Russian

The elegant Russian is usually thought of as a blue cat only, but GCCF also recognises this breed in white and black. Although there is no definitive history of the origins of the breed, it has certainly been known about for at least the last 150 years and did, in fact, appear at a show held at the Crystal Palace, London in 1875 – shown as the Archangel Cat. Until 1912, when it was given its own class, it competed in a class including all other blue cats. It is generally accepted that the Russian Blue is a naturally occurring breed that originated from the Archangel Isles in northern Russia, and it is most likely that it arrived in England and northern Europe via ships travelling from that region. Many of the first Russian Blues were acquired from sailors, and it is documented that one, called Kola, was swapped for a leg of mutton in 1890 at the London Docks. Development of the breed took place in England in the early years of the 20th century, but was inevitably interrupted by the advent of WW2. Lack of available cats after the war meant that out-crossing had to be undertaken, and this was usually to Siamese, although the influence of the Siamese pattern has now mostly been bred out. A breeder called Frances MacLeod registered a white kitten born in 1961 with GCCF, it was said to have come from a Russian boat, and its name was Arctic Chumvi. It was registered as AOV (Any Other Variety) Foreign Type. During the 1960s some limited out-crossing of Russian Blues to blue point Siamese and domestic short-haired cats took place and Chumvi was also mated to a Russian Blue stud, Meadliam Lupun. This mating produced both white and blue kittens and, in a third litter, a black kitten also. This proved that Chumvi’s white coat masked her true colour of black, and that she also carried the gene for dilution (blue). One of Chumvi’s sons, Arctic Sumairki, was mated to a Russian Blue female called Harvees Amanda Too, and a daughter from this litter, called Osmunda, was registered as a Russian White in 1968. Frances MacLeod eventually relocated to Australia, where she continued to breed Russian cats. In due course, Russian Whites and Russian Blacks were accepted by Australian cat registering bodies, and also in South Africa. However, two major registering bodies CFA (United States) and FIFe (Europe) does not recognise any colour other than blue in the Russian breed.

Most breeders and judges of Russian cats would say that its defining feature is its coat, which is a double coat with a very dense undercoat that stands away from the body; the texture is soft and very different from any other breed. It is a medium to large cat of elegant foreign type, but is not exaggerated. Its ears are large and pointed and wide at the base and set vertically on the head. The eyes are almond in shape and should be a vivid green. It has an angled profile and prominent whisker pads which lend the face a gentle expression. It is a medium to large sized cat, but should appear graceful at all times. Cobby or heavy build is undesirable. It stands on long legs and small oval shaped paws with a moderately long tapering tail. In the blue variety the colour should be clear even medium blue throughout the coat with a distinct silvery sheen. The nose leather and paw pads should also be blue. The black variety should be jet black with a high, glossy shine and be sound in colour to the roots. The white variety should be pure white with no yellow tinge, and in certain lights the coat will appear to “sparkle”. Like other white varieties of cat, white kittens may have a coloured spot or cap to the top of their head, but this usually disappears by their first birthday.

The elegant Russian Blue has a keen intellect that makes it an engaging companion. It observes people to determine if they are worthy of its companionship. Sometimes people see this behaviour as shy or aloof when it is really a reserve with strangers until it has fully assessed them. Once the Russian decides you are worthy of its attention, it is extremely affectionate and expects your loving attention to all its needs. They are playful, loving companions that get along well with children and other pets. They are a great choice for the modern family because they are content with their own company while you are out and about but delighted to spend time playing or curled in your lap when you get home.

Although the coat is ideally suited to cold weather, the Russian tends to be a home loving cat and should not suffer from being confined to the house, provided there is ample opportunity for adventure and play with its owner. If you need to keep your cat indoors, do bear in mind that you will need to keep windows screened and that it is difficult to keep a cat in if you have young children or frequent visitors at your door. Like most shorthair breeds, the Russian cat does not require much grooming to keep the coat healthy but they do love attention and brushing with a soft brush will be enjoyed. They are quite long lived and often live well into their late teens. Russians are a moderate-sized cat with an average weight of 8 to 15 lbs when fully grown. Males will typically be larger than females.

The Russian is generally a very healthy breed and no major genetic problems have been reported.  In common with other white cats, White Russians registered with GCCF on the active register and used for breeding must have undergone a BAER (Brainstem Auditory Evoked Response) test to detect deafness. As Russian Whites have green eyes, the incidence of deafness is usually low.