The different standards of Russian Blue-blue, black and white.

Many people recognise the Russian Blue cat and kittens due to their emerald, green eyes and their soft, blue coat. The coat can come in a few different shades from a light to darker slate blue but should always be assessed for having the shimmer at the end of the hair on the coat. It is this and the soft, double coat that gives the Russian Blue their name. Over time as the breed has evolved, there has also been other standard to the pedigree.

This means Russian Blues also come with a white and a black standard. It should be noted there is also a Russian tabby, but these are not recognised by some breeding associations and currently there are limited breeders in Australia with this standard. The Russian white has a gorgeous, soft white coat that has a shimmer effect and helps show off their amazing green eyes. The Russian black has a very deep black coat (almost midnight black!) that also shows their amazing eyes and features off. More and more the demand and popularity is increasing for Russian whites and blacks across Australia.

Up until recently these pedigree’s have been harder to find but have become increasingly popular in recent years with more awareness around the Russian Blue growing. They all share similar temperament of being both curious, intelligent and playful. We are also finding the coats help with the hard winters we get in NSW Central West and the Riverina region. Another positive I have also found (as an allergy sufferer) is there is also little to no reaction to the other colours, as they also produce less feline FD1 protein that most people react to.

We have recently seen increased enquiries around the Russian black (especially with Veronika joining our cattery). Many people love the striking deep black contrast with deep set, gorgeous emerald eyes. We are also excited that it won’t be long until we can offer Russian Black kittens to owners who may be interested in them! It is important when considering these coats to assess the parental lines and pedigree to ensure continuous ethical breeding practices, low COI for overall health and the lines they come from the ensure they are consistent with parents being Russian Cats.

Being in the Central West we are both close to the ACT and Wagga Wagga, as well as other regionally isolated areas such as Dubbo, Orange and Bathurst which means anyone regionally or in Victoria may be interested in purchasing a cat has easier access to these pedigrees. We will continue to post updates on our kittens as we go.