At a glance the quick version
Wikipedia gives males 4.5-6.5 kg and females 3.5-5 kg; PetMD gives 7-15 lb (about 3.2-6.8 kg) for the breed overall.
Coat and looks how to spot one
semi-long, dense, silky double coat
A long, graceful and well-muscled cat with a wedge-shaped head. Its medium-long silky coat is blue with silver-tipped guard hairs, which gives the fur a soft, misty shimmer. The coat is fuller in winter than in summer.12
Personality what they are like
A calm, sweet and loyal cat that becomes very attached to its own people and often follows them from room to room. It can be reserved with strangers and prefers a steady, predictable home.23
Daily activity how busy a day looks
Moderate. Enjoys play that imitates hunting, such as stalking and pouncing, and likes climbing and retrieving, but is also happy with quiet time.23
Grooming and care the hands-on bits
Despite the long coat, care is simple: comb or brush about once a week to remove loose hair and keep the coat tidy. Regular tooth brushing is recommended.23
Home where they are happiest
Does best in a quiet, predictable household with a routine.3
Company who they like around
Forms strong bonds with family members; may be shy with visitors and young children at first.23
The story where it all began
American breeder Cora Cobb started the breed with Siegfried (born 1984) and Brunhilde (born 1985), longhaired blue cats from ordinary domestic parents. Her aim was to recreate the look of the longhaired blue cats that came from Russia around 1900. In 1993 a Dutch breeder imported a Russian longhaired blue, which helped show the longhair gene occurs naturally in Russian Blue lines and linked Russian and American breeding.12
Fun facts for the dinner table
- 1
The name comes from the German word Nebel, meaning fog or mist, and is often translated as 'creature of the mist'.1
- 2
The founding pair, Siegfried and Brunhilde, carry names from the Nibelung legend, which also inspired the breed name.1
- 3
A Nebelung appears in the film Garden State.2
- 4
The breed has been featured on Animal Planet's Cats 101.2
- 5
In 1993 a Russian longhaired blue cat named Timofeus was imported to the Netherlands, showing that the longhair gene occurs naturally in Russian Blue lines.1
Recognised by the official bits
- TICA
- New Breed status 1987; championship 19972
- WCF, ACF, ACFA/CAA, LOOF
- Recognised with a breed standard1
- GCCF
- Preliminary status1
The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you
A typical home-care rhythm for a Nebelung. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.
- Brushingevery 2 days
- Deshedding springBrush more while sheddingevery day
- Nail trimevery 3 weeks
- Teeth brushingDaily brushing is idealevery 2 days
- Litter scoopevery day
- Litter changeevery week
- PlayDaily playevery day
- Flea, tick and worm protectionSchedule as your vet recommendsas your vet recommends
- Vet check-upSenior years usually start around age 11every year
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Where this comes from
Every breed page shows where each fact comes from. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are pet people, not a science magazine. Tell us at [email protected] and we will fix it.
- Nebelung - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.orgused for other names, recognition, weight, coat, name meaning
- Nebelung - TICA tica.orgused for history, recognition, coat, temperament, care
- Nebelung - PetMD petmd.comused for lifespan, weight, height, activity, grooming
Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.