Russian Blue
Quiet, long-lived, low-shedding — but bonds to one person and ignores strangers.
About the Russian Blue
The Russian Blue cat, commonly known as the Russian Blue, is a pedigreed cat breed characterised by a solid blue coat that has been the breed’s defining feature for over a century. The Russian Blue breed is accepted for registry and holds championship status with all major international cat registries. It is a short-haired breed noted for its dense, plush double coat of pale blue-grey fur with a distinct silver sheen, and for its bright emerald green to yellow-green eyes.
Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA)
Key facts
- Origin
- Russia
- Weight
- 3–5.5 kg
- Height
- Data varies by line
- Lifespan
- 15–20 years
- Est. monthly cost
- $56 (≈ $672 per year)
- Purchase price
- $1,200–$2,100 from a breeder
Where the monthly cost comes from
Routine care for a Russian Blue averages about $56 a month, or roughly $672 a year. That figure is summed from the measured US line items below — food is scaled to this breed's body weight and grooming to its coat — not quoted from any single clinic or breeder.
| Category | Per month |
|---|---|
| Food (scaled to 4 kg) | $185.86 |
| Treats | $42.00 |
| Routine veterinary care (adjusted for this breed's known issues) | $179.00 |
| Medications (flea, tick, heartworm) | $47.00 |
| Grooming (1/5 coat requirement) | $28.00 |
| Toys | $25.00 |
| Litter | $150.00 |
| Licence | $15.00 |
| Total | $56 |
Pet insurance is not in that total. The average US accident-and-illness premium is $383 a year for a cat, but most pets are not insured, so adding it to every breed would overstate what a typical owner pays.
If you insure, board and budget for emergencies
Owners who carry insurance, leave the pet boarded when travelling and set money aside for emergencies land near $134 a month — about $1,605 a year. This is a modelled budget, not a survey result:
| Item | Per year |
|---|---|
| Routine care, as itemised above | $672 |
| Pet insurance (NAPHIA average premium) | $383 |
| Boarding (10 days at $25/day) | $250 |
| Emergency fund (one ~$900 event every 3 years) | $300 |
| Fully-loaded total | $1,605 |
Boarding rate from MarketWatch ($25/day). Emergency allowance modelled on Rover's finding that a typical emergency visit starts near $300 and reaches $4,000 with diagnostics and an overnight stay. The number of boarded days and the once-in-three-years emergency frequency are our own planning assumptions, stated here so you can substitute your own.
Includes routine vet visits, food, grooming and supplies. Excludes emergencies, training, boarding and the purchase price above. Method and sources: data sources.
Temperament and care profile
Health issues to watch
How it compares
Pick a second breed to see a side-by-side breakdown of cost, size, shedding and lifestyle fit.
- Russian Blue vs Turkish Angora
- Russian Blue vs Siamese
- Russian Blue vs Chinese Domestic Cat
- Russian Blue vs Abyssinian
- Russian Blue vs Dragon Li
- Russian Blue vs Birman
- Russian Blue vs Exotic Shorthair
- Russian Blue vs Scottish Fold
- Russian Blue vs Munchkin
- Russian Blue vs American Shorthair
- Russian Blue vs British Shorthair
- Russian Blue vs Bengal