The sturdy French Chartreux Cat is much admired for its hunting prowess and its dense, water resistant fur. Its beautiful thick blue gray coat has silver highlights and is set off by brilliant orange eyes.
Did you know that the Chartreux cat may have been named for a variety of Spanish wool of the early eighteenth century. The thick coat parts in places just like the fleece of a sheep.
History
Noted in French documents as early as the sixteenth century, the first Chartreux cats are thought to have been kept by Carthusian monks at the Grenoble monastery where the famous Chartreuse liqueur was made. The cats probably earned their keep by keeping rat and mice numbers down, and this home may be the origin of the breed’s name, although there are many other possibilities. The Chartreux was first exhibited in Paris in 1931 by one of the Leger sisters, keen breeders from Brittany. Three of the first ten Chartreux to go to the U.S. in 1970 were obtained from the Leger’s stock. In the U.S. the breed is classed as completely separate from the very similar blue British shorthair, and received championship status in 1983.
Description
The chunky body of the Chartreux is medium length and solidly muscled, with broad shoulders and a deep chest, males being larger and heavier than females. Boning is strong and muscle mass is dense. The head is rounded and broad with powerful jaws, full cheeks and a softly contoured forehead. The nose is straight, medium length and width, with a slight stop at eye level. The muzzle is comparatively small, narrow and tapered, giving a sweet smiling expression. The neck is short and heavy set. The rounded eyes are moderately wide set and may be gold to copper, a clear, brilliant orange being the most favored color. The ears are small, set high on the head, with slightly rounded tips.
The legs are comparatively short and surprisingly fine boned in comparison to the hefty body. The round feet are medium sized, which makes them appear almost dainty compared with the body mass. The tail is medium length, tapering to an oval tip. The double coat is soft and lush, especially thick on the adult male, and adds bulk to the appearance of both sexes. It is medium short and slightly wooly in texture, it should open like a sheepskin at the neck and flanks. It has a resilient undercoat and a long, water resistant topcoat. Because brushing would damage the protective undercoat, it is best to use only a comb to groom your Chartreux about once a week. At other times, simply stroke the coat frequently, running your fingers through the fur and finish with a rub over with a damp chamois.
Varieties
The Chartreux comes only in blue, the soft blue gray tones ranging from ash to slate. Each hair is tipped with silver, which gives the coat an iridescent shine. The nose leather is slate gray, the lips are blue, and the paw pads are rose taupe.
Temperament
Affectionate and gentle, the agile Chartreux makes a playful and delightful companion, but the tiny voice is a surprise in such a substantial cat. Its strength, intelligence and adaptability have enabled it to survive through centuries and these qualities should be preserved by breeders through careful selection.
The Chartreux is often confused with the British Blue Shorthair, which it closely resembles. There are similarities in robustness, a large, full body, and legs that are shortish in relation to the body. Otherwise, the Chartreux is well proportioned with large, muscular shoulders, and is rather lighter than its British counterpart, especially in America. Its head is large and broad but not as round as that of the British Shorthair, although the cheeks of adult males are well developed.
The nose is short and straight with a slight break, and the muzzle if narrow in relation to the head but not pointed. The Chartreux Cat comes in any shade of blue with silver highlights. It is thought to have been bred in the Middle Agea at the Monastry of La Grande Chartreuse (which was also responsible for the liqueur of the same name). Another version of its origins suggests that the Carthusian order of monks had nothing at all to do witht he cat, but that its coat was reminiscent in texture to the fine, wool cloth known as pile de Chartreux.
A young Chartreux Cat shows off the sweet expression for which the breed is known. The lighter weight if the Chartreux Cat, as comapred with the chunkier British Blue Shorthair, is evident in this cat.
Chartreux Cat breed information
Coat – dense, soft, plush
Eyes – large, round, expressive, pale gold to copper
Other features – large, muscular shoulders, short, strong neck, sweet smiling expression
Grooming – easy, regular brushing
Temperament – calm, affectionate intelligent
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