RUSSIAN
Standard of Excellence
GENERAL DESCRIPTION
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An early breed of shorthaired cat that has enjoyed many names: Blue Russian, Maltese, Maltese Blue, Archangel Blue, Chartreuse Blue, Foreign Blue, American Blue, Russo-American Blue, Spanish Blue, Blue Russian and Russian Shorthair. The official title was finally agreed upon in the 1940s. The oldest tradition, and the one which gave the cat its geographical name, states that the breed originated in the cold northern regions of Russia. It adapted to this harsh climate by developing, not a long furry coat, but a short, thick, seal-like one. It is, in fact, a double coat, there being an outer coat of remarkably strong guard hairs and an inner coat of unusually water-resistant down hairs. The breed was hunted for its pelt in early times and may even have been kept, not so much as a pet or vermin-destroyer, but as a valuable source of clothing in the cold north. In this role, it is thought to have spread west through Scandinavia and became a favourite of the Vikings, eventually travelling with them to Britain and many other locations.
| Head
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Short wedge with flat appearance between ears. In profile forehead and nose should appear straight, meeting at an angle level with the upper edge of the eye; there should be no stop or break. Prominent whisker pads. Strong chin with level bite. The tip of the chin should line up with the tip of the nose in the same vertical plane.
NOTE: There are seven planes.
- Skull
- Forehead
- Nose
- Muzzle
- Chin
- Left side of the muzzle
- Right side of the muzzle
| | Ears
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Large and pointed, wide at base with little inside hair and set vertically to the head.
| | Eyes
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Vivid green, except in the case of kittens where allowance should be made for eye colour. Set rather wide apart, almond in shape.
| | Body
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Long and graceful in outline and carriage. Medium strong bone. Cobby or heavy build undesirable.
| | Legs & Feet
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Long legs, feet small and oval.
| | Tail
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Moderately long and tapering in proportion to the body. Neither blunt-ended nor whip. The tail should be free from any abnormality of bone structure.
| | Coat
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The texture and appearance of the coat are the truest criteria of the Russian. The coat is double, short, thick and very fine, standing up soft and silky, very different in texture from any other breed. There is a distinct cast or sheen to the coat in adults.
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| Withhold First Place
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- Flat coat.
- Any tendency to Siamese type.
- White anywhere in Blues and Blacks.
- Any colour other than white anywhere in Whites.
- Incorrect eye colour in adults.
- Weak chin and/or uneven bite.
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