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Chausie

Chausie

At a Glance

Curious and intelligent, Chausie (pronounced chow-see) cats like to explore cupboards and be in the middle of everything. Their playful demeanor often lasts well into adulthood making these domestic cats intriguing companions. They are easy to groom. Find out more about this breed and if the Chausie is right for you and your family.

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All About Cats

Printable Breed Introduction
Breed Standard
Pet Buyer’s Guide
Chausie-Full-Body
Temperament

Affectionate

Breed Seminar
Height/Weight Range

Kitten is medium- 3 lbs. at 12 weeks. Medium-to-large size male adult cat 15 lbs., females are 15 percent smaller

Adult females
Adult males
Life Expectancy

12-18+ years

Colors

Brown Ticked Tabby and Black Grizzled Tabby

Similar Breeds

Opposite Breeds

About The Breed

Affectionate, active, people-oriented cats, Chausies are all about pleasing their humans and giving out lots of love and attention. They are highly intelligent and very talkative. Chausies love to learn new tricks —playing fetch and walking on a leash are two of their most successful abilities. Constantly curious, their playful demeanor stays with them long into adulthood, making them seem forever young.

The Chausie should resemble its non-domestic ancestor, Felis chaus. Accordingly, the Chausie is a tall, long-legged, lean and supple cat. It is built for running and jumping over water, reed beds, and other obstacle-filled terrain. Like a basketball player or an Olympic long jumper, the Chausie is ectomorphic, with musculature and lanky body low on bulk, built with the limberness and reach for a long stride and lightning pounce The breed has a deep chest for lung capacity, but flat sides for light weight and flexibility. Like Felis chaus, Chausies have large, upright, preferably tufted ears, a long forehead and muzzle, and a slightly short tail. The eyes are flattened above and rounded below, above exotically slanting high cheekbones. Temperament is predominantly domestic. Chausies are good-natured, loyal, highly intelligent and trainable. They are active, curious, playful cats that require stimulation and company.

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Active, playful, and outgoing, on the energy scale Chausie’s are an eleven. People considering this breed should be prepared for a cat that gets into everything… all the time. They love the challenge of getting into a cabinet and removing its contents. As a result, many owners have been known to install child proof latches. Chausie’s are active for long periods of the day and require a lot of interaction and playtime. They like to run and have been known to jump six feet straight up in the air.

Due to their high activity level, Chausies don’t like to be left alone for long periods of time and do well with a companion cat. They are best suited for adults and families without young children. Despite their high energetic traits, they are still affectionate and form strong and loving bonds with their families.

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Find Chausie
  • Although Jungle Cat hybrids have been around for centuries, the Chausie is the first domestic/Jungle Cat breeding to have been officially recorded.
  • Mummified Jungle Cats have been discovered in Egyptian tombs attesting to the high regard in which they were held. Chausie cats were often mummified with their owners in formal funeral rights to accompany them in the afterlife.
  • It is believed that the statues of the Goddess Bastet was modeled after the Jungle Cat.
  • Chausie cats sit like an Egyptian Sphinx.
  • Extremely athletic, Chausie cats can jump six feet straight up in the air.

Breed Information & Characteristics

The breed name, Chausie (pronounced chow-see), is actually derived from the Latin name for the Jungle Cat, felis chaus. The Jungle Cat is a distinct species of cat that dwells from the Nile Valley to the Caspian Sea. The Jungle Cat also is normally found in South Asia as far Vietnam.

The Chausie is a long-legged, tall, statuesque cat that it is built for running and jumping. Like the Jungle Cat, the Chausie has a body type like that of an Olympic athlete. With an ectomorphic body type, Chausies are built with a limberness that lends a sense of grace and balance. The Chausie has a deep chest which enables them to breathe deeply so they seem to have a limitless source of energy. Like the Jungle Cat, Chausies have large, upright, preferably tufted ears. The Chausie also has a long sloping forehead and muzzle with a slightly shortened tail. Their eyes are flattened on the top with a slightly rounded bottom. Their cheekbones are exotically slanted and their temperament is predominantly domestic. Being good-natured, loyal, highly intelligent, and highly trainable the Chausie is a curious playful cat that requires stimulation and companionship.

The Jungle Cat has an extensive history dating back to the time of the ancient Egyptians. These cats were domesticated by the Egyptians because of their easy-going temperaments and adept hunting skills. Mummified Jungle Cats have been discovered in Egyptian tombs attesting to the high regard in which they were held. These magnificent cats were often mummified with their owners in formal funeral rights to accompany them in the afterlife. Some say the statues of the Goddess Bastet were modeled after the Jungle Cat and the resemblance is certainly seen in her long slender body, svelte appearance, and large ears.

Occasionally the Jungle Cat mated with domestic cats, and there have been numerous reports of hybrids from across North America to Southeast Asia, including India dating back centuries. However, the first recorded breeding of a Jungle Cat and a domestic cat was recorded in 1990. After breeders began working together, the Chausie was awarded foundation registration status in 1995 with The International Cat Association (TICA). Due to the effort of breeders and their work, the Chausie was given Championship status starting May 1, 2013.

Being highly athletic and active, the Chausie is almost constantly in motion while interacting with their humans. These domestic cats are good natured and affectionate that love to play. They often develop deep bonds with their owners. Sociable in nature, Chausies love to play fetch and will often walk on a leash. This playful demeanor often lasts well into adulthood making these domestic cats intriguing companions. Due to their intelligence, Chausies need stimulation and interaction with their owners, otherwise they may not do well if left alone for long periods of time.

Bred to retain their appearance to the Jungle Cat, this domestic feline is a short haired medium to large-sized cat that is tall and long bodied. The Chausie has a rectangular torso, deep chest, and flat sides. The Chausie has long, angular, and high set cheekbones which are balanced out by the long muzzle. Their ears are tall, large, and set at a slightly outward angle on top of the head about two finger widths apart from the inside basis. Sometimes the top of the ears have tufts, which enhances the Chausie’s slightly cougarish appearance.

There are three color-patterns that the Chausie displays. They are: brown-ticked tabby, solid black, and grizzled tabby. The brown-ticked tabby has barring on the inside of the front legs and down to the hock on the hind legs. Unique to this domestic cat, the grizzled tabby pattern is acquired from breed’s ancestor, the Jungle Cat. The hair shaft is banded with a lighter coloration at the skin, akin to mouse coat, a black base coat, and alternating light bands with a black tip.

The Chausie is considered an overall healthy breed. However, it is recommended that their vaccinations and parasite treatments are kept up to date.

The Chausie is a very low maintenance cat that only needs to be combed occasionally and doesn’t need to be bathed.

As with all cats, trim their nails once a month, clean their ears and brush their teeth regularly with a vet-approved pet toothpaste and provide a nice tall scratching pole to help their natural scratching instinct.

Chausie cats are very active so they don’t gain weight easily. They should be fed twice a day. They do best with high-quality canned food. Treats should be provided on demand.

As with all cats, it is important to give your cat fresh, clean water daily. Fresh, clean water is best, so cats don’t hesitate to drink. If you worry about your cat drinking enough water each day, here’s a tip from cat behaviorists – place the water bowl at least three feet away from any food. Cats’ noses are sensitive and an overwhelming smell of food may cause them to drink less. Filtered drinking fountains can also be used in place of a water bowl.

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