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shorthair
Maltese (Historical Blue Cat)
Origin: Historical term (Europe & North America)
Not a modern pedigree breed but a historical name — 'Maltese' was long used across Europe and America for any solid blue-grey cat, the look now formalised in breeds like the Russian Blue, Chartreux and Korat.
- Origin
- Historical term (Europe & North America)
- Category
- shorthair
- Lifespan
- 12–18 yrs
- Size
- Medium
- Weight
- 3.5–6 kg
- Coat
- Short, plush coat
- Colours
- Solid blue-grey
😺 Temperament
🏡 Best suited to
📊 Personality ratings
📜 History & origin
For centuries 'Maltese' described a cat by its colour rather than its ancestry: a plush, solid slate-grey coat, often with green or amber eyes. The term appears throughout 19th- and early 20th-century American writing, where 'Maltese' simply meant a grey cat, pedigree or not. As cat fancy formalised in the 20th century, the distinctive blue coat was captured in recognised breeds — the Russian Blue, Chartreux, Korat and British Blue — and the old catch-all name faded, though it survives in casual use.
🧼 Care & grooming
As a type rather than a breed, care depends on the individual cat, but the classic short blue coat is low-maintenance: a weekly brush keeps it plush and glossy. These even-tempered greys are famously adaptable and make undemanding, affectionate companions — one reason the 'Maltese' has been a favourite house cat for generations.
🩺 Health notes
A blue-grey moggy is typically as robust as any mixed-breed cat and often very long-lived. If your grey cat is actually a pedigree Russian Blue, Chartreux or Korat, the health considerations of that breed apply; a check with your vet and, where relevant, breed DNA screening will tell you what you are dealing with.