Russian Blue cats are so named for their silvery-blue fur. They are very intelligent and playful cats and become very close to their owners. They do tend to be shy around strangers though.
Russian Blue cats originated in the port of Arkhangelsk, Russia. They are sometimes called Archangel Blues as a reference to this. It is believed that they were brought from the Archangel Islands to Europe by sailors in the 1860′s.
Physical Characteristics
Besides their trademark silvery-blue fur, the Russian Blue cat also has a few other distinguishing features. They have dark green eyes as you can see in the picture above. This is rare in other cats and so gives them quite a unique look. The Russian Blue cat is a short haired cat with a solid blue coat, the silvery look comes from guard hairs which are silver. They have a unique thick double coat of fur. This gives them a soft, lush feel that no other cat offers. They also have distinct mauve footpads, most cats have slate grey.
Russian Blue cats will generally live to be 10-15 years old. They are not prone to health problems or illnesses. They are moderately sized of 8-12 pounds when full grown and the male will typically be a little bigger than a female.
A Russian Blue litter will usually have between two to four kittens, but can range from one to six.
Russian Blue Personality
Russian Blue cats are very gentle and sweet, loving cats. They love their owner and their family, but tend to be shy around new people and strangers. They are affectionate and playful. They can play by themselves, but of course prefer a human to play with them, be it chasing after a ball, or a laser pointer.
They like a routine and dislike changes. Most cats dislike change, but the Russian Blue especially does. They also are very concerned about the cleanliness of their litter boxes. They are easily trainable and will understand not to do things like jumping on furniture.
Want to learn about other types of cats? Check out our Cat Types Category page.
