Breed history
Not all sources agree on the precise origins of the Russian Blue but must place them on the islands in the delta of the current port city of Arkhangelsk in northern Russia. Cats have developed a sufficiently dense coat to withstand the harsh winters that characterize the region. The Russian Blue would have arrived in England and Scandinavia around the 1860s.
It was exhibited for the first time at the Crystal Palace in London in 1875, where it was then called “Archangel Cat” (from the name of the archipelago mentioned above) or “Blue Archangel.” However, it was not until 1912 that the distinction was made with blue cats from other countries.
If he is from Russia, it is mainly British and Scandinavian breeders who have continued the development of the Russian Blue breed. At the same time, others have done the same in the United States by crossing imported Russian Blues with cats of European lines.
In the 1970s, Russian breeders established in Australia married Russian Blue and white Siberian, resulting in the White Russian cat.
The Official Book of Feline Origins and other institutions recognize the colors blue, white and black.
The Nebelung is the semi-long-haired variety of the Russian Blue.
