Chartreux cat - description of the breed, features and its main differences from the British

The Chartreux is an elegant cat with a rich blue color. This is a temperamental animal with an independent character. Strong, muscular pets get along well with single people and in large families with children. The Chartreuse cat has gained popularity in Russia and Eastern Europe.

History of the origin of the Chartreuse breed

Despite the mystery and differences in versions of the origin of this breed, there is a legend that not far from the city of Chartres in France there was a Mountain of Gray Cats, which was inhabited by blue-gray cats.

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There is also mention of beautiful gray cats in a poem by the poet Joachin Du Bellay, dating back to the sixteenth century. The French gray seal was also described in 1780 by naturalist Georges-Louis De Buffon. The artist Jean-Baptiste Perroneau captured the Carthusian cat (chartreuse) in his canvas “Mademoiselle Gouquier with a cat” in 1747.

The First World War significantly reduced the aristocratic population of Chartreuse, which survived only thanks to European breeders.

The middle of the 20th century again drew the public's attention to beautiful animals, this happened because of the Gris-Gris cat, owned by Charles de Gaulle. Gradually, more and more French people acquired the same favorites. Following the French, Canadians also noted the beauty of the breed.

Since 1970, the popularity of the handsome cats has only grown, and in the mid-80s the CFA officially recognized the breed, which the British organization The Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF) has not yet done.

Highland Fold, Highland Straight

Highland Fold breed history: The very first Scottish Fold cat, Susie, was short-haired, but had the long-hair gene, which was passed on to some of her kittens. And since all Scots are descendants of Susie, purebred Scots often gave birth to long-haired kittens. However, exhibition systems recognized them only in the 80s. This is how the longhaired Scots or Highlands were legitimized.

Highland Fold character: Highlands are calm, reserved and affectionate.

Description of Carthusian cats

The Chartreux cat has a massive build, although many people confuse this breed with the British Shorthair; the standards clearly describe the features and characteristics of gray-blue purrs with amber eyes.

The head of an adult animal is rounded and wide. There is no pinch on the round cheeks. On the muzzle there is an absolutely straight nose of medium length. On the small, narrowed muzzle, you can see what appears to be a slight smile. A characteristic feature is the gray nose. If there is a pinkish or black tint, then the pet is not purebred.

The ears are set high and set wide apart. Visually, the ears are inclined forward, and their tips are rounded.

Round, lively eyes are characterized by shine, even tone and saturation. The description of eye color should contain only one word: amber. In the first month of life, kittens have gray-blue eyes.

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This powerful French cat has a very developed chest, and her round paws are no less strong. The limbs themselves are thin-boned and short, which does not conflict visually with the large muscular body.

The tail is not fluffy, but proportionate in size.

Chartreuse wool is pleasant to the touch, soft, fluffy, with a tight-fitting pile and a thick, water-repellent undercoat.

If you are prone to allergies, you should understand that there is no information about the hypoallergenic nature of the breed and cannot be.

A short-haired cat can only be blue in shades from light to dark gray.

Chartreuse dimensions and weight

Cats that are medium in size and length are inferior in size to male cats. The weight of powerful and strong males exceeds the weight of females. With an adult animal height of 30 cm, they can weigh 5 kg or more.

Typically cats, which are still shorter in height, weigh about 5 kg.
Seals are more massive and look like animals of large breeds weighing 7 kg. Table of approximate weight of Chartreuse by month

What is the difference between a Chartreux and a British cat?

global $ads_google;
//data-ad-slot=”2475549904″ $ads_google = empty($ads_google) ? false : true; ?> if ($ads_google == false) {?> $ads_google = true; ?> } ?> The external similarities between two well-known cat breeds may puzzle the inexperienced buyer. What is the difference between a Chartreux and a British cat if they have very similar coats and parameters? And the fur coat plays an important role: the British can flaunt different colors, but the French can only sport blue-gray, called “Maltese”. The undercoat should also be silver-blue.

The faces of the Carthusians look like an inverted trapezoid and have a “smile”, while the Brintans have a beautiful rounded head and the same obvious cheeks.

All the confusion began when in some European clubs a British blue cat was mistakenly called a Chartreuse. This practice is still common in Germany and some other countries.

