Russia is packed full of popular, rare and unique cat breeds that you can’t find anywhere else out there.
For instance, one of the most popular cat breeds in the world stems from Russia. The Russian blue may very well be one of the most stunning cat breeds around, and it’s not the only one that comes from Russia.
There are a lot of other Russian cat breeds that deserve just as much recognition as the Russian blue.
This is why for today’s article we decided to go over the 10 best Russian cat breeds that you should know about.
So, let’s not waste any time and instead just hop right into the first pick of the day:
1. Donskoy
The Donskoy cat is one of those angry looking fellas that more than makes up for its lack of hair through its attitude alone.
All jokes aside, this breed originated from the late 1980s. It was a result of the following combination:
- A cat breed that carried the dominant hairless gene
- A local tomcat
As far as their personality is concerned, this is what you can expect from the Donskoy cat breed:
- They’re very affectionate
- They are very intelligent
- They love socializing all day long
- They are easy to train
- They love being in the center of attention
These cats love being around you all day long, but it’s not all sunshine and rainbows.
In fact, because of their lack of hair, these cats are a lot more prone to suffering from cold temperatures and sunburn.
So, you will need to offer them a lot more protection than you would an ordinary furry cat breed.
These cats will usually stand at a total height of 11 to 12in or 28 to 30cm each.
As far as their weight is concerned, these cats will usually weigh around 6 to 12lbs or 2.7 to 5.4kg each.
They are fairly muscular cats with little to no fur on their body. They also have that signature wrinkled skin that bald cats always have.
2. Kurilian Bobtail
The Kurilian bobtail is a unique cat in that it was not selectively bred to look the way it does.
Instead, it is a naturally occurring breed, which makes it quite a rarity these days.
Kurilian bobtails have been living on the Sakhalin Island and the Kamchatka Peninsula for well over 200 years now.
These cats may look wild at first sight, but they’re actually quite polite and friendly.
Just keep in mind that they still have their feral heritage. This makes it so that they have a very high prey drive and energy levels.
They can grow up to be around 9 to 12in or 23 to 30cm each. They can also get quite heavy, weighing around 11 to 15lbs or 5 to 6.8kg each.
This is what you need to know about their physical traits:
- They have a very soft, silky and short to semi-long coat
- As the name implies, they have very fuzzy bobtails
- They usually come in either red or gray with stripes
3. Mekong Bobtail
Yet another bobtail breed, the Mekong bobtail used to go by the Thai bobtail. It was renamed after the famous river that can be found running across Southeast Asia.
An interesting fact about the Mekong Bobtail is that it appeared naturally in Asian countries along the rivers.
Still, there was no breed standard until the Mekong bobtail was imported to Russia.
Soon after the breed’s main characteristics were discovered. They are the following:
- These cats are exceedingly friendly
- They are very playful little furballs
- Their curiosity knows no bounds
- They will never get bored of socializing with other animals or other humans
These cats tend to reach heights of up to 7 to 9in or 18 to 23cm in total. Weight wise, you can expect them to get as heavy as 8 to 10lbs or 3.6 to 4.5kg each.
Here are their physical characteristics:
- They sport a pretty athletic build
- They look very similar to the Siamese cat breed
- Their coats are rather short and smooth
- They come in a lot of different colors
The Mekong bobtail breed is nowhere near the most popular Russian cat breed out there. But still, it deserves the time of day simply due to how cute and fuzzy these little furballs are.
4. Russian Blue
We could not have this list without arguably the most popular Russian cat breed of all time now, could we? The Russian blue’s origins may be a bit fuzzy, but it is still regarded as a native Russian breed.
With that being said, this breed is known for its athletic and graceful appearance.
Because of how refined this breed is, it’s been a fan favorite choice for the tsars of Russia during the 19th century.
Still, these cats tend to be a bit more reserved when in stressful situations.
They are quite wary of their surroundings and strangers, but they will mellow down after a while.
Once you form that bond with them, they will never forget your face ever again.
So, they may seem a bit stuck up and unapproachable, but trust us when we tell you they are very affectionate.
They also love playing around with you all day long, but they’re also perfectly fine with being left to their own devices.
Height wise, these cats only ever get to be around 8 to 10in or 20 to 25cm in total. Weight wise, they do get quite heavy, weighing around 7 to 12lbs or 3.2 to 5.4kg each.
These are their unique traits:
- They have very short and dense coats
- They are very soft to the touch despite the shortness of their hair
- They usually come in either dark grey or silver shades
- Their eyes are bright green colored
5. Siberian
As the name implies, the Siberian cat breed stems from the Siberian taiga. This is a large forested subarctic region that can be found in the eastern side of Russia.
It is an unnaturally cold region to live in, but luckily the Siberian cat adapted to it wonderfully.
This breed has evolved to have a very dense and semi-longhaired triple coat which helps keep it warm even in the arctic cold.
Despite their cold look (we apologize in advance for the pun), the Siberian cat is actually very affectionate.
In fact, it is one of the most social cat breeds in the world. We have never seen a cat as playful and fun to be around as the Siberian cat.
Not only that but Siberian cats tend to be very intelligent and active. As such, they very rarely get overweight.
They usually only grow up to be around 8 to 10in or 20 to 25cm in height. Weight wise, they usually range between 8 and 15lbs or 3.6 to 6.8kg each.
