NEW YORK (AP) – America’s top cat is Russian – a Russian Blue, that is.

The 18-month-old from North Carolina won the Cat Fanciers’ Association-Iams Championship at Madison Square Garden on Sunday night.

Named Runner, the feline was the first of his breed to nab the prize.

With a shiny, velvety gray coat and green eyes, Runner competed against hundreds of cats for the Best of the Best title.

The 12-pounder won 400 pounds of cat food – and a national appearance Monday morning on “Live with Regis and Kelly.”

For fun, there was another contest alongside the championship, pitting a Bombay named Barack Obama against a Republican stand-in named Renegade – a British Shorthair representing John McCain. The Obama cat won 2-to-1.