Chartreux

Translation
Francis Vandersteen
Origin
The Chartreux, also known as the Chartreux cat, is a breed of cat native to France.
This cat is characterized by gold-to-copper eyes and a short, full coat that is entirely blue.

A brief historical overview

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

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

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

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.

Head

Cranial region

Head
Viewed from the front, the head is shaped like an inverted trapezium with rounded contours, especially in males.

Facial region

Foreface
The shape of the face gives it a characteristic smile; it's nicknamed the “smiling cat of France”.
Forehead
The profile is slightly concave, with a high, flat forehead.
Nose
The truffle is slate gray.
Nose
The straight, broad nose can have a very slight stop, although its absence is preferable.
Jaws and teeth
Powerful jaws and rounded cheeks, especially in males over two years old.
Eyes
Rounded, large and expressive, though a little slanted at the outer edge. Color can vary from golden to orange.
Ears
Medium-sized ears, set high on the head, narrow at the base and slightly rounded.

Neck

Strong, thick and short, the neck is muscular (this is especially true of males, which have almost no neck in adulthood).

Body

Generality
The Chartreux has a fairly marked sexual dimorphism. Males are medium to large, with broad chests, so they must appear massive. Adult Chartreux have a muscular, sturdy, midline body, while remaining supple and very agile, never heavy.
Back
Straight back.
Chest
Deep chest.

Tail

Thick at the base, tapering to a rounded tip without ever forming a knot.

Limbs

The legs are solidly boned and muscular, but appear slender compared to the rest of the body.
Overall, the legs and tail are of medium size.

Forequarters

Shoulders
Broad shoulders.

Hindquarters

Feet

Round, broad feet with blue-gray pads.

Coat

Coat and texture
The only accepted color is blue in all its shades, from light blue-gray to deep blue-gray, and it must be uniform from tip to root. Whether dark or pale, the coat color must be completely uniform, even if tabby markings are present in the first years of life. The skin is also blue-gray. White patches on the coat are the only fault that can completely disqualify it from the title.
The coat is lustrous, thick and dense, like that of the otter. The dense, slightly woolly undercoat makes the coat practically waterproof and gives it a certain thickness.

Size and weight

Height at withers
Females are smaller, less broad-chested and less chubby, but should remain robust, although the proportions remain the same for both sexes.
Weight
Males can reach 7.5 kg, while females weigh between 4.0 and 5.0 kg.

Penalties

 Stop.
 Snub nose or aquiline nose.
 Long or heavy muzzle.
 Almond-shaped eyes.

Refusal of any title

 Green eyes or green circle in eye color.
 White patches.
 General faults and defects eliminatory in show.

Authorized marriages

 Chartreux x Chartreux

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