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A brief historical overview
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The Chartreux is one of the oldest natural cat breeds in the world. It is thought to have originated on the borders of Turkey and Iran, where its characteristic woolly coat gave it an advantage in these harsh climates. During the Crusades, the Chartreux was brought back by ships trading between East and West.
According to legend, the breed is called “Chartreux” because it lived in monasteries with the Carthusian monks and was used to hunt rats at a time when the bubonic plague was wreaking havoc across Europe. The feline then took a vow of silence, a trait that still persists today, as the Chartreux meows very little. A more plausible explanation is that, during the 18th century, this cat was named after the density of Spanish wool, “Chartreux pile”. The fur of an adult Chartreux is very dense, woolly, waterproof and voluptuously soft. The Dutch are said to have traded Chartreux skins because of their fur quality, color and density. According to Jean Simonnet, this is the most likely explanation.
Traces of blue cats in the West can be found as early as 1558, in Joachim du Bellay's poem extolling the virtues of his cat Belaud. The first use of the term “Chartreux” appears in 1723, in Jacques Savary des Bruslons' Dictionnaire universel de commerce, d'histoire naturelle et des arts et métiers. A reference to Chartreux can be found in the 1735 Systema naturae by Linné, the initiator of the scientific classification of species. He describes the Chartreux breed as Catus coeruleus (blue cat), and thus considers it a distinct species. Buffon also refers to the Chartreux, but notes the breed's proximity to other local cats.
At the beginning of the 20th century, the Chartreux was common in the Île-de-France region, Normandy and around the island of Belle-Île-en-Mer, off the coast of Brittany. In the early 1930s, the Léger sisters found a vigorous colony of Chartreux on their island and took charge of them to ensure their survival. Most of today's Chartreux have their origins in the Léger sisters' cattery. It was also at this time that the first breed standard was established, in 1939 to be precise. Their efforts came to fruition in 1933 at a Paris Cat Club show, where their cat “Mignonne de Guerveur” became international champion and was crowned “most aesthetic cat of the show”.
The Second World War took its toll on the Chartreux population. At the end of the 1960s, the Chartreux breed also fell victim to authorized crossbreeding with the British Shorthair, two totally distinct breeds. Cross-breeding was such that the FIFé merged the two standards in 1970, considering the two breeds as one. The breed was saved in 1977 by Jean Simonnet and his club “Club du chat des Chartreux” with the promulgation of a new standard emphasizing the Chartreux's distinctive characteristics. In 1987, the breed was recognized by the Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) and The International Cat Association (TICA). Other major cat associations soon followed suit. Cross-breeding between different breeds is now forbidden, and Chartreux cats can only breed with each other. Today, the breed is present in many countries and well represented at shows, where it is considered typically French.
The first Chartreux pair was exported to the United States in 1972 by Helen Gamon of California. These first American Chartreux are the ancestors of most Chartreux cats born in the United States. In Quebec, the Chartreux's French and American contributions have resulted in a great diversity of bloodlines. |
Behavior / characteristics
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Although character traits are individual and depend on the individual's history, the Chartreux is generally playful and very sociable, while retaining a certain independence. Its loyal temperament has earned it the nickname of “dog-cat”. It loves to follow its master from room to room. He excels at retrieving balls or thrown toys. While they appreciate being petted, Chartreux do not like to be physically restrained. What's more, some of them can have violent reactions when held by show stewards.
Chartreux are not very meek, and like peace and quiet. Robust and hardy, Chartreux cats are perfectly adapted to cold and bad weather, and are considered good hunters. |
Reproduction
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France has 376 male Chartreux cats destined for reproduction and having been at the origin of at least one litter between 2013 and 2015. Yet only 69 of them contribute more than half of the kittens. These males are generally active between the ages of one and four, or even five, with the oldest reaching the extreme of thirteen.
Females are more numerous, and LOOF recorded 802 between 2013 and 2015. In reality, however, only 202 of them gave birth to more than half the kittens born in France in 2015. These females mainly have litters between their first and third years, with the oldest reaching an extreme of twelve years.
On average, litters consist of 3.58 kittens, with a maximum of twelve. The LOOF therefore issues around 2,000 pedigrees each year, with a small proportion of cats destined for reproduction.
Young Chartreux cats are born with “phantom tabby markings”.
Offspring are often born with tabby markings, which gradually disappear over the following six to twelve months. Chartreux are born with blue-gray eyes: the orange color doesn't set in until they're three months old. The intensity of eye color fades naturally in the Chartreux. The breed develops slowly, with musculature, cheeks and woolly coat reaching completion at around two to three years of age.
At maturity, the Chartreux sports a woollier coat, reminiscent of sheep's “breaks”. |
Health
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Its thick coat requires weekly currying. Moulting is important, especially in spring, when it sheds its winter coat. The best way to care for the coat is with a double metal comb (with two tooth spacings) and a softer natural bristle brush (boar or pig).
Sunlight can cause brown highlights to appear on its coat. Moreover, outdoor life, particularly in winter, accentuates the woolly appearance of the coat. |
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English (United Kingdom) 
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