Russian Blue Colors: One Color, Unless Your Registry Says Three
Blue only in America and Canada; Russian Black and Russian White at full championship in Britain since 2013 and in Australia. Who recognizes what, named registry by registry.
Published August 21, 2026 3 min read
Contents
The Russian Blue is the fancy's most committed monochrome: an even, clear blue with a silver sheen, and nothing else, at , and Canada's . We searched all three standards' text directly: zero occurrences of "black" or "white" as recognized colors. But cross an ocean and the palette changes. Britain's has run RUSSIAN BLACK and RUSSIAN WHITE at full championship level since 2013, under one shared "Russian" standard.
Australia's does the same (the tell was the registry's own filename: its standard is "Russian.pdf," not "Russian-Blue.pdf"). ' overview text also names all three colors. So the answer to "is there a black or white Russian?" is a clean market split. Yes in the UK and Australia, no in North America, and we name each registry rather than blending them.
The blue itself, in the standards' words
Five standards agree with unusual unanimity on the coat: a dense DOUBLE coat that stands away from the body "due to density, not stiffness" (close variants of that exact phrase recur across all five), with silver tipping giving the lustrous sheen. The silver is required for the Russian Blue. The genetics are stated by 's own breeding policy in one formula: aaBBdd (, black-based, double-dose dilute). Blue is black wearing the dilution gene. That is why a "Black Russian" is simply the same cat without the dilute pair.
The eyes, and the one dated figure worth keeping
Vivid green, absolutely required in adults. And the kitten timeline has a rare two-registry consensus: and independently state the green ring should be showing by about FOUR MONTHS. Kitten eyes start yellowish; the green arrives as they mature. (The related Nebelung is measurably more lenient on eye color, one of the real differences its page carries.)
The White Russian's own asterisk
The white variant rides the masking gene, and 's own material carries the responsibility that goes with it. Deafness testing is part of the white program, because dominant white (unlike blue dilution) carries the documented white-cat deafness association. A Russian White buyer in the UK or Australia should hear the breeder mention hearing testing unprompted. And one market note from our price research: the one cattery pricing Russian Whites listed them BELOW its blues. "Rare" is doing no work on the price tag.
The palette, registry by registry
| Registry | Recognized colors |
|---|---|
| (US/intl) | Blue only (zero hits for black or white in the standard's text) |
| (US) | Blue only |
| (Canada) | Blue only |
| (UK) | Blue, Russian Black, Russian White: championship since 2013, one shared Russian standard |
| (Australia) | Blue, Black and White: the standard's own filename is Russian.pdf |
The vet's take
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Frequently asked questions
What colors do Russian Blue cats come in?
Blue only at TICA, CFA and Canada's CCA-AFC (we checked the standards' text directly). Britain's GCCF and Australia's ACF also run Russian Black and Russian White at championship level, GCCF's since 2013, under one shared Russian standard.
Is there a black Russian Blue cat?
As a recognized breed color, only in the UK and Australia (a "Russian Black"). Genetically it is the same cat without the dilution pair: blue IS diluted black (GCCF's own aaBBdd formula).
Are white Russian cats deaf?
The Russian White rides the dominant white gene, which carries the documented white-cat deafness association: GCCF's own program includes hearing testing. Ask the breeder for the results; the blue and black never carry that mechanism.
When do Russian Blue kittens' eyes turn green?
The green ring should be showing by about four months, per TICA and CCA-AFC independently: kitten eyes start yellowish and mature to the required vivid green.
Community questions
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This is information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot tell you what is wrong with your cat. Our rule is a simple one: if something is wrong with your cat, call your vet, and call an emergency clinic if it is out of hours. Nothing you read here is a reason to wait.
Medical information applies to every reader. Prices, legal duties and common practice do not: unless stated otherwise, they are given for the United States, and they differ in the UK, Canada and Australia, and often between states or provinces. Check with your own vet and your own local authority.
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