The Chartreux is a domestic breed of cat from France.  It is large and muscular with short fine-boned limbs, big paws and fast reflexes.  They are well known for their blue (grey) water-resistant short hair double-coats and gold or copper colored eyes as well as their smile due to the structure of their heads and long, tapered muzzle. 

The Chartreux cats were highly prized by farmers for being exceptional hunters.

A blue Chartreux named ‘Ste Cat was mascot of the world’s largest jazz festival in Montreal.

The following appearance description is given as tips to help you decide if this cat breed is for you, your family and lifestyle.

Appearance Description

• Large body mass that helps to conserve heat, aided by a dense woolly coat that repels dew and seasonal weather
• Small fur-covered ears, legs, and tail prevent heat loss and resist frostbite
• A large belly helps store food consumption and body fat
• Broad chest
• Bull neck
• Powerful shoulders
• Narrow hips with long well-muscled hind legs allow the Chartreux to be an expert climber, capable of capturing prey through rugged, rocky terrain
• Although a powerhouse of a cat, it can has been known to walk quite silently
• Medium-size ears set upright and close together, high on the head to easily pinpoint prey
• Large, heavily muscled jaws grip prey with precision
• The large size, hunting power and fearlessness makes the Chartreux a superb predator

The following personality description is given as tips to help you decide if this cat breed is for you, your family and lifestyle.

Personality Description

• Well behaved
• Self-sufficient
• Quiet, rarely meowing
• The modern-day Chartreux, still very much aware of its own strength, is a gentle giant
• I

n the absence of prey, the Chartreux uses its great energy and power in hearty play into old age
• Kittens and adolescents at 2-3 years of age are highly active
• Mature adults have short bursts of energy lasting 15-30 minutes in which they may gallop madly
• They love to play
• Favorite games include fetch, chase and tag
• Highly communicative, very active tails, ear movements, a lot of changes in facial expressions and many different kinds of trills, chirps, and coos
• Males can be twice the size of females
• Both sexes when neutered or spayed make excellent companions for the individual or family
• They adapt well to being single pets and also do well in multi-pet homes
• Friendly toward other animals such as dogs
• A Chartreux may pick a favorite person in the household, but are not possessive.  He or she will make the choice of a favorite person and show special devotion toward the favorite.  When the choice is made, the cat may prefer the favorite’s company, follow him or her throughout the house, or play its most favorite games only with the chosen one.  Others in the household will be treated with affection and politeness.  It is not advisable to purchase this cat breed for one particular child or person, as the cat may choose someone else.
• Most of them do not like to be carried around

Follow the link in the resource box of this article to find pictures and more information about many different breeds of cats.

Written by:  Connie Limon.  Visit “Adopting Kittens” at http://smalldogs2.com/AdoptingKittens to find a complete online reference for choosing and caring for the perfect kitten, which matches you and your lifestyle.  Learn about litter box training at http://smalldogs2.com/LitterBoxTraining

This article is FREE to publish with the resource box.

Copyright © 2008 All Rights Reserved Connie Limon