Korats , Russian Blues & Nebelungs
Korats
Eastern Beginnings
The Korat comes from Thailand, the same romantic land that brought us the Siamese. Called Si-Sawat (see-sah-waht) in their native turf, Korats have for centuries been associated with good luck. They're rarely sold, but are given as special tokens of respect and appreciation. A pair of Korats given to Thai brides is said to ensure fortunate marriages.
It's not surprising that the Korat (pro- nounced "koh-raht" with equal emphasis on each syllable) is held in high esteem by those in the know. Korats are strikingly beautiful, with brilliant green eyes that glow like precious Jewels in an exquisitely soft setting of silver-tipped blue fur. In the breed's native land, the fur is described as the color of silver and rain clouds, and the eyes are described as the color of new rice.
A cat who moves with the spring of coiled-steel, also has a steel trap of a mind. Korats are known for their high intelligence and extreme devotion. They use their extraordinary senses to perceive and define the world around them. In that world, their humans play important roles.
Russian Blue
Talisker Solitaire
Origin: Russian Blues are also known as the Archangel cats. While their silver tipping and green eyes certainly make them look like angels, the Archangel name was given them after their point of origin--the Russian Arkhangelsk port on the White Sea about 150 miles south of the Arctic Circle. The cats boarded the boats with the sailors and came to other parts of Europe. The first cat shows in England in the 1880s included Russian Blues. For a while, all blue shorthaired cats competed in the same class however in 1912 the distinctive cats from Arkhangelsk with their large eyes and ears were assigned their own class called the Foreign Blue. The war had an impact on cat breeding and on the Russian Blue cats. After the war, breeders sought to revive their lines and outcrossed to cats who resembled the Russian cats. Some English breeders chose to use the Blue British Shorthair to ensure they kept the pale plush coat. Other breeders chose to blue point Siamese to ensure they kept the elegant foreign body with its long fine legs and to preserve the distinctive head with its large ears and eyes. The Scandinavian breeders were also working with outcross cats using Siamese and a blue cat from Finland but their cats had short tight dark coats but magnificent emerald green eyes set like jewels in the triangular head.
Russian Blues came to North America in the early 1900s however serious breeding programs began much later. The North American breeders imported cats from both England and Scandinavia and worked to combine the best features of each into today's modern Russian Blue. Today's Russian Blue has emerald eyes and a pale blue coat frosted with silver and the angelic smile that is a distinguishing feature of the breed. Sheer elegance combined with intelligence make this breed a winner in the show ring and in the home.
http://members.x o Talisker Russian Blues
Nebelungs
Nebelheim's Siegfried
Gorgeous, elegant and intelligent, Nebelungs are the choice of an increasing number of discriminating cat lovers in the United States, Europe and Russia.
The Nebelung is the only longhair breed which comes solely in blue. It is descended from the Russian longhair of the nineteenth century. Its modern renaissance was started by Nebelheim cattery ("Home of the Mist" in German) in 1986 with the foundation pair, Siegfried and Brunhilde, as its breeding sire and dam.
Old Breed, New Beginning Combining long silky hair with the elegant Russian Blue body type, the Nebelung breed recreates the Russian longhair. These gorgeous cats were exhibited in the very first British cat shows over one hundred years ago. Today they are a championship breed in the International Cat Association (TICA).
Although the Russian longhair ceased to exist as a separate breed with the establishment of the modern cat fancy, individual unrelated cats with its traits have appeared in the United States and Russia.
Siegfried (born 1984) and Brunhilde (born 1985) were the first registered Nebelungs. They produced their first litter in 1986. Shortly after the kittens were born, application was made to The International Cat Association (TICA) for new breed status (NBC) for the Nebelung (German for "Creature of the Mist"). The breed standard was based on the Russian Blue, with the exception of coat length. In 1987 TICA's Board of Directors accepted the Nebelungs as longhaired Russian Blues. Today's Nebelung standard is the same as the Russian Blue, except for coat. The breed was accepted as a new breed in the Cat Fanciers' Federation (CFF) in 1990 and in the championship category of the Traditional Cat Association (TCA). It is a championship breed in the World Cat Federation (WCF) under the name "Nibelung."
Since the breed's start, other foundation cats have been enrolled, as well as cats of pure Russian Blue ancestry with semi-long hair, several of them in Russia itself. Winter Day Georgin of Nebelheim was imported from Russia in 1997. His parents are championship Russian Blues and he is now a TICA champion.
What are Nebelungs Like?
A show quality Nebelung will have a long body, long legs, long tail, broad shoulders and a head with flat planes. The hair is blue and tipped with silver. Hair is semi long on the body and long on the plumy tail. The eyes are green. The overall effect is that of a romanticized 1900 cat picture.
A Nebelung is highly intelligent and is loving to its owners and family members, but may be shy with strangers, especially young children. A kitten may take time to adjust to its new home. If allowed to make its own advances, it should become a devoted companion. Many Nebelungs are lap sitters and love to be petted. Often they follow their owners from room to room. If allowed, they enjoy sleeping on their owner’s bed.
