Everything you need to know about Russian blue cats

Ash-blue color, a little fluffy wool, from a glance at which, it seems, it becomes warm and pleasant to the palm. All this is about a cat whose breed is called Russian Blue. These plush animals can often be seen in advertisements. Many breeders seek to take such a cute pet under their wing. But they doubt a little: will it not happen that they turn out to be obstinate and aggressive.

Russian Blue is a domestic cat breed recognized by international felinological communities. Despite its name, these cats can be found all over the world. Of the short-haired breeds, the Russian blue cat is one of the most popular. Kittens of this breed are very successfully sold out in Sweden, the Czech Republic, Norway and Slovenia.

The current blue Russian cats come from Russia, which marks their name. But several centuries ago, cats similar in all respects were met in England and in some other countries, so the origin history of these cats cannot be known for certain.

With them, European breeding cats of this breed started. Difficulties in breeding, of course, were present: they could not be found for breeding, therefore cats of other breeds of the same color were taken. Even Siamese cats with blue markings were taken to continue the genus of Russian blue.

It is impossible to say that these experiments were successful: the offspring showed the loss of some properties of the coat. By the beginning of World War II, the breed could be physically destroyed - selection became impossible. But after the war, true philologists zealously got down to business: they restored the breed, although it is impossible to say that blue cats were loved everywhere in the USSR. Only in the late 80s did they show a strong interest.

Breeding Russian blue, people took local phenotypic short-haired animals of blue color, which were crossed with Russian blue cats taken from abroad. Kids were sold exclusively according to club regulations. For example, in the 90s, the establishment of Russian blue breeding in the Russian Federation was necessary.

Plush cats have an enviable grace: slender, plastic, sophisticated animals quickly become universal favorites. But not only how the animal looks can be written as a plus to it - it is also tenderness, affection, responsiveness to contact with a person.

The characteristics of the blue Russian cat are described below.

• Weight. Smoky plush cats have an average weight - it is impossible to meet giants among representatives of this breed. The maximum weight of newborn kittens is 120 g, but they quickly begin to grow. An adult cat weighs 3-4 kg. If this is a cat, then its weight can reach 5.5 kg. If the cat is neutered and sterilized, then it can reach one and a half times more weight.
• Height. These parameters are small. The body length of the animal usually reaches 55-60 cm, and in height - no higher than 26 cm, although individual deviations from the average norm are not excluded.
• Color. Everything is clear here - the smoky blue color is the hallmark of the breed, there are no drawings and inclusions. The color is clean and uniform, rarely discreet banding on the tail.
• Intelligence. Russian blue cats are considerate, attentive, if you can talk about animals like that. Cats respond well to the breeder's gestures, they catch his speech and intonation. Cats do not differ in vengeance; they will not engage in sabotage.

The following are signs of a blue Russian cat.

1. Torso. It is medium in size, slightly elongated, muscular, powerful. Grace is inherent in a cat.
2. Head. The skull is flat, along the line of the eyebrows you can see the formed angle. The chin is clear, the pillows of the mustache are outlined, the cat's forehead is longer than the nose, the nose is without kinks, its tip has a gray-blue hue.
3. Eyes. Attentive, widely set, have an oval contour. The color of the cat’s eyes is green.
4. Tail. This part of the cat’s body is long, but absolutely proportional to the body, the tip is rounded.
5. Neck. Thin and long, but thick fur creates the illusion of a short neck.
6. Paws They are long and thin in a cat, have a clear oval shape. The end of the front paws is five fingers, but on the hind legs there are only four fingers. Paw pillows have purple or pink-lavender shades.
7. The ears. Large, with a slight sharpening, widely set, slightly inclined to the muzzle. They look very thin, even transparent.
8. Wool. Soft, soft in texture, with short nap. The undercoat is long. The color of the coat can be either light gray or pronounced blue, without white spots.

A lover of blue Russian cats was known as the famous illusionist Harry Houdini. The magician actively involved fluffy artists in complex tricks, for example, in those where it was necessary to make the cat mysteriously abyss. And these cats can also boast of low allergenicity - they rarely cause an allergic reaction.

