Russian Blue vs Korat vs Chartreux: The Blue Breeds Compared

Russian Blue, Korat and Chartreux are the three best-known naturally “blue” cat breeds. They share a colour but little else, and the differences matter when you are choosing a companion for the next fifteen years.

Russian Blue

Appearance: fine-boned and elegant, with a short dense double coat in an even blue-grey, silver-tipped guard hairs that give a subtle sheen, and vivid green eyes from around four months.

Temperament: gentle, quiet and loyal; often reserved with strangers and sensitive to stress, but deeply attached to their family.Playful in short bursts and intelligent.

Recognition: the most widely known and most often available of the three.

Korat

Appearance: silver-blue coat with a distinctive sheen, a heart-shaped face, and large green or amber-gold eyes. Medium-sized and muscular rather than fine.

Temperament: active, intelligent and very people-focused. Korats generally want to be involved in everything and are typically less reserved with visitors than Russian Blues. They can be more demanding of attention.

Availability: considerably rarer, with fewer breeders and generally longer waits.

Chartreux

Appearance: larger and heavily built, with a dense woolly blue coat, a broad head and copper to gold eyes. Often described as smiling.

Temperament: calm, quiet and affectionate. Famously quiet — some barely meow at all. Generally robust and good-natured, and often more independent than a Russian Blue.

Availability: rarer in Australia than the Russian Blue, with a smaller breeder base.

Which is right for you?

• Russian Blue — you want a close, loyal, quiet companion in a calm home, and you value their low grooming needs and lesser shedding.
• Korat — you want a more outgoing, active, constantly-involved cat and can accept a longer search.
• Chartreux — you want a larger, sturdier, very quiet and fairly independent cat.

One thing all three share

All three are intelligent and need mental stimulation. Puzzle feeders, climbing space and daily interactive play matter for each of them. For more on the Russian Blue specifically, read our temperament guide, or browse the kittens we have available.