The Club 
Russian Blue
In an old Russian prayer one asks for protection for "a little blue cat, which is the beauty in our home." The Russian Blue cat breed was registered in 1948 and is one of the oldest existing breeds.
The breed originally descended from Russia but was mainly raised elsewhere: first in England at the end of the 1800s and again later during the 1940s in Denmark and Sweden. Now the breed is well known all over the world wherever cat breeding takes place. The first Russian Blue cat came to Finland from Sweden in 1963, but it took until the end of the 1990s before people become interested in breeding this cat. At that time one saw many of these "blue" cats at every cat show and people were enchanted by this beautiful feline because of its personality and looks and wished to have such a beauty in their own home. Now there are about 500 Russian Blues in Finland.
The Russian Blue breed is not only beautiful with the shiny silver gray fur, the brilliant green eyes and the slim build which is very attractive to the onlooker. The true pleasure emerges when you share your home with such a cat and spend time getting to know each other. The Russian Blue is an intelligent and very social cat with high self-esteem. They love being with people and show this appreciation in many ways. For example, if the cat has been alone during the day, it will meet you at the door, happily rubbing up against your legs, possibly jumping up on your shoulder and will vocally enquire about how your day has been and that now you must surely be content being at home with your cat! Most Russian Blues have a very soft-toned voice but one which they can change at ease and fill with expression, sometimes turning up the volume too, when it's called for, of course.
When you sit down on the sofa to read, the cat will happily curl up in your lap, purring loudly. If you should explain to it that it is disturbing
your reading of the newspaper, it will jump down, offended. However, the Russian Blue holds no grudges and it won't be long before it is sneaking
into your lap to curl up and purr once again.
The Russian Blues' friendliness to family members is often reciprocated to visitors as well. The cat will have a hard time deciding whose lap to curl up in and purr or who to demand attention from while they smoothly sleek the glossy fur with lots of petting. All Russian Blues, however, do not accept all the guests in the same manner. Occasionally they will take the time to observe the guests from the sidelines to get an idea of the visitors' personalities. After a while the cat may then decide on an impressive entry and putting all its charm into getting everyone's complete attention.
The Russian Blue gets along well with other cats, dogs and children. Mind you, if play gets too rough, they will jump up to a higher point like a bookshelf and stay out of it for a while. Many Russian Blues, especially the young ones, are very active. They will happily sit perched on your shoulder while you brush your teeth or prepare breakfast. They may leap up into your flower boxes to sniff at the fragrant blooms. They are very agile and have the ability to move fast and jump high. Fortunately they have excellent co-ordination and control of their movements. Collisions with vases on tables rarely occur, but of course the general laws of physics still apply, so if there happens to be a crystal vase on a glass tabletop and the speed is high... However, they are amazingly quick thinking and can even change direction in mid-leap so as not to land on your coffee cup!
This cat will remain playful well into old age. The kittens and youngsters will often play together as well as alone. Any object can become
a cat toy. Even a piece of fluff at the end of a stick or a string can turn into an excellent toy, providing hours of amusement. Many Russian
Blues are also retrievers and will fetch small toys asking you to throw it for them and then bringing it back to you. My oldest, almost 16 years
old, carries gifts to me all the time like pens, nail clippers and other small objects. Besides using their teeth to carry things, they are clever
with their paws. They use them to open doors and even pull drawers out. To open a door they jump up and pull the handle down - unless someone has
installed the handle upside down! Then they are stumped.
If you decide on a Russian Blue as a companion, you will be getting a loyal friend for life. Russian Blues tend to be healthy and do not carry any genetic diseases. These cats generally live 13 to 15 years. Of course there is always the possibility that a cat can become ill and shorten its life, but many get to keep their furry friend for a long time.
To finish, I only have one tip. If you do decide to share your home with a Russian Blue, at some point you will notice, even when all is pleasant, that something seems to be missing. You have a cat, the cat has you; what could possibly make you happier? Why, another Russian Blue, of course!