets home from work first; everyone else has to settle for being staff to our little queen. That independent streak shows in everything. If the cat decides she won’t eat a food, she’ll go skinny before she touches the bowl, until you put out her usual food. And she’s clever too. She finds her hidden stashes and knows perfectly well how to open the fridge!”
Varvara: “They’re not kidding about how clean this breed is. Our Tishka can’t stand mess on the floor, and if he sees a crumb, he’ll make a show of burying it until I clean up. He’s not vindictive at all, and sometimes I’m just embarrassed in front of him for being so clumsy. When he was little, of course, he caused a series of disasters in our house, but now he’s a respectable age and the furniture is in one piece. I feed him chicken and fish; he’s not fussy and eats everything. He’s already been a dad, and his kittens are gorgeous!”
Price
In the US, a pet-quality Russian Blue kitten from a registered breeder usually costs about $500–$1,500, and many well-known CFA catteries charge $2,000–$2,500. Show and breeding-quality kittens from champion lines can cost $1,500–$3,000 or more. The price depends on the pedigree and a few other factors, so the only way to know exactly how much a particular Russian Blue kitten costs is to see it in person.
Where to Buy a Russian Blue Kitten in the US
Only from a cattery or a breeder who can show you the proper paperwork on the kitten’s parents. Small home breeders usually sell kittens for a bit less than large, well-known catteries. But if you want to breed Russian Blues yourself, don’t skimp: get a kitten from champion lines.
Start with the breeder directories:
- CFA (Cat Fanciers’ Association) Find a Breeder – https://find-a-breeder.cfa.org/;
- TICA (The International Cat Association) breeder listings – https://tica.org/find-a-cat/find-a-cat-breeder-listings/.
Some US catteries that breed Russian Blues:
- Kazakh Russian Blues (central Kentucky; CFA, breeding Russian Blues since 1987);
- Blue Aura Cattery (CFA) – https://www.blueauracattery.com/;
- NovaBlue Russian Blues (Washington, DC area; CFA);
- Velva Cattery (CFA, breeding since 1966) – https://velvacattery.netlify.app/.
If you’d love a quick, playful little kitten with unusual emerald, almond-shaped eyes, get a Russian Blue.
