NebelungCharacteristics, history, behaviour and care

Longhaired blue cats similar to the Russian Blue were shown at the very first cat shows, at Crystal Palace, in 1871, but they disappeared in the early twentieth century.

The modern breed was created in the 1980s by Cora Cobb, of the Nebelheim cattery, in the USA. The foundation cats, Siegfried (1984) and Brunhilde (1985), were two longhaired blue kittens born to a black shorthaired cat, Elsa, and a longhaired blue male. Advised by the TICA geneticist Solveig Pflueger, Cobb wrote a standard modelled on the Russian Blue, but with semi-long hair. TICA accepted it as a new breed in 1987 and gave it championship status in 1997.

How the breed developed

• 1871 – longhaired blue cats at the Crystal Palace show.
• 1984–1985 – Siegfried and Brunhilde are born.
• 1987 – new breed at TICA.
• 1997 – championship status at TICA.

• Quiet homes. French Wikipedia says that, like the Russian Blue, it prefers a calm home.
• Apartments. It lives very well indoors.
• Patient people. German Wikipedia says it needs time to get used to a new place.
• Less suited to a busy home with young children. It is often shy.

It is a medium-sized cat with a long, firm, muscular body, medium to long legs and round paws, with tufts between the toes. The tail is long and bushy. French Wikipedia gives 3–4 kg for females and 4–6 kg for males.

General appearance

The head is a modified wedge, broad at the level of the eyes, with high cheekbones and a straight profile. The ears are large and pointed. The eyes are set wide apart, oval to almond-shaped, and green in adults; kittens may have yellow or mixed eyes.

The only colour is solid blue, with a silver sheen. The coat is thicker in winter and lighter in summer; it often has tufts behind the ears, “trousers” on the hind legs and, in males, a ruff.

Related breeds and how to tell them apart

The Russian Blue is its shorthaired “brother”. In the 1990s, longhaired kittens were also born in Russia to Russian Blue parents, which shows that the long-hair gene existed in that population.

Wikipedia describes it as a cat with a gentle nature. French Wikipedia adds that it is lively, mischievous, affectionate and intelligent, lives very well indoors and is very dexterous.

German Wikipedia says it is often shy with strangers and children and needs time in a new place; once it settles in, it wants lots of cuddles and attention.

Socialisation

It gets used to new people and places slowly; it needs patience.

A kitten gets used to new people, noises and other animals most easily in its first months of life.

Habits at home

Like all cats, it sleeps a lot: usually 12–16 hours a day. It is most active early in the morning and in the evening, but partly adapts to the family's routine.

Cats instinctively bury their droppings, so it quickly learns to use a litter tray. It scratches rough surfaces to shed the old outer layer of its claws, so it needs a scratching post or board.

It is moderately active. It likes quiet homes and routine.

Tips for a balanced life

• Avoid sudden changes and loud noise.
• Let it approach new people on its own.
• Play with it every day, quietly.

Coat care

French Wikipedia says the silky coat does not knot, so it does not need the usual care of longhaired breeds. German Wikipedia recommends combing once a week.

Common health problems

German Wikipedia says no typical diseases are known so far in this new breed. Stressful situations should be avoided, because emotions “go to its stomach”: they can lead to diarrhoea, vomiting and distress.

Recommended genetic tests

There is no genetic test required for the breed. Ask for the parents' health records.

Is it hypoallergenic?

Cat allergy is caused mainly by the Fel d 1 protein, found in saliva and skin glands; it is behind the allergy in 90% of people who are allergic to cats. Kittens, females and neutered males produce less of it, but still enough to trigger symptoms. No breed is completely hypoallergenic.

Other care

• A check-up at the vet once a year.
• Vaccinations and parasite treatment on the schedule set by the vet.
• Trim the claws if they do not wear down on their own.
• Clean its teeth or give it food that helps keep them clean.

The cat is a carnivore: it needs animal protein. Unlike a dog, it must get vitamin A, arachidonic acid and taurine from its food. Water is very important, because cats usually drink little; several water bowls around the house encourage it to drink.

Tips for a healthy diet

The table gives a starting estimate, calculated with the formula from the Merck Veterinary Manual for a healthy adult cat. The last column shows what this means in dry food with 3,500–4,000 kcal per kilogram. If you also feed wet food, reduce the dry portion.

• Adjust the portion to its weight: neutered cats put on weight easily.
• Weigh it monthly; the ribs should be easy to feel under your fingers.
• Kittens need more calories: Merck recommends 2.5 times the resting energy requirement.

Dangerous foods and substances

Some common household items are dangerous for cats:

• Lilies (and daylilies): they can destroy a cat's kidneys. Even the pollen or the water in the vase is dangerous.
• Paracetamol: extremely toxic to cats, which lack the enzyme that breaks it down. Never give it human medicines.
• Flea spot-ons and collars for dogs containing permethrin: the concentration meant for dogs is dangerous for cats.
• Foods: chocolate, coffee, alcohol, onions, garlic, grapes and raisins.

Maturity

Females usually reach sexual maturity at 5–10 months, and males at 5–7 months. The age varies from breed to breed.

Mating and pregnancy

Pregnancy in cats lasts 64–67 days, 65 on average. A first litter usually has fewer kittens than later ones. Only healthy cats that match the breed standard are used for breeding.

Blood type

Cats have blood type A, B or AB. Type A is the most common: in a study from England, 87.1% of non-pedigree cats and 54.6% of pedigree cats had type A. This matters for breeding: if the mother is type B and the kittens are type A, the antibodies in her first milk (colostrum) can destroy their red blood cells. The condition is called neonatal isoerythrolysis. That is why breeders test the blood type of both parents.

We found no published data on how common type B is in this breed; the test is done before mating anyway.

Caring for the kittens

Kittens are weaned at 6–7 weeks. They are ready to go to their new home at about 12 weeks, when they can be separated from their mother.

Neutering

Neutering used to be done at 6–9 months, but it is more and more often done before puberty, at around 3–6 months. It prevents unwanted kittens, urine marking in males and the loud “calling” of females in heat. A 2024 study found that neutered cats live one year longer on average. After the operation, the metabolism slows down and appetite increases, so the portion has to be reduced.

How to choose a kitten

• Ask for the pedigree from a recognised cat association (for example, TICA).
• The kitten leaves its mother at about 12 weeks.
• Look at the mother and at the place where the kittens are raised: it should be clean, with kittens used to people.
• Ask about vaccinations, parasite treatment and the blood type of the parents.

• “Creature of the mist”. The name comes from the German “Nebel” (mist), with a nod to the legend of the Nibelungs.
• Siegfried and Brunhilde. The foundation cats bear the names of heroes from the legend of the Nibelungs.
• Eyes that change. Kittens may have yellow eyes, which gradually turn green.
• A disputed standard. Russian Blue breeders objected, so the standard was rewritten for a separate breed.

The legend of the Nibelungs

The names of the breed and of its foundation cats, Siegfried and Brunhilde, come from the German legend of the Nibelungs.

Is it a longhaired Russian Blue?

They look alike and are related, but the Nebelung is a separate breed, created in the USA.

What colour is it?

Only blue with a silver sheen, with green eyes.

Does the coat tangle?

A little; the silky coat does not knot easily. Combing once a week is enough.

Is it good for a busy home?

Not really; it prefers quiet and can be shy with strangers and children.