Russian blue history

The history of the Russian Blue is shrouded in mystery. Some believe the breed originated on the Archangel Isles in Northern Russia, and was brought to Europe by sailors in the 1800s. Legend states that the Russian Blue is a descendant of the royal cats owned by the Russian Czars. Originally called the Archangel Cat, the Russian Blue was first show in 1875 in England. It was first shown in its own class in 1912. In the early 1900s, the breed was imported into the United States. The Russian Blue was nearly lost during World War II as breeding came to a near stop. An attempt to save the breed started in the 1940s as breeders from different countries used other breeds to boost the waning gene pool. In the 1960s, a group of British breeders united to restore the Russian Blue to its original appearance, and worked to breed out the characteristics that resulted from these cross breedings. The breed was eventually recognized in the U.S. by the Cat Fanciers Association (CFA), The International Cat Association (TICA) and the American Cat Fancier’s Association (AFCA).