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Size and Appearance

The Russian Blue is a medium-sized, short-haired cat. It is fine boned, and it has graceful lines. The coat is blue with silver tipping on each hair that gives a lustrous appearance and the coat is thick and plush. The eyes are green. The ears are on top of the head and not to the side. As for size, there is no standard size just as long as the cat is in proportion.

Personality and Temperament

Russian Blues easily bond with their people and are loyal to those who love them -- frequently following them from room to room to be near them. Russians show their affection in a variety of ways. Some enjoy leaping onto the shoulder of their person and riding there. Other Russians are eager to butt heads with their person. These sensitive cats seem genuinely hurt when they come to their people to show affection and are put aside. 

Russian Blues have a very intuitive nature that seems to make them aware that a well-mannered child has no intention of hurting them. Consequently, they seem to be more tolerant of the rougher handling of small children. When they've had enough, they'll leave and hide. However, it's imperative that children be taught to handle any cat with respect and gentleness.

History

The Russian Blue is a natural breed (that is, it is not the result of crossings with other breeds). As its name suggests, the Russian Blue is believed to have originally come from Russia . Since the cat was thought to have been brought to England on ships that left the Russian port on Archangel Isle, the breed has been called the Archangel cat. Although evidence of its Russian origin is anecdotal, its dense coat is consistent with a northern climate. In England in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, the Russian Blue was sometimes known as the Foreign Blue because its body type resembles that of foreign (European) breeds; it has also been called the Maltese cat.

Health

Typically, Russian Blues are hearty, healthy cats, and with proper diet, exercise, veterinary care, and affection, they are capable of living well into their teens and beyond. There are no genetic problems associated specifically with the Russian Blue, and as a breed they are not prone to any particular illnesses, but, as with any breed, some lines may be prone to certain health problems. Russians are good eaters, and therefore it is easy for them to gain weight and become much too heavy; it may be advisable to measure and limit the food intake of adult Russians.

Life Span

The Russian Blue, as any pedigreed cat, has an average life span of 10-15 years. Like humans, some will have shorter or longer lives than the average.