Nebelung cats have intense eyes, pointed ears and a silvery blue coat. Their name is German and means “creature of the mist,” a reference to the cat’s shimmering silvery-blue coat, which gives the appearance of floating around the cats body.
The Nebelung is quieter than most breeds, initially shy but affectionate and exceptionally well-mannered.
Breed Snapshot
Breed: Nebelung cat
Size: Medium-Large, 5 to 16 lbs
Energy Level: 3/5
Talkative: 2/5
Coat: Medium to long, thick and silky.
Hypoallergenic: No
Seeking: Laid-back, loving humans who can provide a stable home.
Child Friendly: Yes
Personality: Curious, mild-tempered, initially shy but affectionate.
My Nebelung Looks
My beautiful long coat is the inspiration behind my name, Nebelung, which translates to ‘creature of the mist or fog’ in German, as well as what differentiates me from the Russian Blue, whom I have to thank for my brilliant green eyes and the unique silvery blue hue of my coat.
But my coat’s gorgeous length and fluffiness is all mine. Despite our other similarities, the Russian Blue has only a short, dense coat cropped close to his body while I’ve been blessed with an abundance of silken fluffiness complete with an ample undercoat.
What’s not so great about such luscious fur is that it makes me look stockier than I actually am. But my frame is in no way cobby – I am perfectly medium-sized, thank you very much.
An interesting thing about my appearance is that my looks correspond purrfectly with my personality.
You see, my face is graced with serene green, walnut-shaped eyes and chiseled cheeks that lend me an expression of solemnity and a certain gravitas. Which, coincidentally, says a lot about my personality…
My Nebelung Personality
My dignified looks give my personality away. Yes, I am every bit as genteel and reserved as I appear.
Nebelung cats are not anti-social, mind you, I have no problem getting along with other beings. I’m just choosier than most and prefer to bond with those who are near and dear to me.
To those lucky individuals, I won’t think twice about showing constant gestures of my affection but don’t be surprised to see me slip out of sight when visitors drop by – I’ll be back as soon as the unfamiliar faces leave.
I feel the same about non-humans as well. ‘Though I can easily get along with other pets – especially other felines – I can take a long time to get used to dogs and other animals that tend to be a bit noisy.
Perhaps that’s because I am simply not fond of noise.
Silence truly is golden, as far as I’m concerned, and I practice what I preach by vocalizing only when something really needs to be done, like a food or water bowl refilled.
And even then, I prefer to communicate via soft trills and coos. Anything louder is just too gauche for my tastes.
Don’t mistake my silence for inactivity, ‘though. I may not talk much, but Nebelungs are expressive in other ways. An avid pouncer and jumper, I channel much of my energy to perfecting my acrobatic skills, which encompass scaling high spots in the home like cabinets and shelves to entertain myself.
Oh, and no need to worry about things getting damaged during my performances. I have the litheness of a ballerina and the grace of a gazelle.
By now, I’m probably sounding like a very refined, low-maintenance sort of feline. And I am. But one thing you must keep in mind about me is that I am one of the most sensitive cats in all the feline world.
And although I may not crave for constant attention – and I certainly won’t deign to beg for it – I appreciate it when my gestures of love and warmth are properly reciprocated. So be loving with me, okay
You will regret it if you don’t. As genteel as I am, I will not hesitate to show my displeasure when ignored or made to feel I am not given the attention I deserve.
My Ideal Human
I am lovely company to have around – quiet, affectionate, and exceptionally well-mannered. But my reserved, sensitive nature also means that not every human is my particular cup of tea.
For starters, I am not fond of change and adapting to new homes or humans is not my forte. If you want to have me in your life, be prepared to provide me a stable home for the rest of my life and of course, get me early since introducing me to a new home when I’m older can be tricky.
Also, any human who is interested in having me around must be ready and willing to show me affection and promptly return my gestures of endearment. I’m sensitive and can be easily hurt if I feel my love is not being reciprocated.
Oh, and lastly – while I can get along with other pets, I have a strong preference for quiet company. And yes, that usually precludes pets of the canine variety. Of course, my first preference is that I am the only pet in the home. Hint hint.
My Roots
During the 1980’s, a computer programmer and opera enthusiast by the name of Cora Cobb gave her son a black domestic shorthair as a present. This cat was named Elsa and didn’t have odd physical attributes or any traits that made her stand out among other felines. Little did Cobb know that Elsa would be the matriarch of a new breed of cat before long.
When Elsa became of age, she was paired with a Russian Blue and eventually gave birth to five kittens that displayed the usual short coat. However, there was one male kitten with a coat tad longer than the others. Cobb instantly fell in love with him and named him Siegfried. After a few months, Elsa produced another female kitten that exhibited the same unique feature. Cobb christened this one Brunhilde.
Putting two and two together, Cobb immediately set up a breeding program looking to produce kittens that flaunted this unique coat. Remarkably, Siegfried and Brunhilde became the very first Nebelung dam and sire in history. Their pairing finally came to fruition in May 1986 when Brunhilde gave birth to three kittens that all sported blue long-haired coats.
Cobb applied for the recognition of The International Cat Association (TICA) soon after and was advised by its genetics chairperson, Dr. Solveig Pflueger, to match our breed’s standard to the Russian Blue’s with only the coat length as the only major difference. The Nebelung was officially accepted by TICA in September 1987.
Although the Nebelung was now a recognized breed, Cobb soon found out that she had a very tricky hurdle to ensure the growth of the Nebelung’s fledgling numbers: Russian Blue fanciers in and around the United States were not that open to crossbreeding their cats to the newly recognized breed.
