Even though the Russian Blue has been described on many websites, I feel mine wouldn’t be complete without my own modest description of the breed.
The more outlooks on a breed one has to compare, the better one can form oneself an image of it.
It is very important to know what exactly you’re getting into if you contemplate taking one of these cats into your home.

Origin
The Russian Blue is one of the oldest registered breeds of cat; it made its first documented appearance at the first Crystal Palace shows in London in 1875.
However, it is one of only a few breeds that predate the beginnings of the cat fancy as an organized hobby.
The Russian is a so-called “natural breed”, meaning the Russian was and is being bred to have very close resemblance to the cats that were originally found in a natural population.
In this way it differentiates itself from the “designer breeds” (breeds pre-designed by humans) and “mutation breeds” (breeds based on a single new mutation or trait that give the cats a unique appearance).
Where exactly the Russian Blue originates from stays a mystery.
The common conception is that the cats originate from the Northwest of Russia, since sailors brought these cats to Great Britain on their journeys from the White Sea harbor of Archangelsk during the first half of the 19th century. It is thought that the first Russian Blues, then called Archangel Cats, had arrived in Britain around 1860 from Archangelsk.
However, depictions of these cats have been found on the Kola-isle, in Russia, Sweden, Norway, the Baltic States and even Spain, dating as far back as the 1500s.
This is the cause for the many names this cat has gone by over the course of time; Archangel cat, Russian Cat, Spanish Blue cat, Maltese cat and Foreign Blue. Only in 1948 did the breed receive the name that is still in use today; the Russian Blue. Since that time the breed has overcome many trials, the toughest being WWII, after which the breed could only be saved by crossbreeding to other breeds. Changes in the breed standard followed, but through the exceptional dedication of the breeders of the past and the present, the Russian Blue now resembles the original Archangelsk cat, the only major difference being the eye color, which permanently changed from copper to green as a legacy of the crossbreedings to Siamese (the change in eye color appears in the standard of about 1933).


General
I personally like to describe the Russian as a cat for people who still know how to appreciate a cat the way it is meant to be.
For the Russian is a breed without extreme traits; it’s not extremely finely or heavily built, its silhouette isn’t exceptionally round or angular, it has a short plush coat without any curls, unique markings or plumes, its tail is in balance with its body and its face doesn’t display any extreme traits either.
The Russian is not a body-builder, not modeled like a tea bonnet, not a frail doll, but it has an athletic suppleness like that seen in ballet dancers or swimmers.
It is not exceptionally big, nor is it extremely small.
The Russian’s temperament is as subtle and stunning as its looks. Again, there are no extremes; the Russian isn’t a talkative cat, but it is communicative and playful. It is not very cheeky but not very shy or modest either. It’s not dominant, but it certainly won’t be dominated.
 It is not demanding, but it does naturally assume that it will be treated with care and respect.
It won’t stick on your lap for days at a time, but it does love its occasional cuddles and lap time as long as it can choose when and where and it forms a strong bond with its owner. It detests being alone, but often doesn’t do great in large groups either.

Special, but subtle, external characteristics
For those who’ve come to appreciate this breed, the absence of extremes is exactly what is so attractive in it; everything is just so well-balanced!
And because there are no extreme traits, the subtle decorations stand out more.
Only a solid blue coat can accommodate the display of the silver shimmer, like the cat is covered in silver dust (inaugurates in this breed refer to this characteristic as silver tipping) which is caused by the absence of pigment in the very end of the hairs.
Because the eye color doesn’t contrast with the fur, they give the face a mysterious appearance. This vivid bottle green is, again, the exact intermediate in the extremes in eye colors in cats; blue and copper.
Because the cats have no markings or exaggerated facial traits, the more subtle traits become obvious; de permanent smile and the veiled glance (caused by cheekbone and brow structure) which combined, are referred to as “Vodka look”.
 The structure of the coat is unique to the Russian Blue; double, dense and standing out like plush, but fine and soft as silk. A good Russian coat is characterized by the fact that it stands up if you stroke it against the grain; you can draw patterns in it which will remain until you stroke it back, just like you could in velvet or velour.
Special, but not striking at first glance.

Appearance: the standards
One of the most confusing things to new owners of Russian Blues, and one of the biggest pitfalls in breeding, are the many different breed standards that are applied to this breed, and the resulting different Russian Blue types.
No other breed is the subject of so many opinions on how that breed should look.
Even in the Netherlands, where the FIFé standard and NOK standard are applied, that hardly differ in wording, a great difference of types has come to exist because of the different interpretations by judges from those organizations.
Far out the largest part of the Dutch Russian Blue breeders is associated with independent associations, where the NOK standard (Dutch translation of the GCCF standard) is applied, because these associations help to maintain the traditional, original type of Russian Blue, also referred to as the English type. You can view this standard here.
If you are, however, curious about the appearance of the other types that are bred in Holland and worldwide, you could visit http://www.stichtingblauwerus.nl/keuzerasbeschrijvingrus.html .
Next to the Dutch translations of all the standards you’ll find pictures of the different types there, making the more obvious differences clear even if you don’t know how to read a breed standard.
When looking at these standards it will become apparent that the Americans have clearly traveled down another road with this breed, whereas the UK, the Netherlands, Flemish Belgium, Australia, New-Zealand and South-Africa are obviously less progressive.
This, however, doesn’t hold true for the colors black and white and the Nebelung, which are still firmly refused for championship by, amongst others, the large American association CFA and the European FIFé.

