General Information:

Weight: 5-16 lbs.
Life Span: 11-16 years
Coloring: Blue with silver tipping.
Area of Origin: Denver, Colorado. U.S.A.
Similar Breeds: Russian Blue, Chausie

Breed History and Origins:

The Nebelung cats are a longhaired variety of the Russian Blue breed. The breed began its development in the early 1980’s with the actions carried by Cora Cobb of the Nebelheim Cattery, a former computer programmer turned cat breeder. The story of these elegant cats begins when Cora gave her son a black domestic shorthair cat named Elsa as a gift. Elsa’s father was a longhair cat that resembled a black Angora. She then mated with a Russian Blue and a litter of six kittens was produced, in the year 1984 to be exact. Five of them were black and blue shorthairs, but one of them had long blue hair. This longhaired kitten was named Siegfried, after the murdered dragon slayer in the epic Germanic poem “Nibelungenlied”.

Cobb kept Siegfried, and five months later another litter of kittens produced a female longhaired cat which was named Brunhilde by Cobb, after the Icelandic queen of the same Germanic poem. Brunhilde had longer and lighter colored fur than Siegfried. These two longhaired cats became the foundation of the Nebelung breed.

The name Nebelung means “creatures of the mist” in German, and was given to the breed thanks to their smoky and unique appearance, combined with the name of the Germanic poem both founding cats were named after. Cobb wanted to know if she could start a breed with Siegfried and Brunhilde, so she contacted the geneticist of The International Cat Association (TICA), Dr. Solveig Pflueger, and he advised her to write a breed standard, stating that these cats were best defined at the moment as semi-longhaired Russian Blue cats.

Cobb, while writing down the breed standard decided to keep it nearly identical to the Russian Blue standard, with the exception of the coat length description, which would remain between semi-long and long. By 1987, the Nebelung cats were recognized as a new breed by TICA, but Russian Blue breeders were very skeptical about it and didn’t want to be involved in breeding Nebelung cats with her, which made it difficult for Cobb to continue the Nebelung bloodline. These Russian Blue breeders insisted for Cobb to revise the breed description to create a more unique portrayal of the Nebelung breed, which ended up resembling blue cats that had been imported from Russia in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

After struggling with the breed’s development, in 1988 the owner of Supreme Gran Champion Vladimir of Castlecats decided to offer Cobb a Russian Blue to cross with one of Brunhilde’s daughters. Thanks to this nearly heroic act fitting for this breed, the Nebelung cats increased both in number and popularity. Nebelung cats have been featured twice on the front cover of a Japanese cat magazine, and were shown and sold at the 1989 TICA cat show in Paris, France.

In 1997, after 10 years of hard work, the breed became fully recognized for championship status by TICA. Since then, the breed has been recognized by other cat associations including Le Livre Officiel des Orgines Felines (LOOF), the World Cat Federation (WCF), the Canadian Cat Association (CCA) and most recently the American Cat Fanciers Association (ACFA).

Size and Physical Characteristics:

The Nebelung breed was created in resemblance of the cats imported from Eastern Europe in the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries. They are the only longhaired breed that come exclusively in a blue coat color, which is actually a light grey. The silver tips on the ends of the hair give these cats a misty aura that adds to its charm and the mystery associated with a mythical creature rising from the mists. Many describe their appearance as other worldly and their coat is very soft and silky which also gives them a wispy look. They also have an abundant undercoat and both males and females (to a lesser extent) have a ruff around their necks. Nebelung cats will often have tufts of fur behind the ears and in-between the toes. The adult coat reaches its full development when the cat is approximately two years old.

These graceful cats have a long neck, long legs and a long tail. They are medium sized but when you first see them, you will notice their lengthy features and elegant features. Their tail is thick and plumed which gives it a balanced appearance. Their ears are large and pointed but proportionate to their wedge-shaped head that is more pointed than rounded. Their eyes are a striking green to yellow-green color which are wide set on their face and are slightly oval shaped. The Nebelung body style is semi-foreign which means long, slender, and athletic with medium bone structure. Despite being slim, they are very muscular and agile.

Personality and Temperament:

The mystical looking Nebelung cats have quite a personality, being sensitive, reserved and very quiet. They will usually just meow when they really need something or if they’re hungry. They dislike noise and tend to bond with just one or two people, which doesn’t make them suitable for families with young, rowdy children. They’re reputed to be gentle and shy but despite being reserved, they are very loving and playful. Fetching is their favorite game. They also like jumping or climbing to perch on high places to study what’s going on around them before they decide whether or not to interact with anyone.

