Name: Anastasia (aka Sasha)

Age: Almost 2 (wish her a happy birthday on May 5th!)

Breed: Russian Blue

Follow her on: Instagram @sasha_the_blue

For our first feline pet profile, we caught up with Instagram heartthrob Sasha the Blue. This self-described catnapper, fetcher, snuggle bug, and goofball is hands-down the prettiest kitty I’ve ever met–and the most adventurous!

Hey, Sasha! What’s your story–are you originally from Jersey City?

I’m a purebred Russian Blue and was actually born in Michigan along with five brothers and sisters. I don’t like to talk about it much, but I was the runt of the litter and the shiest by far. When my parents brought me home to Jersey City, it took me a full day and a half to even come out from under the couch. It was terrifying! I eventually got used to the change in scenery, though.

 

Do you know anything about where your siblings ended up?

One of my sisters actually became a show cat in Michigan! So cool–we are all so proud of her. We do come from a long line of show cats and champions, so it wasn’t a huge surprise when she got into it too. My parents actually saw a Russian Blue for the first time when they met the breeder at the Garden State Cat Show, and knew immediately that they wanted a cat like me. I came from the next litter.

 How big do you Russian Blues usually get?

Females like me grow up to 8-10 lbs., but the boys get even bigger, usually between 9-12 lbs. But then again, we love eating, so it’s always possible that we don’t stop there! I’m usually pretty good, but I love my treats. If my mom accidentally leaves the bag of treats open, I’ll definitely finish the whole batch. I’ve also been known to open a bag or two myself. I’m sure some of your human readers can relate to that, though.

How would people describe your personality?

Well, after a lot of research, my parents picked my particular breed because we are so chill. I’m not aggressive, ever. Even if I get agitated, I run away and hide instead of going on the offense and hissing or snarling. They say that I’m sweet and affectionate, and my mom was surprised to find out that I act kind of like a puppy. I usually have to sleep with my head on my mom’s leg, but my dad’s office chair is another one of my favorite napping zones–as soon as he gets up, I pounce! I’m also really curious, which apparently isn’t always a good thing according to my parents. They try their best to keep me off of countertops and things like that, but it’s really a losing battle. Meow.

You really are a good-looking cat. Those eyes are amazing!

I’m blushing. One cool thing about my breed is that our eyes change color as we age. We are born with blue eyes, but they quickly change to yellow. At about 8 months, they change again and turn the green color that you see now.

Let’s talk about your Instagram fame. How did you get into social media?

My mom used to post pictures of me and my regular antics on her Facebook page. I do a lot of crazy things, like jumping on top of the fridge, and my mom’s cat-lover friends–my OG fan club–were constantly asking her to share more pictures with them. She didn’t want her entire Facebook page to be full of pictures of me (though I’m not sure why), so she took to Instagram instead. It took me a little while to get used to it, but now my page is updated regularly and even more active than my mom’s account! I also like having control over my own social media presence because I can make sure that only the flattering pictures of myself go viral.

Aside from jumping onto appliances, what are your favorite activities?

Besides napping? I have a pretty strict schedule of snacking, snuggling, and bird-watching (I’ll get you, my pretty). Believe it or not, I’m super active and actually taught my mom to play fetch. I have a mouse toy that is my absolute favorite, and one night I brought it into bed and dropped it on my mom. She initially thought I was doing that cat thing where we bring humans our “kill” as a sign of love and affection, but I’m not your typical cat. I kept running into the hallway and then coming back and picking up the toy until finally she got the hint and threw it for me. And the game of fetch was born! I also love opening doors that I’m not supposed to open and messing up the windows. One of the staff members in my building is one of my BFFs, and when I hear her knock on the window I jump under the blinds to say hello and catch up on the latest gossip. I’m also in the process of clicker training to learn to come, sit, stay, all of that good stuff. Slow and steady.

Word on the street is that you can walk on a leash. Is that true?

Yup! My mom could tell that I was itching to get out and see the world, so she got me a leash and matching harness and trained me to use them. My walks are limited to the inside of our complex for now, though. It’s noisy outside and I still get spooked sometimes. #cityproblems

Your mom did mention that you’re a scaredy-cat. How are you with humans?

Hmph! I guess it’s true. I have to completely accept people. My mom is my #1 and although I love my dad, I won’t really play with him unless she’s away. They say us Russian Blues generally only choose 1 or 2 people in a family to be our human(s). I follow my mom around wherever she goes and have to be in the same room that she is.

What’s the craziest thing that you’ve ever done?

Well, there was one night at about 3 a.m. when I really needed some catnip. I went to find one of my toys, played with it, and then went totally berserk (or so they claim). I broke a vase and a couple of cups, knocked down a tray, chewed up some important papers, and needless to say, scared the heck out of my parents when they heard all of the noise. I let out some adorable meows, though, so I wound up not even getting into too much trouble. I’m also afraid of baths and bubbles, but I’ll only tell you about those experiences off the record.

It’s been great talking with you!

You, too! Let me give you a quick tour before you leave.

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