Russian Blue Cat Breed:

The Russian blue or the Foreign Blue or Archangel Cat as it was historically referred to as, is a breed of cat that has a coat which is silver blue in color.



Not much is known about the origin of the Russian blue. Some believe that they are the descendants of the royal cat of the Czars of Russia, others that they originated on the Archangel Isles. These cats are intelligent but tend to be shy around strangers.



It is a gentle and affectionate cat that is easily distinguishable from the rest of the cats. The outstanding feature of the Russian blue is the color of its coat. This is dense, short and bright blue in color with a silver tone.  The Russian blue cat comes in only this blue color.



The body is long, with firm muscles and is finely toned. They are tranquil by nature and sensitive to human emotions.

The average life expectancy of the Russian blue cat is approximately ten to fifteen years. They tend to live long healthy lives with very rare occurrences of illness. They have next to no genetic problems and have a body weight that averages around nine to twelve pounds for a full grown cat. The male cat tends to be larger than the female cat. They get along very well with other pets and children. They require a bare amount of grooming. Occasional brushing of the coat prevents any debris or loose hairs from staying on it. Also clipping of the nails periodically prevents snagging on garments or other surfaces and reduces the possibility of infection setting in due to cracking or ripping of the nails. It is said that they prefer having their coats brushed or groomed as this ensures more time with the owners, which is what these sociable animals prefer. They are neutered or spayed around twelve months of age. This is also around the age when breeders make the kittens available as they are better able to adjust to new environments.

With the proper diet, adequate amount of exercise, regular visits to the veterinarian and enough affection, the Russian blues can live well into their teens. Veterinary visits should include teeth cleaning and also regular tests to check the kidney and liver functioning. Since they are good eaters, they tend to gain weight easily and get heavy very easily too hence it is probably advisable to limit and measure their food intake.