Russian Blue :: Cat Breeds

The Caretaker Cat. The Russian Blue, one of the most elegant and oldest breeds in the feline spectrum. Also known as the Archangel Blue, British Blue, Maltese Blue, and the Spanish Blue.

The name Archangel may have come from the Russian White Sea Port of the same name - where Russian sailors gathered up grey cats to sell in Great Britain during the nineteenth century, or from the Archangel Isles in northern Russia. There is a tale that states; the Russian Blue is a descendant of the Royal Cat of the Russian Czars and was a favourite pet of Queen Victoria.

Timid and reserved, yet gentle and affectionate, the Russian Blue has a reputation for imprinting, or adopting, to one person. The intensity of their eyes is mesmerizing. The gaze of the cat - healing, revealing and sometimes annoying was first observed by the Egyptians. They associated the cat with the hawk-headed god Horus, who was the son of Isis. Legend has it that he could see around, and into, and above simultaneously. They also have an uncanny sense in detecting visitors long before they arrive, and some will slink off to a quiet place where they can observe the visitors when they arrive.

Russian Blues have been said to look as if they are smiling and that the reason for that smile is known only to themselves. But beyond appearances, the real pleasure of the Russian Blue is its unique personality which sets it apart from other cats and makes it an interesting, entertaining and affectionate companion to its owners and their friends.

One of the most well known fables regarding the Russian Blue is the story about a cat that comes to help someone. Every country where there are cats has a caretaker-cat-myth, and while they may differ in detail, the general plot stays the same. The story line goes along the lines of a cat gaining a person's trust, the cat's spirit somehow manifests either riches or rewards. The rewards can be spiritual, or material, or both.

Mythology has it that the cat has a preference for staying warm. As cats warm themselves, they warm us, but not just on the outside. An old Japanese cure for stomach ache was a warm cat resting on the stomach.

It was once believed that cats, having such acute sight themselves, could cure blindness in humans. This was done by placing the paw of a live cat on the membrane of a blind person's eyes. Another so called cure was to use the cat's eye fluid, or cat's tears as they were called, for eyedrops. This is supposed to have brought Lazarus out of the darkness of his grave, and that is what makes the cat purr and pass on their well-being to us today. In Scotland it was once believed that cats could cure blindness.

We call feline magic by other names today, such as: insight, intuition, empathy and love.

The breed was threatened with extinction during World War II, Siamese blood later re-energised the breed.

The coat colour is a rich blue with silver highlights, Russian Blues always have vivid green eyes.

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