Strong Character
Even though Russians aren’t exceptionally talkative, active, affectionate or independant, you shouldn’t make the mistake of thinking that that means they are wimps without a personality.
On the contrary, Russians possess the strongest of personalities and every animal has it’s own unique one.
You will find that every Russian you meet is different and so it’s hard to give a general description of the character of the breed as a whole.
Still, I will try to paint the picture for you as I draw from my own experiences with these special cats.
There is a reason for this breed often being referred to as “A cat for connoisseurs” or “the aristocrat among cats”, even though these wordings shouldn’t be misinterpreted.
The Russian is a “cat for connoisseurs” because it takes a refined taste to fully appreciate those creatures. It doesn’t mean you need extensive experience to be able to properly keep one of these cats, or to love one.
The description of “aristocrat” is caused by the typical posture of this cat; it is a stand offish, statuesque and elegant breed that can be perceived as arrogant.
The Russian does presume that it will always be treated like a Tsar and thus will never ask to be treated in this manner.
It just naturally assumes that it will receive dinner at set times, that doors will be opened upon request (even though it’s perfectly capable of doing so itself) and that water will run from taps whenever they require.
Russians are proud but sweet-natured cats that appreciate peace and quiet around the house, even more so than the average cat and that appreciate routine.
They adapt easily however, as long as they have been properly socialized.
They are the most loyal companions; they’ll follow you around like a grey shadow without ever being obtrusive and they’ll only lay down on your lap when they think it is appropriate.
They act somewhat different around strangers though; one must earn a Russian’s trust and friendship, so strangers are usually first observed from a distance. (Let it be clear though that this is different from fear entirely; fear of people should never be considered normal in any pedigreed cat, including Russian Blues!)
“Aristocrat” is quite an appropriate description to signify the difference with other, more obtrusive breeds and breeds that’ll just sit in anyone’s lap.
Russian Blues are intelligent cats (one a little more than the next) which quickly tune in to your habits. They always know when you’re ready to get up, whether it be to prepare their meal, open the door or visit the bathroom; the Russian will always happily precede you in the right direction.
They are quick to figure out how stuff works and so you shouldn’t be surprised if a Russian jumps up on the door handle after having given you a few intense looks meant as orders to open the door for it.
Their memory is sublime; many Russians recognize their breeder after many years and from my own experience I can say that loved ones they haven’t seen for the longest time are greeted as if they left yesterday – very special.
 They also have a way of tuning into your mood, meaning that if you are stressed, they’ll be restless or even obnoxious, and that they’ll come to lay with you if you’re sick or sad.

Common misconceptions
There are many stories about Russian Blues circulating on websites and in books, which might hold some truth to them, but which need to be put into perspective.
One of these stories is that Russians are calm and quiet cats which can easily be kept in apartments or flats.
Even though Russians aren’t overly active, the do need a healthy portion of exercise, appropriate space and to be mentally stimulated.
Next to that, calm is not the same as inactive. Russians are cats nonetheless, and on a scale they still score to be more active than the cobby breeds (British Shorthair, Persians and the like).
Kittens can obviously even be little tornados!
It is not impossible to keep a Russian in a flat, but if you do it’s in the interest of the cat to make some adjustments. If your flat is small in terms of square feet you should create living space above the floors.
Play with your cat on a daily basis (even if there are other cats around), make sure it can climb (on scratching/climbing posts, shelves etc.) and that it has enough spots to look outside. It would be ideal if you could fence your balcony so your cat can get a whiff of fresh air even if you live multiple stories high. A fenced enclosure isn’t just appreciated on a flat though; your Russian will also appreciate being able to stroll around a part of the garden that is reserved for it, if it happens to be located next to a mansion.
Another one of these stories is that Russians have soft voices, barely meow and barely even raise their voices during heat.
I’ll admit that Russians aren’t Siamese when it comes to the use of their voice, however, they’re cats and we do have the occasional chatty one. Often they’ll make conversation by means of short, soft “mews” and “PRRRRRT”-sounds, but even Russians can speak in loud voices. Also, do not ever underestimate the sounds that a queen in heat or a full male makes!
“Barely raise their voice” is hugely inappropriate for over half of this breed’s sexually mature and capable population.
The difference between Russian Blues and the more talkative breeds is that Russians tend to only use their voice with a purpose.
They don’t just chat to chat, but to convey a message. When you pay attention to your cat’s body language and respond accordingly, and if a cat is neutered, it won’t have to talk much.
The last story I’d like to address is that of the Russian staying playful until of old age.
This is true, playing is a social form of hunting behavior that any cat is capable of, but a cat needs to be stimulated to practice this behavior.
If you don’t actively engage in play with your Russian and provide it with stimulating toys, your cat will become a couch potato.
It is important for cats to play and Russians really enjoy it, so make the effort! You’ll bond better over it, too.

Coat maintenance
The Russian Blue is an awesome breed if you don’t like the hassle of brushing each day – actually, a Russian shouldn’t be brushed or combed, especially right before a show. Brushing could damage and pull out the underlayer of the fur, making the coat appear flat while it should stand out like plush.
However, Russians can molt when exposed to the weather and because the coat is so dense the dropped hair is retained in it. When the cat washes itself it will take these hairs in, causing hairballs which could be very unpleasant for the cat. In those periods, it is obviously in the interest of the cat to brush it.
To prevent damage as much as possible, it is advised to use a brush out of (pig-) hair, a flea comb or a moist washcloth. You can also remove the hairs by stroking your cat extensively!
Further care of a Russian consists of a weekly physical exam, clipping the nails every few weeks and cleaning the eyes, ears and nose as needed. This makes the Russian Blue a very low maintenance breed indeed.