Chartreuse: buying a kitten, its feeding and health

The homeland of this cat breed is France. The Chartreuse has a graceful but muscular body covered with short fur. They have a special coat and it’s not just the color – it’s gray-blue, it repels water and is double coated. Due to the unusual shape of the mouth and head, it seems that the animal is smiling all the time - this feature is loved by breeders all over the world. Due to their reaction speed and desire to hunt, farmers are happy to keep them.

Chartreuse is one of the most ancient breeds.

Origin

This type of cat came to Europe from the countries of the Middle East; knights returning from the Crusades brought them with them. From historical documents it is known that the monks of the Carthusian order began breeding the breed in the 14th century in their main monastery of Grande Chartreuse. A particularly valuable quality of these cats was their love of catching rats and mice.

In later times, when the Hundred Years' War was going on and hunger and poverty set in, they were eaten, and things were made from the warm skins.

The official name was assigned to the breed in the 17th century, after which it became generally accepted for all cats with a blue coat color. Carl Linnaeus identified this breed as a separate species - the “blue cat”. This was done in order to distinguish them from ordinary outbred dogs with a gray coat color.

At the beginning of the 20th century, during the period between the First and Second World Wars, breeders actively began to engage in their targeted breeding. This is due to the fact that by that time there were very few representatives of this breed.

Around the same time, uniform standards were established. Since 1928, Carthusian cats have become regular participants in European exhibitions.

In the second half of the 20th century, in the post-war period, this type of cat could only be found among breeders; their population was extremely small. But then there comes a surge of interest in the breed, especially in the USA, where they were brought. Thanks to breeders from this country and their efforts in breeding, the number of Chartreux dogs has been increased and their original genotype has been preserved.

In England, Carthusian cats did not receive recognition. For some time they tried to combine them with the British Shorthair into one breed due to their similarity. But Chartreuse adherents defended its independence. Since these are completely different breeds, although they are similar in appearance at first glance.

At the moment, thanks to the efforts of lovers of this breed, they have been preserved in their original form. Thanks to the fact that breed standards have remained unchanged since the early 20th century, we know exactly what they looked like more than 100 years ago.

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

Description of appearance, color

This is a medium-sized animal with a relatively small body and a well-developed muscular system. The cat has a stocky appearance, its legs are quite short relative to the body. The back is straight and quite wide. The tail of such pets is long, tapering towards the end.

The shape of the head resembles an inverted trapezoid, the ears are medium in size and set quite high. The muzzle is slightly elongated. The famous “smile” of the Chartreuse is due to the unusual arrangement of the whisker pads and the darker color of the coat around the mouth and nose. Eye color can range from yellowish-gold to orange or copper.

The lifespan of Carthusian cats is up to 15 years.

The animal weighs from 4 to 9 kg, with males being much larger. The height of a cat can reach 30 cm, but standards allow less.

Chartreuse wool comes in various shades of gray, the main requirement for color is its uniformity and the absence of lighter or darker spots. The hairs towards the end have a lighter, almost silver tint, which gives an extraordinary shine to the pet’s coat.

By nature, this is an extremely calm animal, so it can be kept in families with small children and other pets.

The only exception to this rule is to avoid proximity to birds and rodents. After all, do not forget that by nature he is a predator and at the first opportunity he will feast on a hamster or bird.

They are unobtrusive and are able to spend long periods of time alone without harming their mental well-being. At the same time, Chartreux dogs are very sociable, and if the owner takes the initiative in communicating and playing with the pet, he will happily reciprocate.

They are above average in intelligence, which is why they are difficult to train, since they prefer to do what they enjoy rather than following a given command. At the same time, they very easily learn to open drawers and doors, and take out objects of interest from seemingly hard-to-reach places. Tray training is easy.

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.

Advantages and disadvantages

Carthusian cats are not very common, even in France their numbers are small. This is completely undeserved, because such a pet is extremely unpretentious in maintenance. Due to their calm and passive nature, they can be kept even in a one-room apartment, which will not cause inconvenience to either the pet or its owners.

In a private home, he is also an indispensable assistant - rodents often live there, and this breed of cat is a renowned rat catcher.

Pros and cons of the breed

The table below discusses all the possible positive and negative aspects of this cat.

Reviews of Chartreux cats

• Katerina.

Chartreuse is the oldest French breed, and such a cat ended up in my house quite by accident - I found her in a shelter, and then I looked at photos of Chartreux on the Internet and understood everything.

He is similar to the British, however, he is larger and has very powerful paws. There is no need to take special care of the fur. The cat is very gentle.

He immediately established contact with all members of the household, but is wary of small children. He is very jealous, so he is suitable for those families who want to keep only one pet in the house.

• Lily.

Such a cat appeared in our home not so long ago. She simply looks great, with a short but dense coat, powerful limbs and a strong skeleton.

This kitten is very independent, so he chooses his own place to rest. We feed him high quality food.

Mr. Cat explains: color

A distinctive feature of Chartreuse is the presence of two-layer fur. The upper level of the coat is quite long and silky, and the inner layer is short, dense, able to repel water, the undercoat. Due to this structure, the density of the fur is simply amazing; it looks like the cover of fur-bearing animals.

The color can vary from almost silver to dark gray, and the lighter the color of the animal, the higher its price.

In addition to the coat color, all skin of such a pet should have a gray color, this applies to the nose and paw pads.

Character and intelligence

This breed has an extremely friendly character; they radiate calm and tranquility. Even in a large and noisy family, they behave quietly and unnoticed, and treat others condescendingly.