Differences between Chartreuse and Russian Blue

It is very difficult to confuse these breeds, since their characteristics differ significantly from each other. What is characteristic of the Russian Blue? Pointed tips of the ears versus rounded Cartesian ones, a different type of muzzle, no round full cheeks and no “smile”.

Also a clear difference will be the color and shape of the eyes. The Russian Blue cat has oval and almond-shaped eyes, bright green.

The tail of the Carthusian is not particularly long and does not taper towards the end, like that of the Russian Blue.

Having studied all the nuances in the description of the standards, there will be no problems with distinguishing cats.

TOP nicknames

The name choices for Chartreuse are endless. French origin can serve as a source of inspiration. Many owners emphasize the pet’s size and beautiful appearance with its name or draw parallels with outstanding historical figures, movie heroes and show business stars.

You can call a chartreuse “boy”:

• Hercules;
• Henri;
• Paul;
• Galileo;
• De Gaulle;
• Napoleon/Bonaparte;
• Renoir;
• Gray;
• Fabio;
• Maurice.

You can call a Chartreuse “girl”:

• Coco;
• Marseillaise;
• Josephine;
• Gloria;
• Antoinette;
• Mona;
• Gretta;
• Naomi;
• Zemfira;
• Cassandra.

Habits and character of the Carthusian breed

French cats are not only beautiful, but also smart. These creatures are not inclined to revolution and fight for their own freedom. The good nature of the pet will allow him to accept the owner’s conditions and not be indignant at the same time.

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The nature of the animals requires orderliness and some consistency in their domestic existence. This is not the kind of cat that will wake up its owner at night demanding food. Rather, household members will be surprised at how easily the French mustachioed animal accepts the rules of the house, goes to the litter box as expected, sleeps on time and does not rush around the apartment at night like a herd of wild horses.

How to litter train a Chartreuse kitten

A cute French cat will not start a war with other pets; neither his character nor his intelligence will allow him to do this. Reviews from the owners show a highly intelligent family pet, which also perfectly demonstrates hunting qualities: mice will forget the way to the house where the French cat lives.

the habits of the Carthusian cat : this animal is peaceful, playful and friendly.

The description of the gray-blue cat can be compared with the description of the life of monks in the monastery: living according to the rules, with meekness and humility, showing a good-natured disposition - all these are facets of the wonderful character of the gray-blue beauty.

Animal temperament

The Carthusian cat has a calm disposition, low activity at home and high activity outdoors. The pet loves affection, but is not annoying; it prefers to lie in its favorite place for a long time, half asleep.

They treat water calmly. They can coexist with any other animals, as they are not aggressive. Children are loved and not harmed. Chartreux dogs are highly intelligent and quickly get used to the owner’s speech.

This breed of cats is distinguished by high patience, but they will not allow themselves to be offended either. Therefore, you should supervise the child’s play with the pet and prevent the cat from feeling danger.

Due to their calm nature and patience, Chartreux are excellent ambushers and excellent mousecatchers.

Chartreux loves tranquility

Care and feeding of Carthusian cats

The elegant and chic Carthusian cat is very respectful of cleanliness, so his care must be very careful. Despite the fact that the animal often licks itself, it still needs to be bathed sometimes. It is enough to do this procedure once every six months. Washing a cat's fur is not so easy: the undercoat gets wet very easily, so you have to hold the animal directly under running water.

You need to take care of the condition of the eyes, ears and claws. You need to clean your ears once a week with a damp cotton pad. Claws are trimmed once a month; you should not subject your cat’s patience to such events more often.

When keeping a Frenchie, it is important to take into account all nutritional recommendations. The external condition and health of the pet depends on feeding. Since the breed's teeth are vulnerable, in addition to brushing them regularly, it is important to offer the cat high-quality food. The diet is selected natural or consisting of ready-made food, dry or wet.

What to feed a 2 month old kitten

The cat should be fed frozen or boiled meat, fermented milk products, eggs and sea fish. You can grow cereals on the windowsill; this will benefit the animal.

Nutritional Features

Pets are not picky about food. They are fed twice a day, in small portions. The only features of the diet are the following:

• Once every 7 days the animal must eat fish;
• It is forbidden to eat fatty meat - pork, salted fish;
• Milk or fermented milk feed must be given daily.

Since Carthusian cats constantly lick their thick fur, their diet should contain supplements or food with the effect of removing hair from the stomach.