Do not expect your Nebelung cat to greet guests affectionately, it will only appear if it deems them worthy of its notice. They have their selected favorite people and will follow them around their house and even ride their shoulders. These are very loyal cats and they do not like to be ignored. Their feelings will be hurt if you don’t correspond with the same amount of affection that they give you. Lack of attention tends to make them anxious and fearful.

Despite the fact that Nebelung cats love company, they are able to entertain themselves while their owners are away and won’t be destructive around the house. These quiet cats need a stable environment, especially because they do not like change. Kittens brought to a new home need time and space to get acquainted with its new environment. It’s very important to provide meals on time because they like to stick to their routines, and they will also demand clean litter boxes. You may assume that they will be picky with cleanliness and food type. These highly intelligent cats will even be your personal alarm clock in the mornings.

These nimble cats have a strong sense of self-worth and they like to be with people that will respect them and create deep bonds with. They’re best suited for people who want a lap cat, senior citizens and families with older children. They get along well with other cats but not much can be said about their tolerance for dogs.

Nutritional and Exercise needs:

Diet is very important for cats for it will determine overall health. A healthy coat, teeth, body weight and energy level will depend almost completely on what they are fed. Cats generally are carnivores, so fresh meat or a protein based diet is always the best option. The type of food depends on the owner but keep in mind that Nebelung cats will be picky, so finding the best food for them will be a trial and error process. If their food is canned verify that only a few fillers are added. It’s also important to provide your Nebelung cat with a schedule for its meals. These cats are very intelligent and know when it’s time for their next meal.

When cats are indoors most of the time, they might not get enough exercise. Despite this, Nebelung cats are active. They really love climbing and pouncing. It’s recommended to engage with them in some type of daily activity to help maintain a healthy body weight and keep muscles strong and lean. Exercise and playing is also a fun way and a good opportunity for you to bond with your pet.

You may be able to set up an area especially for your cat to climb and play around. Cat trees and scratching posts can also be used for this purpose. Cat jungle gyms can be bought at a local pet store or you could build one yourself. Nebelung cats also love toys interactive toys that will engage a fun pouncing war.

Grooming and Upkeep:

The silky and lustrous coat of the Nebelung breed is medium in length and it’s also dense, so regular brushing is a must to prevent tangles and mats. They have a double layered coat, and overall their fur will resist matting but it still is recommended to brush them twice or three times a week with a good quality steel brush or comb. The frequency should increase to every other day during their shedding season.

The Nebelung will usually go through two yearly sheddings: in the fall, when they shed their summer coat and in the spring, when they shed their winter coat. Coat length will vary during these sheddings.

Routine combing or brushing also helps to remove dead hair and distribute the oils on their skin properly. Also, a Nebelung owner must keep their litter box spotlessly clean because they are very particular about their hygiene. Nail trimming and ear cleaning is required regularly. Brushing their teeth weekly at home with an appropriate pet toothpaste, and scheduling veterinary dental cleanings is necessary. The earlier you began to brush, trim its nails and brush its teeth, the better your Nebelung will accept these activities.

Characteristics unique to the breed:

These creatures of the mist are rare cats to find. In the United States, breeders can be found in Washington State, Colorado, Illinois, Michigan, and Mississippi. Despite being mild tempered and quiet, Nebelung cats can be compared to dogs by the undying loyalty to their families. They’re very intelligent and hold themselves in a high regard. They also do not like unrequited attention, so be careful to give love back to them unless you want a resentful cat.

Health and Wellness:

The Nebelung is a generally healthy breed. There are no known breed specific diseases for the Nebelung at the time, although bladder stones have been reported to be a problem for Russian Blue cats, which are the ancestors of the Nebelung breed.

Annual exams, vaccinations, heartworm prevention and flea and tick preventions are recommended. Initially make sure to deworm your cat and run basic blood tests as early diagnosis is always the best. Keep in mind that a good diet and regular exercise is always the best prevention.

Being a pet, it is somewhat common for them to suffer some types of eye problems, diarrhea and fleas. These cats are not hypoallergenic so people with cat allergies should best remain at a distance since contact with a Nebelung cat might cause an allergic reaction.

Be sure to consult a veterinarian of your choice for routine care and medical advice for your very loving Nebelung cat.

Interesting Facts about the breed:

• Nebelung cats are the only long-haired breed to have only one solid color variety: blue and silver tipped.
• Some Nebelung breeders still use Russian Blue cats to create uniformity in their appearance which sometimes result in short-haired Nebelung cats.
• They’re not intrusive cats but they do love attention.
• Nebelung cats are very agile and can leap long distances, especially to reach high places.