Although most of the Russian Blue’s early history is unknown, it is believed that British sailors who worked on board merchant vessels would bring blue cats to England in their travels from the shore of the White Sea, Arkhangelsk, therefore in earlier days they were called “Archangel Cat”. They were recognised to be an attractive cat and were shown in a class which included similar Blue Shorthair cats. In the late 1800’s they became a recognised breed with the Governing Cat Council and were classed as the “Russian Blue”.

Russian Blue cats are a breed of cat with a lean medium-sized body and a short, plush, blue coat. Their color is a blueish-gray that is the dilute expression of the black gene. The coat of the Russian Blue cat 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 of the Russian Blue cat a shimmering appearance. Their eyes are green and ideally should be dark and vivid. This breed of cat is highly intelligent and playful but tends to be shy around strangers. These cats also develop a close bond with their human companions.