A truly pastel intermingled Blue Cream is one of the loveliest of the Longhair breeds. Although this is genetically a tortoiseshell cat, selective breeding in the UK has produced an intermingled rather than patched effect in the coat pattern. Ideally the coat should be an even distribution of pale Cream and Blue which in the past was described  as a 'shot silk' effect. This is probably still  the best description of the colour of this lovely breed.

Initially the Bluecream was considered of no importance other than as a means of breeding Creams or Blues. In fact. it barely even rated a mention in Frances Simpson's definitive work 'The Book of the Cat. However as the breed increased in popularity it was given recognition and a breed class. The early UK standard for this breed reflected the importance placed on correct coat pattern by allocating 50 points out of 100 for coat and colour markings. The coat should be pastel shades of Cream and Blue softly intermingled to the extremities. Once you have seen a truly intermingled pastel Bluecream you will be captivated.

The current Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF) breed standard, defining the structure and shape of the cat,  is similar to that of the Self Longhairs except for the description of coat.

Like its 'cousin' the Blue Persian, the Bluecream should be a large, solid boned animal with thick legs, strong shoulders and broad head. The overall impression should be of a solid, balanced cat, cobby (square in body appearance when viewed from the side), with a long flowing coat and short full brush (tail). The head should have rounded contours with low set ears held close to the skull and a flat profile. The cat should have a short broad nose, the cheeks should be full and the lower jaw line curved with a good chin to balance the face. The eyes of deep orange to copper should be round, bold and expressive.

Morninglory Moondust at 4 months

The coat should never be patched or dark. Ideally it should be a fine pastel intermingled shade where both pale cream and pale blue are evident, but neither predominent. The ideal is for the cat to be 'intermingled to the extremities' with all four feet 'broken', i.e. with all four feet having a distribution of both blue and cream. The colour should be warm, subtle and even from root to tip. It should not give the impression of a pale undercoat like a Bluecream Smoke.

Bluecream kittens showing 50% cream or cream 'ribbons' through the coat are likely to end up either patched or with a coat showing too much cream as the cream on the body tends to be more evident as the kitten grows. This should not be interpreted however as meaning that the kitten should be virtually blue in the hope that the cream will develop.

The GCCF breed standard is also subject to the List of Defects which forms the preface of the GCCF Standard of Points for all breeds. The listed defects are considered to be undesireable features and withholding faults which for Persians includes depressions or protrusions of the skull, entropian, reduced nostril size, extremes of type which result in deep nose breaks or abnormally high noses, i. e. "upper edge of the nose leather above lower edge of the eye" (GCCF Standard of Points) and mouth faults such as twisted, undershot or overshot jaws and improper angulation of canine teeth.

Breeders who played an active part in developing this breed in the UK firmly believed that the only way to maintain the pastel intermingled coat which is the defining characteristic of the breed, was selective breeding from pastel coated Cream, Blue, Blue Cream breeding only. Breeding from a  Blue Cream presents an element of surprise as a Blue Cream female can produce Cream, Blue and Blue Cream kittens in the same litter. See the Morninglory colour chart for information on the colour of kittens which may be produced from a mating.