History and Legends of Russian Blue cats:
In the East, the blue colour is regarded as a protection against the black magic. This colour is considered as having a calming effect, stimulating the thought, and increasing the bracing effect of the body.
The " blue " colour is the poetic name of grey, whereas grey is mid colour between the black and white, a neutral colour. The English adore the blue cats, whose calm and selected character - is truly unique.
Dark blue cats were privileged for a long time. This colour was often compared to the wet asphalt. Currently it is rather the light blue, which is in fashion (especially in the U.S.A.).
The Russian Blue Cat has an unique "silver plated blue" colour, and is known in the whole world: England, Germany, America, Australia and Russia.
The remote and mysterious origins of Russian Blue add to its charm. It is thought that the sailors and commercial English brought, in 1860 from Arkhangelsk on the board of their boats, some very elegant cats, whose fur was blue and whose eyes had a unique emerald green colour. Their beauty and elegance made that the British named them - "Archangel". In addition to that legend, the strong presence of the Blue Russians in Scandinavia tends to confirm their Russian origins.
At that time (19 century) blue cats were already known in Europe, and one immediately did not distinguish Russian Blue from the other blue ones, calling it sometimes " Maltese blue ", sometimes " Spanish blue ". For a long time, Russian Blue was presented to the shows in the same class as the British cats. It is only in 1939 that Russian Blue was officially recognised as a breed.
In spite of difficulties of reproduction of this little represented breed, the standard practically did not change since 1939.
In the forties Russian Blue were crossed with the Siamese, but the results were catastrophic for the breed. Since, the crossings were prohibited and the " Siamese - type " banned.
Sometimes Russian Blue is also called " Hermitage Palace cat" ? Indeed, Empress Elisaveta Pertovna (Elisabeth), not supporting all mouse and rats which proliferated in the royal palace, by the ukase of October 13, 1745, ordered to the governor of Kazan to bring to St Petersburg 80 cats and a person able to take care of them. Thus the Blue Russians (known as good mouse and rats hunters) found themselves in the royal palace. Thereafter it is told that the number of cats increased up to 300...
DESCRIPTION of RUSSIAN BLUE CATS
Lara. Leia, Luc, Leon et Leopold of Russia Imperial, April 2003