Cat breed · United States
The Nebelung is a pedigree breed of domestic cat. Nebelungs have long bodies, wide-set green eyes, long and dense solid blue-coloured fur, and mild dispositions. The Nebelung was developed to resemble the early blue-grey cats imported from Russia in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, combined with a semi-long coat. The cat is related to the Russian Blue, but with longer, silkier hair, and is in fact sometimes (incorrectly) called the Long-haired Russian Blue.
The breed holds full recognition with the ACF and TICA, and enjoys preliminary status with the GCCF. However, given the relatively recent foundation of the Nebelung in the 1980s, it has yet to gain recognition from the other major cat fancier organisations.
Physical Characteristics: The Nebelung is a medium-sized cat of semi-foreign type, characterised by a long body, semi-long coat, and even blue solid colouring with a silver sheen. The head is a modified wedge with width at eye level, high cheekbones, and a straight profile forming a distinctive angle at the eyes. The whisker pads are prominent, the chin is strong and aligned vertically with the nose tip, and the ears are large, pointed, and set to continue the wedge. The eyes are wide-set, oval to almond in shape, and vivid green-coloured in adult cats; kittens may show yellow or mixed colours that typically develop into green as they mature.
The body is long, firm, and muscular, with medium to long legs, medium boning, and rounded paws showing tufting between the toes. The tail is proportionately long, tapering, and well-furnished. The coat is semi-long, soft, and silky, with a fine undercoat and longer guard hairs; seasonal variation occurs, with denser coats in winter and lighter coats in summer. Feathering behind the ears, pantaloons on the hind legs, and a ruff in males are commonly present.
The coat colour is an even medium solid blue, sound to the roots. Silver tipping on the guard hairs produces a characteristic sheen, although this may be less visible on parts of the body. Nose leather and paw pads are mauve-grey to pinkish-lavender in shade. An adult Nebelung weighs between 3.5–[dose — ask your vet] (8–11 lb) for females to 4.5–[dose — ask your vet] (10–14 lb) for males.
