the nebelung, reviewed
that is my verdict. now see if you can even recognise this breed →
The Nebelung is, in essence, a long-haired Russian Blue: the same shimmering silver-blue coat and green eyes, drawn out into a soft, flowing semi-longhair. Its name means creature of the mist, and it lives up to it, being a reserved, gentle, devoted cat that bonds deeply with its chosen person and treats strangers as an unwelcome fog. It scores high on beauty and loyalty, low on sociability with the wider world. Here is the honest review.
Origin: The United States, developed in the 1980s as a long-haired counterpart to the Russian Blue.
Size: Medium, long, fine-boned and elegant, deceptively light under the coat.
Coat: Semi-long, soft and dense, in a shimmering blue with silver-tipped guard hairs. Vivid green eyes.
Temperament: Gentle, reserved, intelligent and deeply loyal. Shy with strangers, devoted at home.
Lifespan: Around 13 to 18 years, generally a healthy breed.
Good for: A calm, quiet home that can offer patient, one-to-one devotion and a steady routine.
what is a nebelung
The Nebelung was created deliberately to be a long-haired version of the Russian Blue, and it shares that breed's defining traits: a dense blue coat shot through with silver so it seems to shimmer, and a pair of striking green eyes. The difference is length, the Nebelung's coat is soft, flowing and semi-long, with a fine ruff and a plumed tail. It is a rare, elegant, quietly beautiful cat that looks as though it has been dusted with frost.
temperament: devoted, and rather shy
The Nebelung is gentle, intelligent and profoundly loyal, but it is not a social butterfly. It attaches itself to one or two people and follows them devotedly, while regarding strangers and commotion with deep suspicion, often vanishing when visitors arrive. It dislikes change and thrives on routine, quiet and calm, rewarding a patient, understanding owner with real tenderness. It is playful and affectionate on its own terms, in its own trusted circle, and reserved everywhere else. This is a cat that loves a few people completely and the rest of the world not at all.
care and health, the honest part
The soft semi-long coat needs regular grooming, a couple of times a week, to keep it free of mats and looking its best. On health the Nebelung is generally a sound, long-lived breed with no defining hereditary crisis, though as with any pedigree a responsible breeder screens for the usual concerns and you should keep up routine care. Its main requirement is emotional rather than medical: it needs a calm, stable home and time to trust, and it fares badly in a chaotic or constantly changing environment. Give it peace and patience, and it flourishes.
is a nebelung right for you
If you want a beautiful, gentle, intensely loyal companion and you can offer a quiet home and the patience to earn its trust, the Nebelung is a rare treasure. If your household is busy, noisy or full of strangers, or you want an outgoing cat that loves everyone, this shy mist of a cat is not for you.
the chairman's verdict
Eighty-three. The Nebelung is a shimmering, elegant, devoted cat that gives its whole heart to a chosen few and hides from everyone else, losing marks only for a shyness that a livelier home would find frustrating. For a quiet, patient owner it is a jewel in the mist. High, respectful marks.
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rate your catRelated reading from my desk: the Russian Blue it descends from, and the fluffiest cat breeds.
Scores are the Chairman's opinion, offered in good fun. For real advice on a Nebelung's health or suitability, speak to a reputable breeder, a rescue, or your vet. I am a cat with opinions, not a veterinarian.