The origin of the Russian blue cat, the standard of appearance, character and description of health, advice on care, features of selection. Price when buying a kitten. The Russian blue cat is an amazing graceful creature, with a short bluish-gray fur and a tenacious magnetic gaze of green-green eyes, which has conquered more than one famous dynasty of aristocrats, kings and emperors. The Blue Cat of Russia has found worldwide recognition not only for its magnificent regal article, but also for its wonderful calm character, multiplied by an energetic temperament and hunting talents.
The origin of the Russian blue cat
As is often the case, the roots of the origin of these blue cats have been lost for centuries and it will hardly be possible to establish for certain from whom this beautiful Russian animal originates from. In any case, no one is now trying to challenge the antiquity of the genus of the Russian cat with an unusual gray-blue color.
It is known for certain that the blue Russian beauty was the favorites of the rulers of Russia - Peter the Great and Nicholas II, the empresses - Catherine I and Elizabeth. But Empress Catherine II, who did not particularly like the cat tribe, did not particularly like these cats, but being a prudent person by nature, she knew their value. Therefore, she gave it to Western ambassadors and rulers, as a sign of special benevolence. So, the Russian blue beauty got into the best royal houses of Europe, instantly falling in love with the highest aristocratic society of that time.
In addition to the favors of those in power, the Russian blue cat settled in foreign countries and thanks to travelers, merchants and sailors. And it is possible that this happened long before the reign of the pragmatic Catherine II. So, for example, English merchant sailors brought this animal to the same Great Britain more than once, delivering cats with blue fur from the northernmost port of Russia at that time - Arkhangelsk. That is why the name of the breed was chosen competently - "blue archangels". "Blue Archangels" took care of their sailing ships and perfectly destroyed mice and rats on ships. Well, how could you not take them with you on the voyage?
Despite the fact that the Russian blue-colored cat is a primordially Russian breed (although it was found in ancient Scandinavia), it received its early development as an independent breed in England. The Englishwoman Carew Cox, who was actively engaged in cat breeding, specially made a voyage to Arkhangelsk in 1893 to pick up a pair of blue kittens suitable for selection. With this pair brought to Foggy Albion, in fact, the history of English breeding of this breed began. Not everything was going smoothly, there were not enough pedigree individuals for full-fledged selection, but the English enthusiasts, despite the difficulties, did a big and important job.
And although in 1903 in Great Britain, Mrs. Simpson wrote in her "Book of Cats" that the Russian blue cat is a separate species and comes from the vicinity of Arkhangelsk, in fact, until 1912, the blue Russian cat was shown at championships on a par with blue British and French animals (in one category of participants). Only after 1912, British felinologists divided blue cats into British (heavier and more massive type) and all other "foreigners" (with a more flexible and lighter body type).
At the beginning of the 20th century, "Arkhangelsk" blue cats appeared in the United States.
The First World War, and then the Second World War, seriously crippled the population of these animals, both in Russia and in Europe. In the postwar years, felinologists of all countries made titanic efforts to revive the almost lost breed. The staff of the British Dunlow Zoo made a special contribution to the revival of the breed.
Thanks to the joint efforts of many enthusiasts, the breed was brought back to life (it was only in the 70s of the XX century), and now Russian shorthair cats with blue color and green eyes occupy a worthy place in all world cat championships.
The external standard of cats of the Russian blue breed
Representatives of the Blue Russian breed is a superbly built flexible animal, with a light gymnast figure, medium size, with strong muscles and a thin-boned but strong skeleton. The maximum body weight of an adult animal (male) reaches 7 kg, cats weigh less - up to 4.5–5 kg.
- Head "Blue archangel" is medium-sized, complex wedge-shaped (seven planes) with high and wide cheekbones. Straight profile. The forehead is flat. The nose is straight, of medium width and length. The chin is pronounced, but not massive. The neck is graceful, long and rather thin, but because of the fur it looks thicker and shorter.