Chartreuse Health

The health of the breed is at a high level. Only closer to old age can cats begin to develop joint problems. Young cats very rarely suffer from feline diseases, especially with timely vaccinations according to the vaccination schedule, and regular deworming.

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The gray cat with amber eyes has two weaknesses: teeth and a tendency to obesity. Both problems can be successfully solved with care and care.

Cute blue-gray Chartreuse live for about 13 years.

Kittens are often sold after sterilization. If you have to castrate a cat, then this is done after 6-8 months. This is due to the conditions for breeding purebred cats: crossing is allowed only within the breed, and in addition, there are no officially registered Carthusian breeders in the Russian Federation.

Photo review

The photo of Chartreuse cats shows their truly French charm, captivating with style and grace.

Buy a Carthusian kitten

Unlike the Scottish and British breeds, Carthusian cats are not so common. There are famous lines in the USA, but even in France these cats are not numerous.

Such rare animals are not so easy to buy in Russia: here they can sell a similar gray purebred cat, such as a Russian Blue, British, Korat, Scottish Straight, or even a completely mongrel creature. Nurseries of the Carthusian breed are not common in the Russian Federation; kittens can only be brought from abroad, which significantly increases their cost.

The price of a Carthusian kitten imported into the Russian Federation will be about 50,000-70,000 rubles

, which eliminates the possibility of purchasing a purebred animal on resale sites.

What to name a Carthusian cat

The names of your favorite rare cat are chosen not only according to their pedigree, but also at their own discretion. Carthusian babies, a boy and a girl, will be different in character, so their nicknames will be different, and they may sound completely different.

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There are so many cat names that it’s worth first finding out which ones sound better and are more suitable for a Chartreux kitten.
Table of names for the Carthusian kitten

Highlander (British Longhair)

Highlander (British Longhair) history of the breed: British Longhairs have been born from shorthaired cats since the very beginning of the British breed. The fact is that to obtain new colors, the British were bred with Persians, thus the recessive gene for long hair remained in the breed.

For a long time, British longhair cats remained illegal until major exhibition systems recognized them in the early 2000s. Some under the name of British Longhair, and some under the name of Highlanders (high mountain cats).

Highlander (British Longhair) Personality: Highlanders are affectionate, friendly, but independent.

Breeding

Sexual maturity in Chartreux occurs at 1-1.5 years. Males mature later than females. Mating is often postponed due to a long search for a suitable partner. An important factor in the success of this venture is the excellent health of both participants in the process.

Chartreux dogs are not bred in Russia due to the low prevalence of the breed. Nurseries are mainly concentrated in the USA and France, and breeding individuals are not exported outside their borders. Kittens that are already spayed or neutered come to Russia.

The cat is brought into the territory of the Carthusian cat so that he feels like the master of the situation. The female stays with the “groom” for 2-3 days. Pregnancy lasts two months. In a litter, 2–4 kittens are born, rarely - 5 fluffy babies. Chartreuse cats independently cope with everything related to pregnancy, childbirth and kitten care.

How to choose a kitten

The breed is rare, it is problematic to buy a purebred Chartreuse. Representatives of the Carthusian breed are brought to Eastern European countries mainly from the USA. The export of breeding cats is prohibited; only neutered cats are available to buyers.

Buy a Carthusian kitten that has reached 3 months of age.

When purchasing, you should evaluate the behavior and appearance of the animal. In a healthy Carthusian cat:

• active, playful, inquisitive behavior;
• there is no aggression or fear of visitors;
• there is no fear of sharp sounds and flashes of light;
• the coat is clean, shiny, without traces of dermatological diseases and parasitic lesions;
• Tears and ears are not dirty.

Photos of kittens

Chartreuse cost

A Carthusian kitten costs 50-70 thousand rubles (excluding transportation costs). It is difficult to buy an animal in Russia, there are few nurseries, and breeding animals are rarely bred.

Nurseries

The following nurseries of Carthusian cats operate in Russia and neighboring countries:

• Moscow – Silver Silence;
• Minsk – Cute Charlie;
• Riga – Fleur Felin.

