The Chartreux is medium to large in size. The body is rather
short, but not cobby, very solid and heavy, especially at the hindquarters
the body is noticeable heavier. The bones are substantial. The chest is very
broad. The legs are medium in length and not very strong, when compared to
the body. The paws are rather small.
The head is large and gives the impression of being somewhat square, its
shape looks like an inverted trapezium - the skull is broad at the top, and
becomes narrower towards the muzzle. The forehead is rather flat, on the
top the skull is relatively flat.
The ears are medium in size, rather close set, and stand upright on the
skull.
The nose is broad, medium in length (noticeable longer than in British
Shorthair) and straight, from the tip of the nose towards the forehead the
nose builds a straight line without a break or indentation.
In males the cheeks are very distinct (like jowls).
The muzzle is rather small, but square and one will notice it clearly.
The eyes are large and somewhat round in shape, they are set well apart. The
eye colour is orange, sometimes the colour is slightly paler, but it should
be neither watery nor have a green colour tone.
The jaws are broad, the chin is firm.
The coat is medium-short (it is not as short as it is usually in shorthair
cats). The coat is extremely dense, the undercoat is very dense and woolly.
It is not permitted that the coat lies flat on the body, it must stand up
(because of its dense undercoat). The colour of the coat is medium blue,
although light blue is preferred.
The tail is medium long and not very thick, the tip is slightly rounded.
Only Chartreux cats are the true Carthusian cats, not the British Shorthair,
as those are sometimes called erroneously.
|
Chartreux litter Mices
Nightmare cattery
Breeder Sandra Kucher
|
|
Chartreux male,
Del Sogno Blu cattery
Breeder Paola Spurio |
Coat length and coat colour
There are ongoing very controversial discussions in the various
organizations, it there should be permitted also Chartreux in other colours,
for example in Bluepoint. The opinions amongst the breeders are different.
Between the opinions of the breeders, if there should be also longhaired
Chartreux permitted, is also sometimes a vast difference.
|
|
Chartreux male, Mices Nightmare cattery
Owner Sandra Kucher |
Chartreux female, Amatoriale cattery
Owner Domenica
Lepidi |
History
The Chartreux is the "natural" breed of France and is one of the most
ancient breeds. Already in 1558 it had been reported that French Carthusian
monks, who were well known for their liqueur called Chartreuse, should have
bred this breed.
In
1723 the name "Chartreux" was explicitly used for this blue cat breed in a
dictionary about physics, art and trade. In an encyclopaedia, issued 1753,
already an article about the Chartreux cats described the colour of the coat
as ash-grey till blue-grey, and that the coat was used by furriers (because
of its thickness). In 1759 it was reported in the Systematic and Universal
Dictionary about animals that those "ash-grey" cats had been called
Chartreux cats in Paris.
During and after World War II the breed was in grave danger of extinction,
and thus British Shorthair and Persians had breed crossed into the breed. At
that time there did not exist a consequently separate registration of
British Shorthair and Chartreux, which was the reason that British Shorthair
had been called erroneously Carthusian cats. But already in 1950 the Paris
Cat Club put an end to this hybridization, and from that time it was only
permitted to mate Chartreux with Chartreux.
In
1970 the first Chartreux cats were exported to North America. Temperament
Chartreux are called the "smiling" cats because of the expression of
their face, emphasized by the rather small muzzle when compared to the
entire head.
The Chartreux are very quiet, yet proud cats. Their eyes reveal energy and
an acute interest in their surroundings.
Their voice is rather chirping and quiet, but they are very good hunters.
The Chartreux displays outstanding qualities of endurance and remote
reserves of energy, they are extremely intelligent and alert cats, they are
very loyal and devoted to their owners. Those qualities of silent strength
have enabled that extraordinary breed to survive for so many centuries. |
Chartreux female, Mices Nightmare cattery
Owner Sandra Kucher |
Grooming
Chartreux have a very dense coat, which plays an important role in
breeding those cats. Thus regular grooming is strongly recommended. To give
them a bath periodically is not necessary because their coat does not get
smudged. |
