On the topic of the Russian Blue vs the British Shorthair, there are many factors that can be considered when choosing the best cat for you. While both breeds have unique personalities, they also share a lot of similarities. The British Shorthair is a breed of domestic cat native to the United Kingdom. Their body type varies greatly, and can range from extremely muscular to very sleek and lean.
Their coat is shorthaired, and their tail is full, and long. Their coat can be almost any color, but the most common is a rusty, reddish brown. The most well known characteristic of the Shorthair, though, is its calm demeanor.
The Russian Blues are believed to have originated on Archangel (Arkhangelsk) Island in northern Russia, which is why they were once referred to as Archangel cats. Their original name, Archangel cat, is derived from their color. Their coat is blue and silver, hence the term “Russian Blue.”
The Russian Blue has a gentle personality, and they are considered to be good with children and other animals as well. In addition to being used as companions, they have also been known to be successful in the show ring.
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Russian Blue Vs British Shorthair
The Russian Blue is a breed of domestic cat originally from the Archangel region in the north of European Russia. The breed is noted for its gentle temper and silvery-blue coat. With a compact body and sturdy legs, they are similar in appearance to the British Shorthair but larger and more muscular.
They were once called Archangel cats as they were believed to have been taken to Europe by merchants trading with Russia through Archangel. In general, Russian Blues are calm, quiet, reserved cats, but very affectionate with their owners.
On the other hand, the British Shorthair is also known as “the English cat.” It is native to England and Wales. It is a large, muscular, shorthaired cat with a broad head and shoulders. The British Shorthair can be any color, including all the colors of tabby (browns, blacks, yellows and reds). They have big paws and tails. Their fur can be long or short.
The British Shorthair is a loyal cat who loves children. It loves being around people and wants to be in the same room with its owners as often as possible. It is an affectionate cat that will get along fine with other pets in the household. It is a medium-sized cat that is more quiet and docile than the Russian Blue. In general, it tends to be somewhat aloof with strangers and patient with children.
The Russian Blue is more sociable and outgoing, while the British Shorthair is more reserved and quiet. The Russian Blue tends to be more social with people, while the British Shorthair seems to be much more peaceful. This can also be seen in the reactions of both breeds when they encounter strangers.
While both breeds are quite similar in appearance, there are some differences between them.
10 differences between the Russian Blue Vs British Shorthair
The differences between the Russian Blue vs The British Shorthair are explained below.
- Size:
The Russian Blue is very muscular and compared to the British Shorthair, larger. The British Shorthair is noted for being a muscular animal with broad shoulders and a long body. The Russian Blue, however, is leaner, and more muscular than the British Shorthair. - Coat:
The Russian Blue has a short coat, while the British Shorthair has a long coat with short fur on its paws and tail. Both cats can have any coat color that there is in the world. However, while both breeds can be any color, there are some differences between their favorite colors. The Russian Blue seems to prefer “mew” colors such as blues and silvers while the British Shorthair prefers browns and tans. - Body shape:
The Russian Blue has a leaner body structure, as shown in its more muscular appearance. It also seems to have longer legs than expected for a cat of its size. The British Shorthair is shorter and stockier than the Russian Blue. - Temperament:
Both breeds are very calm and quiet cats, but the Russian Blue tends to be more patient with regards to interactions with humans or other pets in the house. In terms of interaction with children, the British Shorthair is said to be easier to handle than the Russian Blue because it can stay calm when children approach it or even play with it. - Hair texture:
The British Shorthair has fur that is short and sleek, while the Russian Blue has a softer, silkier hair that feels more luxurious to the touch. Both breeds can be of any possible hair length, but they both prefer to shed their coats in the spring. - Lifespan:
The British Shorthair lives an average of 14 to 20 years while the Russian Blue lives an average of 15 to 20 years. - Intelligence:
The British Shorthair is considered to be more intelligent than the Russian Blue. The British Shorthair exhibits problem-solving behavior by employing various techniques, including owner assist, in order to open doors and cupboards around the house and retrieve toys that fall under furniture in which they cannot fit. - Behaviour:
The Russian Blue is more independent than the British Shorthair. The Russian Blue enjoys being in its owner’s presence, but it doesn’t need to be close to its owners as much as the British Shorthair does. - Communication:
Both breeds are considered to be good at communicating through their body language, but the Russian Blue seems to communicate more through vocalization and meowing. In contrast, the British Shorthair seems to communicate more through body language and soft vocalizations such as a gentle purr or a light trill. - Trimming:
While both breeds need grooming to maintain their coat, the British Shorthair needs regular trims while the Russian Blue doesn’t need trimming at all. Additionally, the British Shorthair has a much greater demand for trims compared to the Russian Blue as they have a softer coat that requires more maintenance than that of the Russian Blue’s hard coat.
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5 similariries between the russian blue vs the british shorthair
Despite the differences between the Russian Blue vs. British Shorthair, they do have some similarities. These similarities includes:
- Personality:
Both breeds are very loyal, affectionate and intelligent cats. They can get along well with other pets in the house and they enjoy being around their owners as much as possible. They also show signs of affection towards humans by licking their faces and rubbing against them, being affectionate towards them by sleeping next to them at night or lying on their lap for petting. - Fur:
The color of the fur is similar between the Russian Blue and British Shorthair. Both breeds have fur of all possible colors. However, the Russian Blue has a softer fur on its body while the British Shorthair has a soft, sleek fur that feels more luxurious to the touch. - Lifestyle:
Both breeds are very active creatures and they spend most of their time either playing or being lazy. They will often play with their owners and other pets in the household, but if not entertained by them, they usually prefer to be alone in their own little worlds.
When kept indoors, both breeds love getting to know new things and being challenged with new activities because it makes them feel happy from experiencing something new for the first time. These breeds don’t mind if they are alone for long periods of time as long as they are with their owners, as both breeds crave for human attention.
- Cat food:
Both breeds love to eat and cat food is a common thing that both of them enjoy. However, the British Shorthair tends to be pickier with regards to its cat food than the Russian Blue. The British Shorthair generally prefers wet food over dry food while the Russian Blue seems to have no preference whatsoever in terms of wet or dry cat food. - Cat litter box:
The cat litter box is a common thing that both breeds can do as it needs to be cleaned regularly to keep the fur healthy and clean. Both breeds also feel heavy when they poop, and their foul-smelling farts will affect their owners’ moods negatively, so these cats usually prefer to be near their owners while they poop and afterwards they lick the fresh poop off their paws while they are grooming themselves.
Conclusion
In conclusion, both of these feline breeds are extremely similar in terms of their colors, body structure and temperament. Moreover, they have different characteristics that distinguish them from each other and make them unique. For example: the Russian Blue is a cat that seems to enjoy relaxing and keeping itself occupied while the British Shorthair is more playful and interactive than the Russian Blue.
Additionally, their grooming needs are also different. The British Shorthair has a much greater demand for trims compared to the Russian Blue as they have a softer coat that requires more maintenance than that of the Russian Blue’s hard coat.
While both breeds have the same personality, the Russian Blue is more affectionate and interactive with humans, while the British Shorthair is more independent than the Russian Blue. The two are often described as being different species due to their differences in personality, but they can be considered to be two different breeds as they share a lot of similarities such as: their fur, grooming needs and playful personalities.
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