Where to Buy a Russian Blue Cat

Our readers often ask me where to best buy a Russian Blue cat.

There is no shortage of places to buy a Russian Blue Cat, at least, if you live in the US. However, the best place to buy a Russian Blue, or any cat for that matter comes down to personal choice and preference.

The best places to buy a Russian Blue Cat include a shelter, breed-specific rescue, or a reputable breeder. The price, age, health and pedigree will vary, depending on where you purchase your Russian Blue Cat. Other factors are based on your expectations and criteria.

In this article, we dig deeper into where you can find Russian Blue Cats to buy and what to look out for.

We will also explain the differences between adopting from a shelter and buying a cat from a reputable breeder and why you may choose one over the other.

Adopting Russian Blue Cats

One of the most common ways to find a Russian Blue Cat is through adoption, including both shelters and breed specific rescues.

Sites to help include:

• PetFinder
• ASPCA
• The Humane Society
• Adopt-A-Pet
• PetSmart Charities

These sites won’t let you order your cat online, but they let you see who is available near you that fits your criteria. You can narrow your search by breed, age, gender, and size to find a cat that best suits your expectations.

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The Advantages of Adoption

Adoption is a more cost-effective way of finding a Russian Blue Cat, and it’s a great choice if you’re not too worried about pedigree.

Fees for Adoption are generally very reasonable and almost always include the following.

• Health assessment
• Knowledge about the past care of the cat
• Spaying/Neutering
• Deworming
• Vaccinations

If you have a choice, adoption agencies that foster their cats can provide a better adjusted cat, and they can better attest to their temperament. You can also find adult cats easier through adoption than through a breeder.

The money you spend on adoption goes right back to the agency to keep their doors open to help more animals.

This makes supporting an adoption agency a very sustainable way of ‘getting a cat’. Everyone, including the cats benefit.

The Downsides of Adoption

There are some downsides to adoption centers and whether or not these concern you depends on what you find important when adopting a cat.

Firstly, there is no guarantee that a cat you get from a shelter or even a breed-specific rescue is actually a Russian Blue Cat.

While this breed has some distinct characteristics, you won’t get a pedigree proving the breed or the genetic history of your cat.

Additionally, cats end up in shelters through no fault of their own, but you increase your chances of ending up with a cat with health or behavioral issues (especially with no health history or evidence of genetic testing).

It pays off to do your research before committing to any shelter.

You should also be wary of backyard breeders that wear the mask of a shelter. These agencies tend to have plenty of young cats available for adoption and won’t be eager to let you tour the facility.

Buying Russian Blue Cats from Breeders

Buying a Russian Blue Cat from a (reputable) breeder gives you more certainties about the cat’s history, health and pedigree.

While this costs more than adoption, buying from a breeder does more to guarantee the future health of your cat through:

• Genetic testing of parents
• Health testing of parents
• Consistent, quality care
• The experience of the breeder

If you’re serious about buying a purebred Russian Blue Cat and want to stick as close to breed expectations as possible, buying through a reputable breeder is your best bet.

The Advantages of Buying from a Breeder

There are plenty of advantages that come from buying from a breeder.

Pedigree

Even if you don’t plan on breeding, purchasing from a breeder should provide you with your Russian Blue Cat’s pedigree and registration that certifies they belong to the breed. This shows you the cat’s genealogy, usually going back 4 or 5 generations so you can assess their history.

This helps you make sure there is a low inbreeding coefficient (recommended below 5% for 10 generations) and is a basic sign of a reputable breeder.

Age

A breeder will be able to connect you with kittens at the right age for socialization. While some shelters put kittens up for adoption too young, leading to behavioral problems later on, a breeder won’t separate the kittens from mom for at least 12 weeks.

This ensures your kitten has had a healthy and happy head start.

Health

Breeders start by prioritizing health through keeping parents healthy and performing genetic testing to make sure they don’t pass on illnesses or present for certain progressive issues.

Kittens also come with complete health records that include:

• A full round of vaccinations (one at 8 weeks and boosters at 10 to 12 weeks)
• Parasite treatment
• Wellness assessments

Parents should be tested for infectious diseases like FeLV and FIV, and breeders will provide this information to show you that your kitten comes from a healthy home.

Breeder Red Flags

While there are few disadvantages to buying a Russian Blue Cat from a reputable breeder, working with a red flag breeder can cause you plenty of issues.

These breeders usually prioritize profit over health, and they may aim for certain characteristics at the cost of your kitten’s health. They cut corners when it comes to healthcare and aren’t as worried about keeping certain standards.

Red flags to look for include:

• Prices much higher or lower than what is normal
• Willingness or pressure to ship you the kitten without meeting first
• Working with more than 2 cat breeds
• Extraordinary claims (“rare” or “special”)

The best way to make sure you aren’t working with a red flag breeder is to look for someone who comes highly recommended. Don’t get your heart set on the one that’s most convenient for you.

Make sure you ask plenty of questions and you tour the facility and see the parents of your kitten. If the father isn’t on site, the breeder should be able to provide you with his owner’s information.

Reputable breeders should willingly provide pedigree and any documentation from health testing, and you shouldn’t take anyone’s word for anything.

What to Expect from a Reputable Breeder

It’s not out of character for a reputable breeder to have several questions for you and expect things like:

• Documentation of your living conditions
• Wait list deposits
• Contracts

They may encourage you to visit around 2 months, after the kitten’s first vaccine, so everyone can meet face to face.

The contract is also likely to include a clause stating you must contact them if you need to re-home the cat, and that you cannot surrender or resell. They’ll expect you to agree to spay or neuter to prevent irresponsible breeding.

How Much Does a Russian Blue Cost?

Adoption agencies	Anywhere for $50 to $250. Depending on several factors such as age, health and what’s included in the adoption package.
Breeders	Roughly starting at $300 up to $3000. The price is depending on factors like reputation of the breeder and quality of the breed and the cat’s family tree.

Suggested reading: How Much Does A Russian Blue Cat Cost?

Our Final Thoughts

Whether you buy a Russian Blue Cat through a shelter or a breeder, you’re finding a great companion for the rest of your life.

Make sure you take your time to tour either location and meet your cat face to face before committing to the relationship, and understand the responsibility you are taking on.

Keeping a cat happy and healthy through their whole life is one of the most fulfilling things you can do, but you need to be ready to do it right.

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