Russian Blue

Like many other breeds, the Russian Blue was brought to England as a curiosity by far-ranging British seamen. From these small beginnings in the 1860s, the breed disseminated all over the western world but never in any large numbers. Despite its many sterling qualities, Russian Blues have one character trait that kept them from becoming more widespread.

They are notoriously reserved towards strangers and disruptions in their normal routine. This made them very poor raw material for the chaotic cat show venues that popularized various types of felines. Being nervous and skittish in such a public space discouraged many breeders from taking to the Russian Blue as a potential breeding or cross-breeding candidate.

They ended up missing a lot since the Russian Blue has many unique qualities in its mix of attributes. The most interesting of these is the eye color. Kittens have yellow eyes. As they reach adolescence, this yellow color becomes constricted by a ring of green, which gradually takes over until the cat’s eyes are fully green at maturity.

As with other British-centric cat breeds, the Russian Blue was badly depleted by World War II and only recovered very slowly thereafter. Breeders at first crossed it with some of its Siamese and European cousins, then later worked hard to breed these same introduced characteristics back out so that the breed could revert closer to its original mix of specifications. The result is that modern Russian Blues are not entirely pure with regards to their progenitors from the White Sea in far northern Russia but very close.

Russian Blue Traits: What To Know Before You Buy

Russian Blue cats are homebodies. They are not at all fond of new experiences and people. It is common for them to hide when strangers come to call, allegedly as a survival reflex from the distant ages when they were hunted for their luxuriously thick fur coat.

They are also very fastidious and do not like anything except the most pristine cat box to do their business in. They are also well known for being friendly to their family group but having definite preferences towards an individual to whom they show special favor.

Russian Blue Personality

A very intelligent member of the feline family, Russian Blues love to play fetch and are both inquisitive and dexterous enough to get into things. This is balanced, however, by their ability to grasp that they are not wanted on some surfaces, and they will refrain from violating those boundaries once they understand what they are.

They are excellent cats when it comes to being left home alone, where they will simply sack out. They will quietly wait for everyone to come home rather than tearing things up out of sheer boredom or manic worry over being abandoned.

Boundaries are a two-way street to a Russian Blue. They will not do things you do not want them to do, but the things you do for them are expected to be done in a timely and routine manner. If dinner is late, they will let you hear about it. They love to talk and will communicate their needs and desires to you.

Russian Blues are also noted for the permanent smile inherent in the way in which their jawline is drawn. Although not a personality trait in itself, it well matches their affectionate and loving disposition towards those they are familiar with.

Russian Blue Size And Weight

Thanks to their thick fur, Russian Blues appear larger and beefier than they actually are. They are actually a svelte, medium-size animal with males weighing in around 10-12 pounds and the females at 7-10 pounds.

Russian Blue Price

A Russian Blue can be had as a rescue cat for a very affordable price but the rarity of the breed can reduce the number of them found available for adoption. With regard to the price of a purebred kitten, the neutered pet price can start around $400, while the price of a pedigreed kitten can start at around $800. The most notable feature of an exceptional adult cat of this breed is the incredibly green color of its eyes, which is more of a shamrock green than a cat’s eye green. For those kittens likely to produce this particular trait, the price can go up to $2500 and beyond.

Russian Blue Kittens

Russian Blue kittens exhibit several distinctive features that set them off from both their parents and other breeds as well. Adult Russian Blues are a short-haired breed that has no striping of any sort on it. Yet their kittens may sometimes have some dark striping on their coats which fades away as they age.

The kitten has very distinctive yellow eyes, which is an easy way to distinguish this breed from other similarly-colored cats. As they grow older, they acquire a green rim around the yellow center. This eventually bleeds over until the entire eye is green.

Russian Blue Lifespan

Due to their very cautious nature and their excellent health, this is an extremely long-lived cat. The normal longevity range is up in the 15-20 year range. Even 25 years is not particularly uncommon for a well-cared-for member of the breed.

Russian Blue Cat’s Coat

The Russian Blue is a cat with a solid color coat. This ranges anywhere from a darker grey to a more desirable light grey or silver color.

Although a short-haired breed, the coat of a Russian Blue is of exceptionally fine quality and thickness. It is a hallmark of the breed that one can trace patterns in their fur which will remain until taken away by grooming it back out again.

There are no other colors than grey or silver for the cat. It may show some tabby-style ghost markings as a kitten but these will fade away in adulthood, leaving a coat with no stripes visible at all.

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