Chausie Cats were developed by breeding a few individuals from the non-domestic species jungle cat (Felis chaus) to a far greater number of domestic cats. The Chausie is a relatively new breed and was first recognized as a domestic breed by The International Cat Association (TICA) in 1995. The Chausie is categorized as a non-domestic hybrid source breed. Because Chausies are mostly descended from domestic cats, they are completely domestic in behavior and temperament by about the fourth generation of domestic breeding.
Watch the video to discover interesting facts about the Chausie Cat breed and see more details below.
12 Interesting Chausie Cat Facts Video
Chausie Cats Origin
It is believed that the first jungle cat/domestic cat hybrids may have come from Egypt several thousand years ago. The wild jungle cat is native to Southeast Asia, India and the Middle East region. The jungle cat is also found in North Africa on the Nile Delta.
The Jungle Cat
A few breeders began experimenting with breeding jungle cats and domestic cats in the late 1960s and 1970s. The Chausie breed did not truly begin until the 1990s, when a dedicated group of breeders named the breed “Chausie” (after Felis chaus) and developed a planned breeding program. These breeders received registration status from TICA in 1995. The breed worked its way through the New Breed Class from May 2001 through April 2013, and became TICA’s newest Championship breed on May 1, 2013. Chausies are now being bred in both North America and Europe. The breed has also begun the new breed recognition process in the World Cat Federation.
The permissible outcrosses for the Chausie breed during early breed development were the Abyssian and the Domestic Shorthair cat breeds. However, any kind of purely domestic outcross could be used. TICA rules only dictated that cats must be a certain number of generations removed from the jungle cat ancestors and have three generations of registered Chausie ancestors to be eligible for competition at shows. Several domestic cat breeds have been utilized to evolve the Chausie breed and this has given the breed a diverse and healthy genetic foundation.
Chausie Cats Behavior and Personality
This breed is considered intelligent, active and very athletic. They don’t like being left alone and like to have human companions or the company of other cats. They are loyal cats and bond with their human companions.
Chausie Cat Size
The Chausie cat breed are medium to large in size relative to traditional domestic breeds. Most Chausies are a little smaller than a male Maine Coon. Adult Chausie males typically weigh 11 to 16 pounds and adult females are usually in the range of 8 to 13 pounds. Larger male Chausies (with a higher mix of jungle cat) can weight up to 30 pounds.
Chausie Cat Lifespan
The typical lifespan of a healthy Chausie cat is 12 – 16 years.
Chausie Cat Colors and Fur Patterns
The TICA Chausie breed standard allows three colors: solid black, black grizzled tabby, and brown. Because the Chausie breed is relatively new, Chausies are still frequently born that have a variety of other colors and patterns. However, only the three permissible colors are considered ideal and can be entered in new breed classes at cat shows. Three colors are eligible for championship classes. Gold or yellow eye color is preferred, though yellower and lighter shades of green are also allowed.
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