Two opposing qualities coexist in their character: a love of sleep and quiet rest with a frequent desire to play with the owner. Whims and dirty tricks are not about Chartreuse, and they are also very obedient.

The animals have a high level of intelligence, they are very attentive to the owner’s mood and will not bother with games if the person is not interested in them. At the same time, they love the company of people, because having lived nearby for such a long time (since the Middle Ages!), they have developed this quality. But nevertheless, Carthusian cats are independent and are able to feed themselves by catching birds and rodents.

Personality of Chartreux cats

There are many different reviews from owners about these animals on the Internet, but they all agree on one thing - Chartreuses do not like to be pampered, but they are very jealous. These usually calm and peaceful pets become furious if there is another pet in the house.

They adapt to the new environment very quickly, so they will not rebel, defending their own rights.

They practically do not meow and make no sounds at all. If you can hear the voice of a chartreuse, it will be a barely audible thin squeak. But these pets purr very loudly, so the owner will immediately understand what mood his pet is in.

If there is no one in the house to be jealous of the owner, the Chartreuse will be in just a great mood. You can leave him alone - the Chartreuse cat will definitely find something to entertain himself with.

Health and hygiene

The Chartreuse, like any other artificially bred breed, has certain health problems.

These animals are most susceptible to:

• joint diseases (various arthritis, arthrosis, etc.);
• problems with teeth, which is associated with excessively close placement of the incisors;
• obesity due to a sedentary lifestyle;
• problems with the cardiovascular system, which is provoked by excess body weight.

It is worth remembering that eyes and ears require regular care in all cat breeds and Carthusian are no exception.

If you do not clean them once every 7-10 days, problems with the organ of vision or hearing may arise and then you will have to contact a specialist.

What is the health of Chartreuse?

Chartreuxes enjoy good health , however, being heavy cats, they are prone to hip dysplasia, luxating patellas and several other bone and joint diseases . In some breed lines there are: polycystic kidney disease, struvite stones in the urinary tract, hyperthyroidism.

In addition, Chartreux dogs are prone to obesity, especially in old age, which can cause the development of other concomitant diseases (for example, heart and blood vessels). Therefore, throughout the animal’s life, it is necessary to strictly control its weight, especially after 6-7 years.

Article on the topic Chartreuse, or Carthusian cat

Since Carthusian cats are animals whose immunity is weakened by selection work, under poor conditions and improper care they can become ill with any cat disease.

Some Carthusian cats have small and closely spaced incisors. Some animals have to have their baby teeth removed because they rarely fall out. With poor oral care, Chartreuse cats develop gingivitis and periodontitis.

No matter how healthy your pet is, it should be vaccinated annually against major viral diseases such as panleukopenia, calicivirus, rhinotracheitis and rabies.

Nutrition

As you know, animals of this breed have a tendency to be overweight, so you should especially closely monitor their diet and avoid excessive overfeeding. It is better to give preference to ready-made dry or wet food, in accordance with the age and preferences of the pet.

Pet stores have a lot of different foods to suit every taste and budget, but you shouldn’t chase the cheap. They do not contain enough beneficial microelements and vitamins, which will certainly affect the health of the Chartreuse.

The best option is premium food.

You can prepare food at home, but at the same time monitor its quantity and balance.

Approximate list of products allowed for consumption:

• boiled lean poultry and fish;
• fermented milk products with reduced fat content;
• hard-boiled chicken egg yolk;
• cottage cheese.

It’s worth diversifying your pet’s diet and buying or planting “cat grass” yourself. You can find it at any pet store.

Care

The pet does not require any specific conditions for care, but it is worth equipping it with a place for scratching posts and games. The only thing that requires careful care is the fur; it should be brushed as often as the pet allows. They bathe no more than 2 times a year.

The exception is cases when the animal is very dirty, in which case the procedure is carried out in addition to the main bath techniques.

You can please your pet and take him for walks periodically. This breed of cats loves this kind of pastime, because they were kept in monasteries for a long time, where they moved freely throughout the entire territory, including the yard.

Choice of kitten and price

Chartreuse is considered a small breed; even in their homeland in France they are not widespread. In any case, it is possible to find a nursery or individual breeders breeding the breed.

You should definitely find out about the availability of documents for the animal and its pedigree. Due to their similarity with some breeds, for example, the British Smoothhair, you need to be especially careful when choosing a kitten. Under the guise of Chartreuse, scammers sell outbred or other breeds of animals.

The cost of such a kitten is from 20,000 rubles. as a pet. An animal for breeding or exhibitions is much more expensive.
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How to choose a kitten

Buying Chartreuse in the CIS countries is a difficult task. The export of breeding animals outside the borders of the United States and France is prohibited, so rely only on purchasing a spayed or neutered pet. Most often, such cats are brought from America. It is advisable to book the animal in advance: the demand for smiling cats is quite high.

Taking advantage of the fact that not much is known about the breed, unscrupulous breeders sell discarded “British” breeds under the guise of purebred Chartreuse. Don't want to become a victim of deception? Focus on the following differences:

• Chartreuse have a more elongated head and smaller cheeks;
• The “fur coat” of a British cat does not have a clear distinction between guard hair and undercoat, their length is the same;
• the color of the “Carthusians” varies only within gray and blue shades;
• British cats have smaller ears;
• The tail of the Chartreuse tapers from the base to the tip.

When choosing a pet, pay attention to its behavior. A healthy baby is active, shows curiosity, is moderately playful and is not afraid of sharp sounds. It is best to buy a Carthusian kitten aged three months or older. The animal no longer needs maternal care and gets used to new family members quite easily.