Fortunately, this issue was resolved in 1988 when the owner of Supreme Grand Champion Vladimir of Castlecats presented her Russian Blue to mate with one of the female offspring of Brunhilde’s. This allowed the rookie breed to grow in size in the following months.
The Nebelung is now also recognized by the Cat Fanciers Federation (CFF) and the Traditional Cat Association (TCA) but fanciers of our breed are still in the process of getting the nod from the Cat Fanciers Association (CFA) regarding our acceptance into their registry.
How To Keep Me Happy And Healthy
The Nebelung cat breed is generally a hardy cat and doesn’t require any type of special attention to keep me them in shape. Some folks are under the impression that the Nebelung is hypoallergenic but I can confirm the breed is non hypoallergenic.
The only thing is – cat enthusiasts looking to have me as a pet should keep in mind to give my coat a meticulous grooming at least once a week to prevent it from getting kinky and matted.
Fun Nebelung Facts
- My eyes are a brilliant shade of green, but they don’t start out that way. When I’m born, my eyes are light yellow and then transform into a deep jade green shade as I mature. You’ll see the transformation becoming very apparent when I’m around three to four months old.
- The World Cat Federation (WCF) spells the name of my breed as Nibelung.? Po-tay-to, po-ta-to, yea
- I’m an early riser and can double as an alarm clock without the needs for batteries. It’s just that I get pretty hungry in the mornings and I will not hesitate to wake you up when I feel my meal is late. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, after all.
My Nebelung is unique in that she’s the only cat in the house who 1) uses her paws almost exclusively to grab things, tap me on the arm for attention, etc. 2) She sticks her tail straight up and “quivers” it rapidly to say “hi”. 3) She LOVES watching YouTube…mostly videos of birds and squirrels. She just can’t figure out how to get the damn critters OUT of the computer screen!
I adopted a pair of sisters that were feral. they are identical with one major exception being one is completely black otherwise identical. After a year of good care and love the gray has become more domestic where the black is still shy but loves to be petted. Has anyone heard of a black? appreciate any imput.
My Nebelung cat,came into our screened porch,injured from a dog that attacked her neck.Like an Angel she came to me,injured on New Years Day,That is how,we gave her the name Angel.I nursed her back to health,and treated her wounds around her neck daily.We didn’t know if she was going to live,we are so grateful she did.To this day she has a very tiny bald spot behind her ears from the injury she sustained,I put neosporine on the area when it becomes a bit dry,and gently message the little bald spot.By looking at her today,you can barely notice the spot behind each ear.To this day she is scarred of dogs,and terrified around dogs,if she sees someone walking a dog,she will run into the home.
Angel is so intelligent,she will stand on her back hind legs,and try to open the front door with her front paws.Angel has been in our family now for 13 years.She can detect,like a therapy animal injuries.She has touched her nose to the exact spot of injuries.Angel can sense spasms,and will delicately walk without one nail hurting my skin,and pitter patters,walking ever so delicately on the precise area of the leg spasms(after an accident).Angel does not like loud noises,such as vacuums,trucks driving down the roads,running water for a bath,etc.If she is sitting on the porch with me,she will take her front paws,and make sure the door is open wide enough so she can dart in the house if she hears a truck,or loud noise from any cars.She seems to have a maternal instinct and will allow younger kittens to intrude on her territory,almost like she can sense the age of other cats.Older cats,no,she will let them know that this is her yard.She loves the fresh air and laying outside.My cat Angel,is very different from other cats.In my life,I have never seen other cats do some of the amazing,and intelligent things that Angel does.Angel,can tell me if there is a bug in the house.She will go to the exact area.I have learned to listen to when she focuses her attention,there is always a good reason behind it.When she listens,I know she is hearing some one outside the home also,and when someone is outside the front door,she will look directly at the door,ears percked and her eyes wide.Angel also hides and can sense when anyone she does not know enters the home or comes by her.She is treully a blessing in our family and we know how much she loves us.I have learned so much from my Nebelung cat,Angel in the past 13 years,unlike any other cat we have had,or known.Angel is so loving,sleeps with me,and as soon as I sit on the couch,she is right there,purring and laying with me.We are so glad to have our Angel Nebelung cat,she fills our lives with so much love.
We adopted two feral kittens last September. Siblings from the same litter, the male is a long hair grey tabby – he kinda looks like a mini snow tiger. They both have the softest silky fur ever. The female is a pure charcoal grey with a poofy collar and tail. Her face is just slightly darker than her other fur but unlike the description of the Nebelung having green eyes, her eyes are a striking almost electrifying yellow. I named them Rascal and Sophie.
I was wandering. I had a beautiful gray cat for almost b19 yrs. The person that I got him from good us he was rare. And he was. But he never chase e animaalxr, birds, etc. Loved to watch the hummingbirds feed, would like in the flower box on our patio, watch raccons, rabbitx, squirrels eat his food from his bowl. I found this unusual. Very laid back, loving, everyond, even the service dog for my son.
Just wish I could find another like him.
I have had Zoe for a year or so,she’s quite a character.Very picky about her food and litter box.Sha likes to be close to people wherever you are in the house.She is lightning fast and can run like heck.She likes it up high on things.A personality all her own,she knows her mind and tells you what she is feeling,if you pet her too much or long no,no.Up early in mornings to eat,big appetite too.She uses her arms a lot for reach.When mad at you for something will be bad (on purpose)like ripping paper in little pieces.A great girl ,we found her at shelter.We did not realize she is a rare breed.Some health issues with eye infections and ear bacteria ,common to the breed I read.
I got a beautiful nebulung from a no kill rescue Great cat very affectionate and playful. One eye tears abut down I’ll take her to the vet