History
The Chausie (chow-sie) is another man-made breed that is a cross between a domestic cat to a Jungle Cat (Felis chaus). The Jungle Cat is a close relative to the domestic cat (F. Lybica) and distribution is from north Africa to southeast Asia.
Matings between the Jungle Cat and domestic have occurred naturally in the past. But people began to cross these cats in the 1960s and 1970s to create a wild looking cat with the temperament of a domestic cat. There is little information on these cats or if any attempt was made to develop a breed and register them.
In the 1990s a group of breeders began to cross the Jungle Cat to domestic cats. TICA accepted the Chausie for registration status in 1995 and granted full championship status in 2013.
As of now, the only allowable outcrosses are the Jungle Cat, Abyssinian and the domestic.
AppearanceÂ
The Chausie is a large breed of cat females are noticeably smaller than males. The body is long, lean and muscular, rectangular in shape with a deep chest. The legs are long and muscular, hind legs are slightly longer than the front legs. The paws are small and round in shape. The tail is 3/4 to full length.
The head is a modified wedge, medium in size and longer than it is wide, the cheekbones are set high, the forehead long and sloping. The ears are tall and reasonably close together, ear tufts are preferred. The eyes are medium and oval-shaped; they may range in colour from gold/yellow to green.
The coat is short in length with a fine undercoat and a coarser to coat.
They come in three colours:
- Black
- Black silver tipped (grizzled) tabby
- Brown ticked tabby
TemperamentÂ
The Chausie is an intelligent cat. Active, playful, fast and athletic. They need a lot of play to keep themselves physically and mentally stimulated.
Chausies are dog-like in personality and seek out human attention. They do not do well if left for long periods on their own.
They get along well with people, older children, and other pets.
Special requirements
The short coat is relatively easy to care for with only a weekly groom required.
Lifespan
Approximately 12-14 years.
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