- Ears Russian blue cats are alert, medium-sized or large (the width of the base of the ear and its length are almost equal), set high, with rounded tips (but give the impression of pointed ones).
- Eyes large, expressive, slightly oval or almond-shaped, set wide and obliquely. Classic eye color - saturated green of the entire spectrum of shades. There are individuals with yellow or bright yellow eyes, which is a violation of the standard.
- Body type - from medium to somewhat larger. The body of the Russian blue is long, flexible, light. Deviations towards the oriental breed are not permissible. The musculature is well developed, but not massive. The back line is almost straight. The limbs are long, thin, strong. The feet are round or oval, neat. Paw pads are steel-colored or match the color of the coat. The tail is of medium length, in proportion to the body.
- Wool "Blue archangels" are their pride. It is short, dense, "double", silky. It looks and feels like seal fur. When evaluating, much attention is paid to the structure of the wool, its quality and uniformity of color.
- Fur color - uniform silver-blue or light gray-blue (the lighter and bluer the color of the fur, the more thoroughbred the animal is). The tips of the guard hair are lighter for a silvery glow. White spots or completely white hairs are excluded by the standard and are considered a fault.
The character of the Russian blue cat
These furry friends have been valued at all times for their outgoing and friendly nature, special ability to learn and excellent hunting talents (English sailors greatly appreciated her as a tireless exterminator of ship rats).
This blue beauty has always been loved for her soft but energetic character, neat and aristocratic appearance and the ability, it is true, to serve the owner, whoever he may be, a commoner or the emperor himself.
The blue-blooded cat has always been and is now an excellent companion animal, able to easily adjust its behavior to the requirements of the owner and the rules established by him.
She is reasonable and well-mannered, she never gets bored and does not try to impose her conditions. Having a soft and calmly energetic character, she is as independent as other cats, but does not try, too zealously, to demonstrate this to others. And in communicating with its beloved owner, the Russian blue cat shows only its best qualities - meekness, tact and obedience. She shows her independence with strangers or unfamiliar people, carefully and for a long time looking at their behavior, and, of course, not going straight into her arms, and even more so not allowing herself to be squeezed (for this, the stranger may even suffer from her claws). At the same time, manifestations of revenge or the need to somehow spoil in revenge are completely alien to her.
Russian Blue is great for living together, both with single elderly people, and for living in families with children. For old people, she becomes a constant and unpleasant companion in all their affairs, listening with pleasure to their eternal grumbling and complaints, calming and consoling. And he instantly finds a common language with children, actively participating in their games and all kinds of children's running around. It is characteristic that when playing with children, she never uses her claws, and treats the youngest as her own foolish kittens.
Here with whom these green-eyed animals do not develop relationships, it is with dogs and various rodents. And if there are conflicts with dogs, this is a very old and well-known story, which sometimes gets its completely peaceful development. Especially if the joint life in the house of two primordial opponents began when the cat was a kitten, and the dog was a little puppy. Then this blue beast has always fought relentlessly with rodents (for which they appreciated) and will always fight. There is nothing you can do about it - these are the instincts of the genetic level, fixed for centuries.
Possessing excellent intelligence, the Russian blue is easily able to learn various commands and simple tricks. But whether this is necessary for a cat with a moderately active temperament is up to you. At least, this pet learns the litter box and all the necessary rules of behavior very quickly, even as a kitten.
Although the domesticated blue purr does not require regular walking, it nevertheless loves fresh air and loves going outdoors. There she enjoys hunting insects and mice. And even fearlessly approaches water bodies, although he is afraid of water. But if your pet lives in an apartment for most of his life, then such picnic trips can turn into great stress for him. Do not forget about this.
Representatives of this blue breed are quite mobile and playful. And therefore they need attention and toys. Possessing extraordinary jumping ability, they often arrange for themselves a secluded corner somewhere on the closet or secretaire, dragging their favorite toys there. And at a younger age, young "archangels" can often play out so much that they cannot calm down, even when everyone has been sleeping for a long time, continuing to rustle and make noise in their corner.