The pet is attentive and delicate, affectionate, playful. But at the same time he is characterized by some shyness. The complaisant nature of a cat is its great dignity.She is very attached to the house and owners, protects and cherishes the place where she lives. If you go on a trip with a cat (even to the cottage), you will see how joyfully she returns home.

She is a wonderful hunter, and these her habits are easy to notice in the surrounding nature. She can catch a butterfly with a deft movement - the grace of the breed helps her in this. But if friends came to visit the owners, the cat becomes timid. It seems to everyone that she is a coward: she won’t show her nose from under the table, too shy to be stroked. But even this modesty of the blue Russian cat is “to face”.

Someone considers such caution in relation to strangers a minus. But this is just a trait, there is nothing negative in it. Also, Russian blue is picky about cleanliness - sometimes its cleanliness annoys the hosts.

When the owners take a pet to the house, their frequent question is the lifespan of these animals. They can be understood. If the cat is not a long-liver, then it’s even a pity to take it - it is very painful to part with the pets. Of course, any answer will be very averaged, because the animal may have genetic diseases, which affects the life expectancy of a particular individual. This factor also depends on quality care.

Usually live Russian blue cats 14-16 years old. Some live up to 20. This is the normal average age for these animals. Cats live on average two years longer than males, but not always.

It is customary to divide Russian blue cats today according to three standards: English, European and American. There is also an Australian association, but not all philologists agree with its allocation to the English standard, since it repeats it significantly.

• European. Recognized by WCF and FIFe. The most kindred type to the ancestors who were seen almost during the time of Peter the Great in Russian open spaces. Cats are proportional, their eyes are almond-shaped, while they are slanting. The skeleton is powerful, enhanced jumping ability.
• English. It is considered the GCCF breed standard. These cats have wide-set almond-shaped eyes. They have neat oval paws with soft bluish pillows.
• American. This standard is recognized by TICA and CFA. American cats are the least similar to the traditional Russian breed. The eyes of these babies are not almond-shaped, but round. Their body is smaller, the skeleton is fragile. The fur is fluffy, blue, the lightest shades. The paws are small, round, with warm pinkish pillows.

It should be noted: if the cat does not meet the standards of one system, then experts from another philological structure will simply not appreciate it. Below are some examples.

Cats of the American standard have an obvious, literally striking difference: ears wide apart. They seem to get divorced to the side, which reminds the ears of representatives of the Siamese breed. The inner part of the base of the ear should be high on the head, and the bottom should be placed on the side. The width of the ears at the base should be slightly less than the height.

British pets (and indeed all of Europe) have slightly smaller ears and stand upright.

The head resembles a small elongated wedge. It must be said that first of all, specialists look at the head of a cat. If you look at the pet in profile, it is easy to see some bulge at the junction of the forehead and nose. If this is noticeable, then the baby (especially seen in kittens) refers to the European standard of Russian blue. In the American type, these bulges do not - there the transition is flat.

But here are the other parameters regarding the head of the English and American standards are indistinguishable. For example, both have a strong, quite pronounced chin.

Now about the eyes. Eye color, as well as form, often cause controversy. Two standards should have bright green eyes. A blue-eyed cat or cats with yellow eyes is not a purebred Russian blue. The English have almond-shaped eyes, and the Americans have oval and even round ones.

By American standards, even cats' paws can be rounded rather than oval. A long-haired cat is a sign of a different breed or cross. Russian blue always has a short coat.

But it seems thick, because the undercoat and the integumentary hair are the same length. Color is preferred in a medium tone of blue. The nose of Europeans should be gray-blue, but that of Americans should be charcoal-gray.

A tabby cat, like a pet with long hair, is not Russian blue. Perhaps this is a mixture, or maybe a completely different gray cat. It is worth recalling that in Russian blue, barely noticeable stripes can only be on the tail.

It is impossible to say that blue Russian cats are whimsical to care for them. The animals themselves are naturally clean, therefore, as a rule, they monitor themselves independently.

Below are seven rules for caring for a Russian blue cat.

