With its incredible coloration, you might think that the Russian Blue cat was carefully developed by feline geneticists – but the truth is, this is a naturally occurring breed. Believed to originate in Russia's Archangel Isles around the port of Arkhangelsk, these cats probably accompanied sailors to Northern Europe and Great Britain during the 1860s. The first Archangel Cat was shown at London's Crystal Palace in 1875 and ever since then, these amazing cats have been highly coveted. Despite its unique origin, the Russian Blue was shown alongside all other blue cats until it was given its own show class in 1912. Following the second world war, the Russian Blue experienced a population collapse as so many cat breeds did at that time. Breeders, mostly in Scandinavia and England, worked to bring numbers back up, often crossbreeding with Siamese. Once these cats reached the shores of the United States, breeders allowed British Russian Blue and Scandinavian Russian Blue cat bloodlines to mingle, gradually breeding out Siamese traits. At the same time, Russian Blue cats have contributed to the creation of other breeds including the Nebelung, which is sometimes called the long-haired Russian Blue. The Havana Brown was also developed with the help of Russian Blues, and some Oriental Shorthairs carry Russian Blue DNA as well. Russian Blue cats are recognized by cat breed associations all over the world.