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| Breed Profile
: Little is known about the origin of the Russian Blue, however, stories and legends abound. Many believe the Russian Blue is a natural breed originating from the Archangel Isles in northern Russia. Legend has these beautiful animals trapped for their plush double coats which are sometimes compared to the coat of a beaver or
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| Breed History
: Perhaps the Russian Blue's unique personality and demand for individual attention have played a part in keeping the number of Russian Blue breeders relatively small. Russian breeders are very protective of their cats. Russians do not do well in cat households with large numbers
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This "tipping" gives the coat a shimmering appearance. Its eyes are green and ideally should be dark and vivid. In some cases, it has been reported that some Russian Blues have had yellow eyes. These cats are highly intelligent and playful but tend to be shy around strangers.
The Russian Blue is a naturally occurring breed that originated in the port of Arkhangelsk, Russia. They are also sometimes called Archangel Blues. It is believed that the first Russian Blues were first brought from the Archangel Isles to England and Northern Europe in the 1860s by sailors.
The first recorded showing of the breed was in 1875 at the Crystal Palace in England as the Archangel Cat. The Russian Blue competed in a class including all other blue cats, until 1912, when it was given its own class.
The breed was developed mainly in England and Scandinavia until after World War II. During and following World War II, due to a lack of numbers of Russian Blues, some people started cross breeding it with the Siamese.
Although the breed was in America before the war, it was not until after World War II that American Breeders created what is known as the modern Russian Blue that is seen in the US today. This was done by combining the bloodlines of both the Scandinavian and English Russian Blues. The Siamese traits have now been largely bred out.
Although they have been used on a limited basis to create other breeds (such as the Havana Brown) or add type to a breed in creation (the Nebelung), Russian Blues themselves are short-haired, blue-grey cats.
During the early 1970s, a solid white Russian Blue (called the Russian White) was created by the Australian breeder, Mavis Jones, through the crossing of a Russian Blue with a domestic white cat. By the late 1970s, the Russian White and Russian Black colors were accepted by cat fanciers in Australia as Russian cats (in different classes).
However, in North America, the Cat Fanciers Association, does not recognize either variations of the Russian Blue; only The International Cat Association recognize the Russian Whites and Russian Blacks but in the provisional classes.
They also develop a close bond with their human companions. Unlike many modern cat breeds, the Russian Blue is a naturally occurring breed which is believed to have originated in the port of Arkhangelsk, Russia (hence the name), although the evidence for this is purely anecdotal.
During and following World War II, due to a lack of numbers of Russian Blues, some cross breeding with the Siamese breed was introduced. The Siamese traits have now been largely bred out. The majority of their modern breeding program has been carried out in the United States.
Although they have been used on a limited basis to create other breeds (such as the Havana Brown) or add type to a breed in creation (the Nebelung), Russian Blues themselves are shorthaired, blue cats. The Russian Blue has a lean elongated body and a short, plush, blue-grey coat. The color is a bluish-grey that is the dilute expression of the black gene.
The coat is known as a "double coat," with the undercoat being soft, downy, and and equal in length to the guard hairs, which are an even blue with silver tips. Only Russian Blues and the French Chartreux have this type of coat, which is described as thick and wonderfully soft to the touch. The silver tips give the coat a shimmering appearance. Its eyes are almost always a dark and vivid green. Any white patches or yellow eyes in adulthood are seen as faults in show cats.
Russian Blues should not be confused with British Blues (which are not a distinct breed but rather a British Shorthair with a blue coat), nor the Chartreux or Korat which are two other naturally occurring breeds of blue cats, although they have similar traits.
Russian Blues should not be confused with 'British Blues' (which are not a distinct breed but rather a British Shorthair with a blue coat), nor the Chartreux or Korat which are two other naturally occurring breeds of blue cats.During the early 1970s, Mavis Jones, a Russian Blue breeder in Australia, mated a domestic white cat with a Russian Blue with the intent to create a solid white Russian Blue.
By the late 1970s, the Russian White and Russian Black colors were accepted by cat fanciers in Australia as true Russian cats. These hybridized colors are accepted in a few other registries and only on a limited basis. The Russian Blue is known for being very intelligent and active animals. They have been known to open doors/windows, play fetch, and are sensitive to basic human emotions.
They enjoy playing with a variety of toys and develop extremely loyal bonds to their loved ones. The Russian Blue is also known for getting along very well with other pets and children in a household. They are known also for being quiet and clean animals that are normally shy around strangers, unless they are brought up in a very active household. The males are known to be more active and outgoing than the females according to many breeders.
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