Russian Blue Bengal Cat Mix: Pictures, Care, Info & Traits

Russian Blues are known for their affectionate, laid-back personalities. They are medium-sized cats with a thick double coat that produces minimal shedding. They are lean and athletic cats that enjoy playing. However, they are also self-sufficient cats that enjoy the company of their people but are content to spend time alone as well.

The Bengal cat is a beautiful cat breed known for its athleticism and desire to be with its people. Bengals love to climb, jump, and play, and they are quite needy cats, often meowing or stealing items from their people in order to get attention. They are large cats with a stocky, muscular, athletic build.

When you combine these two breeds, it’s hard to say what combination of traits you’ll end up with. Either way, you’re sure to end up with an intelligent, loving cat.

Russian Blue Bengal Cat Mix Kittens – Before You Get One…

3 Little-Known Facts About the Russian Blue Bengal Cat Mix

1. Russian Blue cats were well-loved by royalty.

Russian Blue cats have a mysterious origin, but they began arriving in Europe and Asia on ships coming from Russia’s Archangel Island (Arkhangelsk). They rapidly became popular with both Russian Czars and European royalty for their beauty and desirable temperament. These cats were so popular that they were among some of the first cats to compete in European cat shows.

2. Bengal cats have wild cat blood.

The Bengal cat originated in the 1960s when a domestic tabby cat was crossed with an Asian Leopard cat. The original breeding was unintentional, but the breeder saw the potential for this hybrid and began working on breed development. Although the Bengal is a well-established breed today, some areas still maintain restrictions on the ownership of these cats due to their wild blood.

3. The Russian Blue Bengal cat mix is likely to be noisy.

Although Russian Blue cats are fairly self-sufficient cats, they will let you know when they want something. More often than not, this involves meowing to get your attention. The Bengal cat, on the other hand, will meow at you for any number of reasons. These cats just love to make noise and get your attention. By combining the two breeds, you’re likely to end up with a cat that loves to tell you everything about its day by way of meowing.

Temperament & Intelligence of the Russian Blue Bengal Cat Mix

Are These Cats Good for Families? 👪

Since this is a mixed breed, it’s tough to say exactly what you’ll get temperament-wise. But the Russian Blue is a well-loved family cat due to its gentle, laid-back nature. The Bengal, on the other hand, can be a bit more active and wild, with some scratching and biting as part of play. With a mixture of the two breeds, you still may need to spend a significant amount of time training your cat to not bite or scratch and teaching them how to play appropriately.

Because of this uncertainty of temperament, it may be best to avoid having this mix in a home with small children. Older children are likely to be fine, but they should be taught to properly handle the cat and respect its boundaries. Older children may also help work through training exercises and reinforce good behavior for the cat.

Does This Breed Get Along with Other Pets?

The Russian Blue Bengal mix is likely to get along well with other pets as long as proper introductions are made. Bengals tend to be big fans of having other pets as friends, especially dogs. Coincidentally, the Russian Blue also tends to enjoy the company of other pets, particularly dogs. Both breeds are considered “dog-like” cat breeds, so this may be part of why they seem to take a liking to dogs.

It’s important to keep small pets, like rodents and reptiles, out of reach of your Russian Blue Bengal mix. Bengals are fantastic hunters, and their wild blood makes them more likely to injure or kill small animals than many other domestic cats. Russian Blue cats are less interested in hunting, but they are still cats and may still go for small animals. Ideally, your cat should never come into contact with any small animals in your home.

Things to Know When Owning a Russian Blue Bengal Cat Mix:

Food & Diet Requirements 🐡

It’s important to ensure that your Russian Blue Bengal mix is on a high-quality WSAVA-compliant diet. Since both breeds have athletic bodies, the mix of the two is likely to as well, so a high-protein diet will help maintain muscle mass and healthy growth. Some vets recommend feeding cats wet food to ensure proper water intake, so a full wet food diet or a combination of wet and dry food is ideal.

While raw diets are popular with many people who keep these cats, it’s necessary to discuss this with your veterinarian or a board-certified veterinary nutritionist before attempting it at home. Raw diets do have some risks and can be extremely difficult to properly balance.

Exercise 🐈

If you’re bringing home a Russian Blue Bengal cat mix, get ready to work! Bengals are known for their love of activities, from climbing and jumping to going for walks on a leash and playing games, like fetch. Russian Blue cats are less active than Bengal cats, but they’re far from lazy. These cats love to play fetch and go for walks on a leash. You should aim to give your cat at least 30–60 minutes of active exercise time every day to help burn excess energy.

Make sure to provide a variety of toys, scratchers, and climbing items. Rotating through your toys and introducing new toys will help keep things interesting for your cat. If your cat becomes bored, they’re likely to start getting into trouble, so make sure to provide plenty of options for your cat to stay entertained.

Training 🧶

This is a highly intelligent combination of cat breeds, so you’re likely to experience success in training your Russian Blue Bengal cat mix. Not only can these cats be trained for the basics, like using a litter box and not scratching furniture, but they can also be trained to perform tricks and tasks. They can be taught to fetch, walk on a harness and leash, and even participate in sports like feline agility.

Grooming ✂️

Both parent breeds have low grooming needs, so your Russian Blue Bengal mix should also have low grooming needs. It’s important to brush your cat once weekly to ensure their coat stays healthy, dead hairs are removed, and oils from the skin are properly distributed across the coat. They are relatively low shedders, though, and shouldn’t need professional grooming services.

Health and Conditions 🏥

Male vs Female

When it comes to differences between male and female cats, nothing is set in stone. However, female cats tend to be more independent than males. When it comes to both Russian Blue and Bengal cats, these cats are people-oriented cats that enjoy spending time with their people, so your female Russian Blue Bengal mix may not be as standoffish and females of other breeds may be. They may be shy with strangers, though. Males are more likely to be loving, affectionate, and outgoing.

Final Thoughts

Since there are not many people intentionally breeding for this breed mix, it’s hard to say what kind of cat you will end up with since there is very little data out there. It’s important to understand the temperament and needs of both parent breeds as this will help you better understand the needs of your new cat. Prepare for this cat by stocking up on fun and interesting toys, puzzles, and games, as well as keeping scratchers and climbing items on hand at all times.

See also: Russian Blue vs. British Shorthair: Which One is Right for Me? (With Pictures)

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Featured Image Credit: Left – Russian Blue (Review News, Shutterstock); Right – Bengal (Jane Koshchina, Shutterstock)