Main varieties

Chartreuse is unique, however, the monks do not repeat the same recipe year after year. The liqueur they produce has three types:

1. Grand Chartreuse. This herbal elixir is prepared according to a recipe from 1605. The final strength of the drink is 69 rpm. It is added to grog, tinctures, and poured over pieces of sugar. It was according to this recipe that the elixir was originally produced.
2. Green. It contains 130 herbs, the chlorophyll of which gives the drink its color. The strength is approximately 55 revolutions, so it is consumed with ice after feasts or used as an additional ingredient for cocktails. It is not used as an aperitif due to its strength. Green Chartreuse repeats the recipe for the “liqueur of health.”
3. Yellow. The composition of this type is also rich in herbs, but the raw materials are taken in slightly different proportions than for green liqueur, and the main component is saffron, which colors the drink yellow. This type is sweeter in taste, and its strength is about 40 revolutions. It was he who was called the “king of liqueurs.”

In addition to these main types, there are several more special ones, the production of which the monks paid tribute to traditions or memory of events associated with the production of liqueur. Among them the most famous are:

1. Vieillissement Exceptionnellement Prolonge. Its peculiarity lies in improving the quality of the drink, achieved through longer aging in oak barrels. The liquid is saturated with volatile substances from the container material. This liqueur is produced in green and yellow colors. The strength of the first of them is traditionally higher than the second. The exact values ​​are 54 turns for green and 42 for yellow. The samples currently produced are bottled in numbered bottles with the same design as the legendary liqueur was produced in 1840. The lid of the container is securely sealed with wax.
2. Chartreuse 1605. Since, according to legend, the monks received a recipe for liqueur from an ancient manuscript, after 400 years it was decided to revive the drink in its original form. This is how Green Chartreuse turned out with a rich taste and a strength of 56 revolutions.
3. 900th anniversary liqueur. In 1984, the oldest Carthusian monastery, Great Chartreuse, turned 900 years old. In honor of this event, the monks released Green Liqueur with a change in taste to a sweeter one and a reduction in strength to 47 revolutions. It was bottled in numbered anniversary bottles of 19th-century design with a volume of 700 ml.

Best Burmilla Breed

Chausie (or houseie)

Cats of this breed often reach a weight of 10-15 kg, height at the withers - up to 40 cm.

For the first time, kittens of this breed were obtained by crossing a wild jungle cat and an Abyssinian cat in the late 1960s. However, Chausie received recognition from felinologists only in 1995. Today, representatives of this breed are very common in the homeland of its origin - in the USA. However, in Europe, the Hausi remain a rarity to this day.

From their wild ancestors, the Chausie inherited remarkably long and slender limbs, a small, graceful head and a muscular torso. Their short coat usually comes in three main colors according to breed standards: black, ticked tabby and silver.

By nature, Hausi are very active, playful and curious. Therefore, you need to play and walk with them a lot, especially since these cats get used to walking on a leash very well. Chausies really need communication with the owner and the rest of the household, and therefore do not tolerate loneliness well. If it is not possible to spend most of the day with your pet, then he should buy a pair for company or also keep a small breed dog in the house.

When arranging a space for keeping them, Hausi owners should take into account the high activity of these creatures. The house must be equipped with special shelves and vertical scratching posts, tunnels and ropes. It is worth taking into account that cats love to climb on cabinets and then watch from above everything that happens in the room. If there is not enough space in your home, then you should prepare for the fact that the animal will become bored and begin to damage furniture or things.

Savannah

This breed is considered one of the largest in the world. The weight of cats reaches 10 kg, and their height at the withers is 50 cm.

Savannah will appeal to all lovers of wild cats, as it came from the union of the wild African serval with domestic cats of the Siamese, Bengal and Oriental breeds, as well as the Egyptian Mao. As a result of numerous crossings, the producers received an amazing creature with the appearance of a wild animal and the character of a pet.

The presence of wild ancestors is clearly visible in the appearance of the savannah. She has an oblong body, long limbs and neck, a small, elongated head and a characteristic spotted coat color.

The character of the pet still retains some of the habits of a predator. The animal has a pronounced hunting instinct, which is manifested in its high activity and lively mind. Therefore, to keep such an unusual representative of domestic cats, sufficient space and multi-level play complexes are required. A fenced area around the house is ideal for releasing accumulated energy.

The peculiarity of keeping savannas, in addition to sufficient space, is their increased sensitivity to low temperatures. The animal's ancestors are accustomed to a hot climate, and therefore easily catch cold in cold drafts or after walking in subzero air temperatures.