I Love Russian Blue Cats

The Russian Blue is a breed of cat. It has a lean medium-sized body and a short, plush, blue coat. The colour is a blueish-gray that is the dilute expression of the black gene. The coat is unique to the breed as it is a double coat, with the undercoat being soft and downy, and the longer guard hairs an even blue with silver tips. This "tipping" gives the coat a shimmering appearance. Its eyes are green and ideally should be dark and vivid. Common imperfections include yellow eyes, white patches on the underside and dark banding on the tail. These cats are highly intelligent and playful but tend to be shy around strangers. 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. They are also sometimes called Archangel Blues.[1] 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.

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.

General: The dainty Russian Blue cat is distinct from all other breeds. The truest criterion is its soft, lustrous, bright blue double coat. Handling a Russian Blue feels like running a silk scarf through your hands. Gentle and shy, often playful in manner, its voice (if any) is soft and sweet. They prefer gentle but firm handling and are easily startled.

Head and Neck: Forehead high, top of skull flat and narrow, smoothly curving into back of neck. Face broad at eye level looks broader due to thick fur at side of head. Medium length straight nose looks upturned from almost any view except profile due to light reflection. Neck is long but does not appear so in repose, due again to thick fur.

Ears: Rather large, almost as wide at base as they are tall and set far apart as much into side as top of head. Ears look pointed as hair tufts finish off where slightly rounded tips stop. Inside furnishings cover approximately one-half of the otherwise bare, translucent ear area. Outside of ears completely covered with short, fine hair.

Eyes: Almost round, just oval enough to show oriental slant. Set one eye width or more apart. As vividly green as possible at maturity. Russian Blue kitten eyes change rapidly through yellow to green. By four months a green ring should appear around pupil. Cats whose eyes are not completely vivid green should be penalized, the amount determined by the quantity and vividness of green as well as by the age of the cat.

Body: Fine boned, long, svelte and graceful. Appears heavier in repose due to supple skin and lie of thick coat. Muscular in the manner of a swimmer rather than that of a wrestler.

Tail: Straight, rather long, tapering from rather thick base.

Legs and Feet: Long, fine-boned legs with small, neat, well rounded feet. Cat appears to stand and walk on tiptoes.

Coat Texture: Short, dense, fine and plush. Lies out from body due to thick undercoat. May best be felt by stroking toward the head.

Color: Even, bright blue throughout with lighter, lavender shade preferred. Guard hairs silver tipped giving coat lustrous appearance. No white. Ghost tabby markings permitted on kittens. Nose leather is charcoal gray, body skin is pale blue and pads are rosy flesh pink.

Condition: Should be physically and temperamentally a well balanced cat, gentle and amenable to handling.

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