ORIGIN:
According to his history, the Russian Blue originated in the port of Archangel’sk, located in the north of the cold Russia.
Known for his gentle attitude, his silver coat and his emerald-green eyes, the Russian Blue was the most favourite cat for the nobles and the aristocratics of the ancient Imperial Russian Court. Czarine Elisabeth bred them in the Saint Petersburg Palace, and Czarine Catherine used to present these cats to ambassadors and foreign kings. Czar Nicholas I made them sleep at his sons’ bed’s foot, because he believed that they kept evil spirit away. Peter the Great and later Queen Victoria as well, owned many of them, that could be found registered in the court history.
During the Elisabethian period, sailors coming from the port of Archangel’sk brought the Russian Blue to England, allowing his spread. In 1860 the Russian Blue was introduced for the first time on the occasion of the Crystal Palace Cat Show, and just in 1912 the Russian Blue breed was registered with its standard features.
During the First World War, the Russian Blue avoided extinction thanks to the work of some passionate breeders.
  
 
       
Photo by © Larry Johnson
  
           
   
BEHAVIORAL CHARACTERISTICS:
Quite calm and shy, the Russian Blue is a very family cat. Gentle and friendly with any member of the family, the Russian Blue could be bred together with other animal companions as well.
The Russian Blue does not suffer from loneliness, but he joyfully awaits the family homecoming. He loves playing and interacting and he doesn’t like very noisy places. He loves in a very unique way and he is just at him the choice of the person of reference among the family members. The Russian Blue doesn’t need particular care, even if it is recommended to brush him at least once a week and every day during his moult.


PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS:
The Russian Blue is a graceful, slender and muscled cat. He has thin legs and small oval paws.
The double coat typycal of this breed is soft and his silver-shaded colour is uniform. The only accepted colour is blue.
The head is medium wedge.
The nose leather and the lips are grey.
The nose is straight, the chin is pronounced and the profile is convected.
The bright green slightly almond shape eyes are one of the point of strengh of this breed.
He has straight, big, slightly rounded ears that are firmly set over his head and seem transparent.
The tail is large at the bottom and gets thinner at the top.
Males weight reaches approximately 5 kilos and females 4 kilos.