1. Wool. It is necessary to try to comb out the hair of your pet from time to time. In this case, use a natural bristle brush. Usually you need to do this during the molting period. All the rest of the time, a neat cat does well on its own.
2. The ears. A cat needs to clean its ears once a month - this is the rule. For this, special means are used that can be bought at a veterinary pharmacy. An alternative could be olive oil. To clean the ears, you should take a small piece of sterile gauze, and you should not use a cotton swab, which many people use just for this procedure, because it can easily injure the surface of the ears. Only visible areas should be cleaned - you should not climb deep into.
3. Eyes. Every day it is necessary to examine the visual analyzers of the pet. If secretions are found around the eyes, they must be removed very delicately with a clean cloth or a piece of gauze.
4. Bathing. Like all other cats, Russian blues are not at all enthusiastic about swimming. For this reason, any water treatment should not be preventive or preventative, but strictly in the case. If a cat, for example, has been poured by puddles, then it should be washed. But a healthy, clean cat that cares for itself is not worth washing. Another question is if the owner is preparing a pet for the exhibition. In this case, the pet needs a bathtub with a special shampoo, no matter how it resists.
5. Claws. It is necessary to timely cut the claws of a cat. Once every 1-1.5 months, you need to do this. Conventional nail scissors will not work - you should buy a special nail clipper. Claws must be cut very carefully, strictly the tips, you can not touch the living area.
6. Teeth. It is important to monitor the condition of the cat's oral cavity - it is necessary to examine it every day. If the owner does not know, then special toothpastes are issued for cats today, and animal lovers should accustom their pets to patient endurance of these procedures. But so far this practice has not taken root.
7. Tray. Russian blue is not the cat that will give the breeder problems with the tray. She quickly learns to use the toilet. It is necessary to show the kitten a tray twice, put a diaper from the first “puddle” in it, and the baby will perfectly understand why the owner does this. The "pot" of the cat must always be kept clean.

When a small, smoky-blue kitten appeared, it was so touching, and it seemed immensely good that I want to treat it with treats as often as possible. A kitten is really fed more often than an adult cat, but this event should be held no more than 5 times a day.When the cat is six months old, it must be transferred to four meals a day. An adult cat can already withstand two meals a day, which is considered correct.

If a person takes a cat from a breeder, then it is worth discussing with him what feed he has already taught a pet to. If the cat is accustomed, it is not worth rebuilding it to another food. The Russian blue is quite demanding on the quality of food, which is reflected in their feline "aristocracy".

The basic nutritional requirements of Russian blue are described below.

• The naturalness of food. A balanced diet is what a cat needs. Using conventional products, the owner of the pet is unlikely to feed the animal. As a result, the pet will not receive all the valuable substances that are needed for its development, growth and overall health. For this reason, special feeds balanced, formulated according to a clear recipe are what veterinarians recommend.
• The quality of the feed. It will be good if the owner begins to feed the cat with premium or super premium food. This is the most useful cat food, because it has all the vitamins and minerals needed for the animal.
• Addition. You can supplement the special diet of the cat with the introduction of dairy products. It is sometimes useful to give your pet some liver and lean meat.
• From an early age it is necessary to accustom the animal not to ask for food from the master's table. He must not eat smoked, sweet, fried, salty. Spices should also be avoided.

Do not experiment with cat food. Since childhood, it is necessary to feed her correctly, according to the regimen.

The main requirement is that you can knit a thoroughbred cat strictly within the same breed. If a person joins a club and violates this rule, he will most likely be expelled from the club. May be banned from exhibiting.

Below are some basic tips for breeders.

• The first knit - it's worth the time. Cats do not grow up very quickly, and artificially rush this delicate moment is not worth it. Until the cat is one and a half years old, you should not even think about mating.
• Veterinary examination. Before mating, the pets of both partners should be examined by a veterinarian.
• Mating time. This usually happens on the 7-10th day from the beginning of estrus.
• Particular attention to the pregnant cat. At this time, the nutrition of the cat should not be normal - it should be strengthened. In addition, it is necessary to try to take care of it even more, to stroke, to communicate. Sometimes in pregnant cats the character changes, so you need to be condescending to them. Kittens last 65 days.
• The doctor takes birth. If the owner is a professional breeder, then you must follow this rule. It is not very reasonable to rely only on yourself.

