10 Russian Cat Breeds (With Pictures)
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Because of its enormous size, it’s no wonder why there are quite a few cat breeds that originate from Russia. Several of these breeds have evolved to acclimate themselves well to Russia’s harsh weather. We’ve taken the time to put together a list of Russian cat breeds and the important information about each one so you can familiarize yourself with the cats that originate here.
Whether you fancy the idea of having a cat with Russian roots or are simply interested in knowing where certain breeds come from, we’re confident you’ll find this list helpful.
Top 10 Russian Cat Breeds:
1. Siberian Cat
| Height: | 12 – 13 inches |
| Weight: | 15 – 25 pounds |
| Lifespan: | 12 – 15 years |
| Colors: | Black, blue, fawn, silver, tabby |
| Temperament: | Loyal, affectionate, loving, curious, active, independent |
| Suitable for: | Active individuals or families looking for an active, playful cat |
The Siberian cat is an ancient breed that is often depicted in Russian folktales, children’s books, and fairy tales. This breed is thought to date back to 1000 AD and may be related to the Maine Coon and the Norwegian Forest Cat. This breed began as a landrace, which means they developed naturally in the wild over time.
The Siberian cat is medium to large in size and has a long, thick coat that comes in black, blue, fawn, silver, or tabby. This is a friendly cat that’s active and playful. They’ve also got a wedge-shaped head, tufted ears, and big eyes that can be green, gold, or copper. They have a muscular body, tufted paws, and a long, thick tail, making them well-adapted for Russia’s rough climate.
As a highly-affectionate breed, the Siberian cat is very devoted to its human family without being clingy. They tend to have an independent streak and love venturing off on their own to explore their surroundings, so it’s ideal to allow some Siberians outdoors.
2. Donskoy Cat
| Height: | 11 – 12 inches |
| Weight: | 6 – 12 pounds |
| Lifespan: | 12 – 15 years |
| Colors: | Skin color can vary; hairless |
| Temperament: | Friendly, sweet, social, active |
| Suitable for: | Individuals with allergies and families with other cats |
The Donskoy is a mostly, sometimes completely, hairless cat breed that also goes by the name Russian Hairless or Don Sphynx. This is a relatively new Russian breed that started in the late 1980s when a hairless cat was discovered on a city street by a breeder.
Donskoys are social cats known for being sweet, friendly, and playful. They’re an interesting-looking breed with their small size, lack of hair, long legs, and wedge-shaped heads complete with wrinkles on the forehead. The whiskers of most of these cats, if they have any at all, are curled. Their ears are large and placed high on the head with rounded tips that bend slightly forward.
This breed loves being around people and other cats, so it makes the ideal pet for an active family that has other pets. It’s also a good pick for people with allergies as they have very little, if any, hair at all.
3. Ussuri Cat
| Height: | 9 – 11 inches |
| Weight: | 11 – 15 pounds |
| Lifespan: | 12 – 15 years |
| Colors: | Tabby, striped tabby, spotted tabby |
| Temperament: | Intelligent, independent, athletic, curious |
| Suitable for: | People without small children who live in houses (not apartments) looking for an independent cat |
The Ussuri cat is a rare Russian breed descending from the wild Amur cat, which is a subspecies of the Asian leopard cat. They have a wild look while being athletic and graceful. They have a medium-sized, rounded head with strong, muscular legs and a dark-tipped, tapered tail that’s rounded on the end. Their double coat is short and glossy with a dark dorsal stripe over their tabby-colored body.
Ussuri cats are an independent breed that likes having their own space. They are not known to jump on their owner’s lap for cuddle time. This is a one-person cat that will pick their favorite family member to follow around and rely on for their basic needs and attention.
An Ussuri needs space, so they’re not a pet to keep cooped up in an apartment. With a high prey drive, they are likely to bring home some “gifts” from outside. They’re also not one to make friends with small children, so they’re not a good pet for a family with young children.
4. Peterbald Cat
| Height: | 8 – 12 inches |
| Weight: | 7 – 14 pounds |
| Lifespan: | 12 – 15 years |
| Colors: | White, black, cream, red, blue, fawn, brown, cinnamon |
| Temperament: | Playful, affectionate, friendly, social, curious, intelligent, vocal |
| Suitable for: | Individuals and families looking for a fun-loving, affectionate cat |
The Peterbald is a relatively new Russian cat breed hailing from St. Petersburg that comes in a wide variety of coat colors and patterns. This medium-sized cat can have a short coat, fine peach fuzz, or no hair at all. The version people are most familiar with is the completely hairless Peterbald.
With its elongated, lean body, wedge-shaped head, oversized ears, almond-shaped eyes, and long tail, the Peterbald is a striking cat that turns heads wherever it goes. This cat gets along wonderfully with people of all ages and with other cats and even dogs.
Peterbalds are vocal and never hesitate to tell you how their day is going, whether you want to hear about it or not! They are an easygoing breed that will follow their favorite people around all day to be a part of the gang.
5. Ural Rex Cat
| Height: | 9 – 11 inches |
| Weight: | 6 – 16 pounds |
| Lifespan: | 15 – 20 years |
| Colors: | Brown, red, blue, cream, cinnamon, tortoiseshell |
| Temperament: | Intelligent, playful, curious, friendly, social |
| Suitable for: | Individuals and families looking for a small, friendly cat |
The Ural Rex is a small and rare cat breed that comes from the Ural villages and settlements in the Sverdlovsk region of Russia. These beautiful cats are covered with a curly coat of fur that can be brown, red, blue, cream, cinnamon, or tortoiseshell in color.