These modest creatures have a surprisingly quiet voice and, which pleases many, there is almost no feline smell. The blue Russian cat is a wonderful representative of the feline family, who is capable of not only keeping you company for a long time, but also becoming a good, cheerful friend. The nobility, sophistication and aristocracy of these wondrous creatures cannot leave anyone indifferent.
Health of Russian blue cats
A feature of this breed is the fact that it was not bred by breeding. And all that is needed was done by natural selection, where, as you know, the fittest survive. That is why the representatives of this green-eyed breed with bluish-gray fur are distinguished by excellent health, strong immunity and do not have any hereditary pathologies, like other artificially bred breeds.
And also, thanks to the unique qualities of fur, they can withstand cold, drafts and heat quite easily. A strong immune system allows you to cope with infections (which does not exclude the need for timely vaccinations). Here is such a universal kitty from cold Russia.
Due to good health, these animals live long enough - 14-16 years, and sometimes live up to 20 years.
Russian cat grooming tips
The beautiful bluish-silver coat of your pet does not require any complicated care. It is enough only from time to time to comb the short fur with a rubber brush or at least wipe it with a suede cloth. Bathing is carried out only before mating, in case of severe pollution (and this happens extremely rarely) or on the eve of the exhibition. This breed is not very fond of water procedures, and therefore it is necessary to accustom the animal to water from a young age and very gradually and carefully so as not to injure the psyche.
It is also necessary to regularly arrange examinations of the oral cavity, the condition of the gums and teeth of your pet, and occasionally trim the nails with a nail clipper.
The diet of handsome blue men is the most common - in accordance with the norms developed for short-haired and fairly mobile cats. The best choice (optimal in terms of price, quality and convenience for the owner) is, of course, high-quality, specially selected for the composition of feed, industrial production. The food on your table is not good.
You can feed the animal with natural products: lean sea fish and meat, adding the necessary vitamins and minerals, but this is at your discretion.
Kittens of the breed
Typically, the puberty of cats of this breed occurs at the age of about 2 years. As a rule, this age of the cat is optimal for the first mating. And then be careful! It is strictly forbidden to breed the Russian blue cat with cats of any other breeds (if, of course, you are serious about the continuation of the feline genus).
Pregnancy, which lasts from 63 to 72 days, due to good health, mothers-cats tolerate perfectly. They almost never have pathologies or any complications during childbirth.
Up to 6 kittens are born in the litter. Quite healthy, but blind and deaf in the first week.
Russian mother cats do an excellent job of their duties, giving their offspring all their time. The owner only has to, take care of the timely feeding of the mother herself and do not forget to do the necessary vaccinations for the babies in time.
Price when buying a Russian blue kitten
If in the countries of Europe and the United States of America, the breed of the blue Russian beauty is now experiencing a real boom in demand, then in Russia, with the advent of exotic cats of newly bred breeds, interest in its native breed began to fade somewhat.
To some extent, this was reflected in the price of kittens. So, the average cost of kittens from prestigious catteries are in the range:
- Class "Pat" (kitten just for fun) - from 7,000 to 16,000 rubles.
- Class "Breed" (pedigree kitten for own breeding) - from 17,000 to 2,500 rubles, depending on pedigree and gender.
- Show class (pedigree promising kitten for participation in exhibition championships, winning prizes and medals) - from 26,000 to 35,000 rubles. However, the price ceiling here is very conditional.
If none of the options suits you by some criteria, you can look for happiness in the bird market in your city or on the Internet. Usually the prices are much lower there. But the level of pedigree is not up to par.
Therefore, if you are persuaded that the animal offered for 500 or 2500 rubles is a purebred Russian cat, the most "blue blood" - do not believe it. At best, you are offered a blue mestizo, and at worst - just a similar in color, the most ordinary cat. Also, do not believe that the yellow (or any other) eye color will change to bright green, that the dark coat will suddenly brighten, that the white spots will someday become blue, that the undercoat will grow, that the short tail will grow.
Description of the Russian blue cat breed in this video:
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