6 Surprising Facts about the Russian Blue Cat
Cats are, by nature, mysterious. They look at you like you’re not all that intelligent, they’re nowhere near as interested in human companionship as dogs, and they’re even the kind of animals who seem to run the house. No matter what you say or do, somehow you’re always left feeling as if your cat runs the show and you are just one of his monkeys doing whatever it is he wants you to do. And that’s just your average housecat. When it comes to the Russian Blue, you can feel even more like the cat is running the show. This mysterious cat is one that has serious appeal, and the most beautiful appearance. With crystal clear eyes and a beautiful coat with a bluish hue, it’s impossible not to want to own a cat like this.
Even if you’re already a Russian Blue owner, there are probably some things you just didn’t know about this gorgeous breed. Fortunately, we can tell you a few things that might surprise you. These little-known facts are not only interesting, they’re also fascinating.
Good Luck
In Russian folklore, the Russian blue is considered a good omen. People who have cats like these or saw cats like these were destined to be very lucky and very fortunate in life. Much like we today consider the black cat a bad omen – which has something to do with witch hunts and trials and Salem – the Russian blue was one of those animals that was considered wonderful. At some point in Russian history, it’s been said that these cats had wonderful healing powers that would cure people of disease, including a famous Russian prince. The rich and powerful would find their own cats of this breed back in those days and place them in the same room as their newborn babies as a way of warding off evil spirits and those who brought poor luck to their babies.
They’re Royal
Not only is this a breed that’s considered to be good luck, it’s also a breed that’s considered to be royal. Legend has it that most Russian tsars would keep these animals as pets because of their royal nature. They were said to be derived from a line of royal cats. What, exactly, a royal cat is remains unknown. All we know is that when it came to choosing pets in the old days in Russia, the wealthy would choose these cats and keep them in their mansions and palaces. That’s where their royal history comes from.
Despite their royal history, however, these are cats that are very, very shy. They are loving and fun when they are with people they love and know, but they are not happy around strangers. They are very loyal to their owners, but will likely hide and not make an appearance if you have guests until it’s time for them to go and the house to empty out again. It’s a very sweet cat, but it’s not a big fan of attention. They will, on that note, pick a favorite in the family and become very attached to that person, following them around and making sure they know where they stand.
They’re Trainable
If you want a cat that is easy to train and that has no issue being home alone, this is the cat for you. It’s a very smart breed that can learn to fetch and do other things that most people assume only dogs are able to do. However, this is a breed that can be taught to do little tricks. If for no other reason than making sure you have way of entertaining your guests, this is a cat that does have some seriously cool features. It’s also a very independent cat, which makes it a good pet. It loves to play fetch and be affectionate, but it’s also fine being home alone when you’re not around.
Schedule Oriented
Most people would love animals and kids that work well on a good schedule, but what they don’t realize is that this breed of cat is very schedule-oriented, and sometimes that’s irritating. This is a cat breed that is designed to make sure you know what time it is. It’s here to make sure you don’t get to sleep in on a weekend because the cat wants to eat at the same time it eats every other morning of the week. This cat likes its schedule, and it does not care for being off schedule. What this means is that you’ll need to be on schedule or else risk the wrath of a cat that doesn’t understand what you’re doing – or not doing to be precise – and is not afraid to make sure you know that it’s time to rectify this situation.
They’re Really Blue
Most people are under the impression that this cat is not actually blue, but it is. The vast majority of Russian blue cats have two coats, and both are a lovely shade of blue. Some are such a dark blue that they do appear grey, but that can also have something to do with the fact that this cat also has silver at the tips of each layer of fur, which does reflect the sun, offering an almost silvery-hue. Additionally, there is another feature of these cats that stands out significantly, and that’s the eyes. These cats have very clear green, sometimes yellow, eyes that make them appear somewhat dangerous and very mysterious. It’s hard to resist the allure of a cat with this much beauty.
They’re All Natural
Many cat breeds are designed by carefully breeding two different types of cats together to create a breed. Not the Russian blue, however. This is an all natural cat. Most historians are unsure of the full history of this cat, knowing mostly that it came from Russia and that it is a cat that breed’s itself. There is no way to create this cat without actually breeding two of the same cats, and no one is sure where this comes from or how this worked in history.
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