BSH vs Chartreux vs Russian Blue Edmonton: The Three Blue Cats Compared

Three blue cat breeds, similar coat colour, very different countries of origin and body types. Adopters who fall for the blue look often land on Instagram photos that do not label the breed, or on rescue listings that use a confident label without breed verification. The result is that “blue cat” gets used interchangeably across three breeds that are quite distinct genetically and visually.

Most blue-coated cats in Edmonton rescues are blue-coated domestic shorthairs (DSH) with no pedigreed breed ancestry. The blue or grey coat colour is a recessive dilution of black; any cat carrying two copies of the dilution gene will be blue regardless of breed. This is why blue DSH are common at Edmonton Humane Society, Zoe's Animal Rescue, and other Edmonton rescues even though true purebred BSH, Russian Blue, and Chartreux are not.

The practical adopter takeaway: if you want the “blue cat” look, an Edmonton rescue blue DSH gives you the colour at $400 to $600 fully vetted. If you specifically want a breed-typed cat with verified pedigree, the path is a Canadian ethical breeder, with the cost and waitlist that come with it.

BSH are the most common of the three blue breeds in North America and the easiest to find through Canadian breeders or as look-alike DSH at rescues. Origin: England, descended from Roman-era farm cats and formalised as a breed in the late 19th century by Harrison Weir. Recognised by CCA, CFA, and TICA. Lifespan 12 to 17 years.

Identifying features:

• Eye colour: Copper or gold. Some colourpoint variants have blue eyes; non-colourpoint blue BSH have copper or gold.
• Head shape: Very round with full cheeks. A round-headed cat is BSH; a wedge-shaped head is not.
• Body build: Stocky, broad, heavy bone, short legs. Males 14 to 17 lbs, females 9 to 12 lbs.
• Coat: Short but extremely dense and plush. Stands away from the body, often described as having “crisp” resistance when you push your hand through it. Single coat (not double).
• Paw pads: Blue or grey for blue-coated BSH (paw pads should match coat colour).
• Maturity: Slow, 3 to 5 years to reach full size. A 1-year-old BSH is still a kitten in body and behaviour.

Temperament: Calm, undemanding, dignified. Tolerant of handling but not a velcro lap cat. Bonds steadily with family. Good with children and other pets when slowly introduced. The full BSH adoption guide for Edmonton lives in our BSH adoption Edmonton article.

Edmonton availability: Purebred BSH almost never appear in rescue, but blue or grey BSH-look DSH show up regularly. Ethical Canadian breeders charge $2,500 to $4,500 with 6 to 12 month waitlists.

Russian Blues originated in Northern Russia (likely the port city of Archangel) and were brought to England in the 1860s. Recognised by CFA and TICA. Lifespan 15 to 20 years, longer than most cat breeds. The breed is unrelated to BSH and Chartreux despite the visual similarities.

Identifying features:

• Eye colour: Vivid green. This is the breed's signature trait. Kittens are born with blue eyes that transition through yellow at 8 to 12 weeks and settle into vivid green by 4 to 6 months. Adult Russian Blues with copper or gold eyes are not pure Russian Blue.
• Head shape: Wedge-shaped, narrower than BSH, with a flat top and prominent whisker pads. Looks like a Burmese or Siamese face in profile, not the rounded BSH face.
• Body build: Slim, elegant, athletic. Long legs, fine bone, smaller overall than BSH. Males 10 to 12 lbs, females 8 to 10 lbs.
• Coat: Short double coat. Dense undercoat plus a layer of guard hairs tipped with silver, which gives the famous shimmer when light catches the coat. The double coat is what makes the breed look “blue” rather than “grey” in good light.
• Paw pads: Mauve or lavender (lighter than BSH paw pads).
• Maturity: Standard cat pace, about 1.5 to 2 years to full size.

Temperament: Reserved, intelligent, gentle, bonded to a primary person. Russian Blues are typically more shy with strangers than BSH, more selective in their attachments, and quieter. They are not aloof, but they choose their interactions. Better suited to single-person households or calm households than families with very young children or boisterous routines. Said to be lower in Fel d 1 allergen than most breeds, though not truly hypoallergenic.