They are fairly muscular cats with semi-long hair coats. These coats will usually either be coarse or super soft, depending on the cat of course.
Siberian cats come in a wide range of colors, although the most popular will always be the gray and white colors.
6. Peterbald
Most cat owners agree over the fact that Peterbald cats are so graceful that they could easily find a job in aerial ballet.
Peterbald cats are known for two main reasons, their temperament and their baldness.
Interestingly enough, not all Peterbald cats are hairless. Some have a fine and soft or even dense coat.
Still, you may not have heard about the Peterbald cat breed before simply because they are quite hard to come by.
You can expect them to grow up to be around 8 to 10in or 20 to 25cm in height. When it comes to their weight, they are quite slim animals, very rarely getting any heavier than 6 to 12lbs or 2.7 to 5.4kg each.
Peterbald cats are also known for their long tails and their large almond shaped eyes.
7. Ural Rex
The Ural rex cat breed is one of the most unique looking cat breeds in the world right now.
It is known for its half-closed curls coat as well as for the fact that these curls gradually turn into waves as the cat matures.
Your cat’s curls will usually fully mature around two years in or so.
They usually weigh in at around 7 to 11lbs or 3.2 to 5kg each.
8. Karelian Bobtail
You may not have heard about the Karelian bobtail before, and for good reason too.
This is one of the rarest Russian cat breeds out there. It was only recognized back in 1994, although it has made quite a name for itself as of late.
The main reason behind its resurging popularity is the fact that this breed can easily adapt to most types of households.
So, it doesn’t matter if you have children or other animals around, the Karelian bobtail will enjoy your company all the same.
Karelian bobtails love being in the center of attention, but they very rarely show it.
At first glance you will notice that these cats are very quiet and laid back.
In fact, they do take quite some time to get used to new people. But once they do consider you family, they will want to be showered with affection every day for the rest of their lives.
They will usually get to be around 8 to 12in or 20 to 30cm in height. They very rarely get any heavier than 10 to 15lbs or 4.5 to 6.8kg each.
They have a solid build and their hind legs are noticeably longer than their front legs. As the name implies, they also have bobbed tails.
9. Neva Masquerade
The Neva Masquerade is basically the longhaired version of the Siberian cat.
So, if you love Siberian cats but you wish they were a bit furrier, the Neva Masquerade may be the perfect choice for you.
Another key difference between the Neva Masquerade and the Siberian cat is that Nevas are noticeably larger in size.
Outside of that this is what you need to know about their personality:
- They’re very friendly
- They love to play around with their owners
- They’re very energetic
- They can be a bit too vocal for some people
Since they have such long hair, it shouldn’t come off as a surprise that this cat breed also needs a fair bit more grooming.
As such, this breed is not recommended to beginners that have no experience with long haired animals.
Height wise, Neva Masquerades usually range between 8 and 12in or 20 to 30cm in total. Weight wise, they tend to stray between 8 and 18lbs or 3.6 to 8.2kg each.
They may be a bit menacing at first due to their large size, but they are all just big babies underneath that.
So, don’t be shy, play around with your Neva Masquerade as they absolutely love every bit of that attention.
10. Ussuri
The Ussuri is a very rare cat breed whose origins are pretty much unknown.
A lot of people believe that they may be the result of domestic cats having bred with the forest cats from the Amur River region.
But again, nothing is certain and chances are that we won’t find out anything else anytime soon either.
Sometimes this breed has been developed on purpose, although this is very rarely done.
For the most part this breed is a result of a domestic cat that had a tumble in the weeds with a male Amur cat.
Because of their wild nature, these cats are not the biggest fans of cuddling and petting. Still, they will eventually form a strong bond with one member of the family of their choice.
They are quite large animals, reaching heights of up to 9 to 11in or 23 to 28cm. They are also quite heavy, usually weighing around 11 to 15lbs or 5 to 6.8kg each.
They have a very muscular frame on top of also being covered in spots and stripes.
Conclusion
While a lot of these breeds are on the rarer side of the spectrum, this is bound to change in the next couple of years.
The popularity of Russian cats has been steadily increasing for quite some time now, and it’s pretty easy to see why.
The Siberian and Russian blue cats are definitely the most popular options right now.
But if you want to spruce things up and go for a more unique and rarer breed, you have plenty to choose from in our list here.
Just remember to always opt for a reputable breeder before you make the purchase. Since a lot of these breeds are on the rarer side, there is always the possibility of you getting scammed.
But as long as you don’t cut any corners or spare any expenses, you should be able to get your hands on whatever breed you want.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Are There Any Cat Breeds from Russia?
There are a lot of cat breeds that originated from Russia. For example, you have the following:
- The Siberian cat
- The Russian blue
- The Donskoy
Why Are Russian Blue Cats So Special?
Russian blues are special because they look so refined while also being quite low-maintenance cats.
What Breed is the Russian Fluffy Cat?
Usually, people think of the Siberian or the Neva Masquerade cats when they think of Russian fluffy cats.
Are Russian Cats Rare?
Some Russian cat breeds are rare such as the Karelian Bobtail and the Ussuri cat. Other Russian breeds such as the Russian blue and the Siberian cat are quite common.
Why Are Russian Cats So Big?
Russian cats tend to be larger because they live in cold environments. So, they need a thick and dense double to triple coat to survive, which creates the illusion of them being larger.
