Shy | Quiet | Heavenly. The Nebelung cat with their striking misty grey coat is a beautiful breed of floof that remains quite rare in the UK. Their appearance is that of a longhaired Russian blue and shares a standoffish purrsonality with them. Today we’re going to dig our paws into what makes the Nebelung cat so special as well as give you pawrents some helpful tips on how to provide the best nutrition pawssible to these ethereal beauties.

NEBELUNG CAT BASICS

 Average Lifespan: 11 - 16 years 

Average Weight: 3.5 - 6.5kg

Coat Length: Medium - long

Colouring: Grey/blue

Shedding: Moderate 

WHAT IS THE ANCESTRY OF THE NEBELUNG CAT?

Nebelung cats have been around since the early 1980s when the first of this misty blue cat was born in the States. This floof was named Siegfried and was born to a black domestic shorthair and a longhaired black Angora cat. Siegfried was instantly recognised as something special, with the overall appearance of a longhaired Russian Blue, something that hadn’t yet been seen in the cat world. 

Five months after Siegfried’s birth, his parents had another litter, producing a second longhaired blue cat who was named Brunhilde. And so, the first of the Nebelung cats were produced and they went on to have a litter of their own which laid the foundation for this dazzling breed. 

The Nebelung cat gained recognition from TICA in 1987 and was first presented in the UK in 2011 at a Russian Blue show. 

WHAT DO NEBELUNG CATS LOOK LIKE?

The origins of the Nebelung name come from the German word “Nebel” meaning fog or mist, and the Russian word “Nebo” for heaven. This aptly describes the ravishing appearance of the Nebelung cat. They have a dazzling grey coat which is silver at the tips, giving them an angelic glow that’s nothing short of heavenly. In all aspects of their appearance, they look like a long-haired Russian blue, with an elegant and muscular build and upturned lips which gives them a friendly appearance. These floofs have big floofy tails and tufted ears that entice their onlookers into giving them a loving pet or cuddle. 

WHAT IS THE PURRSONALITY OF THE NEBELUNG CAT?

Nebelung cats are shy guys at heart. They can take a while to warm up to newcomers or strangers, particularly when they’re kittens and need plenty of time to adjust to their new setting when they first come home. Don’t expect these kitties to be good guard cats, as they’ll be running for the cover of your lap or under the bed at the sound of the doorbell! However, once adjusted and confident with their hoomans, Nebelung cats make strong lifelong bonds and start to let their playful and affectionate sides shine, enjoying playtime with stimulating games and cat toys.  

DO NEBELUNG CATS LIKE TO CUDDLE?

Whilst Nebelung cats can be aloof and shy at first, once comfortable with their furmilies they become highly affectionate and love to cuddle. They’re not needy though and do enjoy their independence, unlike other velcro cats. You’ll know when they’re ready for cuddle time as they’ll come and plonk themselves right in your lap. Take this opportunity to give them a good brush with a slicker brush to keep their long coat looking purrfect. 

NEBELUNG CAT FEEDING REQUIREMENTS

Nebelung cats aren’t linked to any specific health conditions and tend to live healthy long lives as long as they’re fed a nutritious diet. This should be high in good quality animal meat to satisfy the obligate carnivore within as well as balanced with the purrfect mix of fats, vitamins, minerals and water. Cats don’t need many carbs in their diet and should constitute no more than 10-15% of their meals. Easy-to-digest carbs like rice can add fibre to their diet which will help strengthen their digestive system to help them eliminate furballs easier - ideal for the long-haired Nebelung cat. 

Look for recipes that are labelled as “complete” and FEDIAF approved so that you know that your Nebelung cat will be getting everything they need from their dinner bowl to live well on into their nine lives. 

SCRUMBLES, THE PAWFECT FOOD FOR NEBULENG CATS

Nebelung cats can’t get enough of our deliciously meaty and gut friendly cat food!

Here’s why:

1. High-Quality Meat - We pack our recipes with at least 60% human-grade meat and fish to satisfy the obligate carnivore within. Meat is essential for providing Nebelung cats with the amino acids they need to thrive and keep them fit and strong. 
2. Gut-Friendly and Anti-Furball - We add either prebiotics or probiotics to all of our wet and dry cat food to strengthen the digestive system of cats and help longhaired felines digest their furballs more easily. Purrfect gut health also leads to pretty poops and less messy cleanups at the kitty litter which pawrents love. Our dental health cat treats are also formulated with slippery elm bark which gives them added anti-furball properties, ideal for preventing painful hairballs in longhaired cats whilst also improving their oral hygiene. 
3. FEDIAF-Approved Recipes - All of our recipes are FEDIAF-approved and our wet cat food and dry cat food are nutritionally complete, meaning you can feed these to your Nebelung cat day in and day out with the confidence that they’re getting all of the nutrients they need to maintain purrfect health. 
4. Climate-Friendly - Buying dinner for your Nebelung cat shouldn’t cost the planet. That’s why we use eco-friendly packaging, we source our poultry from British farms to reduce our carbon pawprint by lowering food miles, and we’re proud to be B-Corp certified. Therefore Scrumbles is the number 1 choice for pawrents who want the best for their furry best friends as well as the planet. 

Whilst you're here, why not read:

1. Can Cats eat sweetcorn?

2. Dandruff in cats

3. Snowshoe Cat Breed Guide