Edmonton availability: Occasional Russian Blue or Russian Blue mix cats show up at Edmonton rescues, distinguishable by the green eyes and slimmer build. Purebred Russian Blue kittens from Canadian breeders run $1,500 to $2,500, with shorter waitlists than BSH because the breed is less commercially popular.

Chartreux originated in France and have been bred there for centuries; some legends attribute their development to Carthusian monks. Recognised by CFA and TICA but not by GCCF in the UK. Lifespan 13 to 16 years. The breed is genuinely rare outside France and is even rarer in Canada.

Identifying features:

• Eye colour: Copper, gold, or orange. Same eye colour range as BSH.
• Head shape: Round but with a slightly narrower face than BSH; the muzzle tapers more toward the chin, and the cheeks are full but less pronounced than BSH. A “smiling” expression from the mouth shape is a Chartreux signature.
• Body build: Solidly built but slightly slimmer and more athletic than BSH. Often described as “a potato on toothpicks” because the body is heavy but the legs are slender. Males 10 to 15 lbs, females 6 to 11 lbs.
• Coat: Plush but slightly woolier than BSH, with a water-resistant double layer. The texture is unique to the breed and is part of what distinguishes a real Chartreux from a BSH-look DSH.
• Paw pads: Grey or rose-coloured.
• Maturity: Slow, 2 to 3 years to full size, similar to BSH.

Temperament: Quiet (Chartreux are sometimes described as nearly silent), intelligent, observant, gentle. They bond strongly to their families and tolerate handling well, but they are not exuberant cats. Less demonstrative than the most outgoing BSH lines, more confident with strangers than Russian Blues.

Edmonton availability: Nearly zero. There are perhaps a handful of CFA or TICA-registered Chartreux breeders in Canada, mostly in Eastern Canada, with very long waitlists. Chartreux almost never appear in Canadian rescue listings. If you specifically want a Chartreux, expect to import from the United States or Europe through a registered breeder network, with significant cost ($2,500 to $4,500 plus import expenses) and a 12 to 24 month waitlist.

The fast-reference identification table for Edmonton adopters:

For Edmonton adopters who want the blue-cat look, the honest sequence is:

1. Look at Edmonton rescue blue DSH first. Most blue-coated cats in Edmonton rescues are DSH with no verified breed ancestry. They give you the look, the calm temperament, and the budget-friendly $400 to $600 adoption fee. The cat is real, the foster home will tell you about the temperament, and there is no waitlist.
2. Use the trait checklist on listings. Eye colour (copper/gold vs green) tells you BSH-look vs Russian Blue-look. Body build (stocky vs slim) reinforces. Coat texture (plush vs shimmery double) confirms. A photo on a rescue listing is usually enough for a rough breed-look identification.
3. Read foster notes carefully. The foster home has lived with the cat for weeks or months. They know the temperament. The breed label is far less important than the foster's description of how the cat behaves around children, dogs, other cats, and strangers.
4. If you specifically need pedigree paperwork: Go to a Canadian CCA, CFA, or TICA-registered breeder. BSH is the most accessible ($2,500 to $4,500, 6 to 12 month waitlist); Russian Blue is a step less expensive ($1,500 to $2,500, shorter waitlists); Chartreux is the hardest by a wide margin ($2,500 to $4,500 plus import, 12 to 24 month waitlist).
5. Avoid the under-$1,500 “purebred” trap. Any of these three breeds advertised at $600 to $1,500 by a self-described Canadian breeder is almost certainly a scam, a backyard operation, or a mix mislabelled.

The honest framing: for most Edmonton adopters, a blue or grey DSH from Edmonton Humane Society, Zoe's Animal Rescue, SCARS, or AARCS Edmonton fosters delivers 80 to 90 percent of the blue-cat experience at 15 to 20 percent of the breeder cost.