Nebelung

The Nebelung is the longhaired Russian Blue, and its name means creature of the mist in German. The breed began in Denver in 1984, when a breeder named Cora Cobb mated a black shorthaired cat named Siegfried with a blue-gray longhaired cat named Brunhilde. The kittens were blue and longhaired, and she kept them.

The look is a soft shimmer. The coat is a silvery blue, with each hair tipped in silver, and the semi-long fur forms a ruff at the neck, britches on the hind legs and a plumed tail. In motion it ripples, and in the light it glints like frost.

The eyes are a clear, vivid green. A Nebelung is a fine-boned cat, long and slender, with a wedge-shaped head and a gentle, sweet expression. Like the Russian Blue it has a calm, quiet air that suits the name.

The personality is shy and devoted. A Nebelung bonds deeply with its family and may hide from strangers or loud noises, and it likes a quiet home and a routine. It is gentle, intelligent and sensitive, and it often follows one person from room to room.

Nebelungs are playful and athletic. They like to climb, chase and investigate, and they enjoy a game of fetch or a puzzle toy. They are not demanding, and they adapt well to a calm household with a stable routine and a window to watch.

The coat is easy, a weekly comb is enough. The breed is generally healthy and long-lived, but it is rare, so ask breeders about heart and genetic screening. Many Nebelungs live well into their late teens. Give it a calm home, a perch and a friend.