Almost all owners of Russian blue cats note that after childbirth, cats change, become even more affectionate, calm. These cats are very caring mothers. They zealously protect their offspring, they can even react aggressively if they feel threatened.

Do not rush to admire the kittens. It is necessary to wait for the moment when the cat herself “offers” it. The owner will feel her approval. Looking at the kittens, it is necessary to speak with them in a familiar voice, affectionate and attentive. The cat needs to feel that nothing has changed in relation to her and the owner, and he is supportive of her and her offspring.

If the person is not going to breed Russian blue, then probably the cat will have to be sterilized. This is more humane than getting rid of kittens then. If a cat asks for “meetings” with the cat all the time, and they are impossible, then pathological processes that seriously weaken health will begin to develop in her body.

A cat who will not happen is expected to be castrated, otherwise the dwelling will turn into solid cat marks: it is impossible to tame instinct in another way. If the pet wants to “lure” the cat, it marks the territory.

Representatives of this breed are strong, hardy, they rarely get sick. Special studies were carried out, which showed that cats of this breed do not get genetic diseases - they actually have no deviations. But if the care of the cat is wrong, then everything may go wrong.

More often hit blue cats:

• gastrointestinal ailments (due to improperly organized nutrition);
• heart dysfunction;
• polycystic kidney disease;
• eye diseases.

For treatment, you need to contact a veterinarian, because self-medication, with a high probability, will only exacerbate the problem. The breeder issues a buyer a veterinary card showing vaccinations already made. In the future, you need to be vaccinated according to the schedule prescribed by the veterinarian.

It is very interesting to come up with a nickname for an animal. Below are the popular nicknames for boys:

• Smoke;
• Diamond;
• Tom;
• Yasha
• Basil;
• Please;
• Trofim;
• Kis Kisych;
• Rob (Robert);
• Myshkin;
• Krosh;
• Rich
• Lars;
• Prince;
• Billy;
• Fluff;
• House.

You can call the pet in an original way, for example, Serov (by last name, in tune with the color), Golubchik, Serenky.

Popular nicknames for girls:

• Haze;
• Mouse
• Agatha;
• Leela
• Chanel
• Marcy
• Cleo
• Les;
• Matilda;
• Assolka;
• Lucy;
• Panti;
• Moore;
• Pushana;
• Lelia;
• Cassia.

From the original names, Marissa, Dominica, Arkady, Josephine, Camille, Flavius, Candy, Shari, Laura can be distinguished.

Sometimes a pet is called in connection with the profession of the owner. For example, a kitten of a writer or philologist can call Rhyme, an artist - Chalk, A pencil, A brush, a hairdresser - A bang.

Almost all owners of this interesting breed unanimously sing odes to Russian blue cats. They celebrate their natural intelligence and aristocracy. Russian blue people are appreciated for their cleanliness and commitment to order. They quickly become accustomed to the regime of the day and demand its observance from their master. The owners also like the fact that cats quickly “stick to” the household, they are sociable and affectionate, like to play and just purr next to the owner while watching TV.

Some owners consider the delicate stomach of their beloved pet a problem. But, frankly, this can be said about virtually all cats. You just need to immediately determine the food and not try to change it.

Cats are friends with the tray. Literally the first time, blue cat kittens get used to the tray and subsequently do not walk past it. If the tray is dirty, they defiantly will not go into it - usually cats have enough tricks to quickly show the owners an omission.

In rare cases, they can scratch and bite a little, but not all. Almost always this happens in the game and in childhood. Cats are not aggressive, modest, companies will not be the soul, because they get used to the owners, and not to guests who are perceived as strangers in their established life, within a specific space.

About this breed we can say this: noble, graceful, calm and affectionate cats without aggression, "bad habits" and hereditary diseases.

For more information about Russian blue cats, see the next video.