They are known to be social, affectionate, intelligent, friendly, and playful. They make good family pets that get along well with people of all ages. They don’t meow a lot but do enjoy purring, so if you get a Ural Rex, expect to be serenaded regularly.
6. Kurilian Bobtail Cat
| Height: | 9 – 12 inches |
| Weight: | 11 – 15 pounds |
| Lifespan: | 15 – 20 years |
| Colors: | Any traditional cat color, including solid, tortoiseshell, and tabby |
| Temperament: | Outgoing, intelligent, curious, gentle, playful, friendly |
| Suitable for: | Anyone who loves cats |
Originating from the Kuril Islands and Sakhalin Island in Russia, the Kurilian Bobtail can have short or long hair. As the name suggests, this small to medium-sized cat has a distinct short, fluffy tail. The back is arched slightly, with their back legs longer than the front ones.
The Kurilian Bobtail’s double-layered coat can be any traditional color, although many are red or gray. In the wild, this breed is a great hunter and fisher, which helps explain why the Kurilian Bobtail enjoys being around water.
This breed is clever, gentle-natured, friendly, and an animal that gets along well with people of all ages and even other pets. They are a good choice for anyone who’s looking for a feline companion that is friendly, non-aggressive, and always willing to play.
7. Mekong Bobtail Cat
| Height: | 7 – 9 inches |
| Weight: | 8 – 10 pounds |
| Lifespan: | 15 – 18 years |
| Colors: | Any pointed color without white markings, including seal point, blue point, tabby point, tortie point, chocolate point, red cream, and lilac point |
| Temperament: | Sociable, curious, affectionate, friendly, intelligent, playful, loyal, active |
| Suitable for: | Any individual or family |
The Mekong Bobtail is a breed created in Russia that is characterized by a shortened tail and a glossy, short coat. They are stunningly beautiful and come in all pointed colors without white markings.
They are a friendly, social breed that likes to show their affection to their owners. These cats are generally quiet and curious but love spending as much time as possible with human companions. They are often compared to dogs because they are so devoted, loyal, trainable, and intelligent.
8. Toybob Cat
| Height: | 6 – 7 inches |
| Weight: | 4 – 7 pounds |
| Lifespan: | 14 – 20 years |
| Colors: | All colors |
| Temperament: | Sweet, social, loving, active, playful, intelligent |
| Suitable for: | Apartment dwellers looking for a small cat |
The adorable Toybob is a Russian cat breed that was established in 1983. This is one of the smallest cat breeds in the world. They are not miniature versions of another breed—they’re just small. As the name suggests, the Toybob has a kinked, bobbed tail, which doesn’t hinder them from being athletic and active.
The Toybob can have either a short or semi-long coat that can be any color, although colorpoint is the most popular. They have large, soulful eyes and well-proportioned bodies.
These little cats can get into trouble around the house as they’re agile climbers that love exploring and playing. They are also perfect for anyone living in an apartment due to their diminutive size. However, they can also be very happy living in a big home with a large family with kids and other pets because they’re so friendly.
9. Russian Blue Cat
| Height: | 9 – 11 inches |
| Weight: | 7 – 12 pounds |
| Lifespan: | 15 – 20 years |
| Colors: | Bluish-gray |
| Temperament: | Reserved, intelligent, gentle, playful, affectionate, sensitive |
| Suitable for: | Individuals and families looking for a sweet-natured cat |
The Russian Blue is a beautiful long-haired cat that’s bluish-gray in color. The birthplace of this breed is believed to be in Northern Russia’s Archangel Islands. They are known for being sweet-natured and gentle, although they’re typically very reserved around strangers.
These cats look regal and sleek with their triangle-shaped head, pointed ears, and broad forehead with a long, straight nose. Under all that hair is a surprisingly strong and muscular body. Their long legs enable them to run quickly and move with grace.
A Russian Blue is a good pet for an active family since this fluffy cat loves to play. Because they’re so intelligent, they can easily entertain themselves by doing things like playing with puzzle toys or chasing shadows and sunbeams across the floor.
10. Neva Masquerade Cat
| Height: | 10 – 12 inches |
| Weight: | 10 – 20 pounds |
| Lifespan: | 8 – 10 years |
| Colors: | Various color points including seal, blue, red, cream, tabby, and tortie |
| Temperament: | People-oriented, friendly, affectionate, playful, vocal |
| Suitable for: | Active individuals or families |
The Neva Masquerade is a long-haired Russian cat breed that’s the colorpoint variation of the Siberian. They get their name from the Neva River in St. Petersburg, which is where the breed first developed. This beautiful cat comes in various color points, including seal, blue, red, cream, tabby, and tortie.
These cats are happy as long as they receive plenty of love and affection from their owners. They are great family pets that get along well with children and other cats and dogs. They are also very vocal and like to talk day and night. If you get a Neva Masquerade, expect your kitty to follow you around often for attention.
Conclusion
There are several cat breeds originating in Russia, with some being rarer than others. These Russian breeds come in various sizes and colors. Whether you’re looking for a docile, short-haired Russian cat or one with long hair that’s active and playful, you’ll surely find a breed on this list that will suit you well!
Featured Image Credit: Nailia Schwarz, Shutterstock
