Are You Familiar With The Chausie Cat Breed?

The Chausie cat breed comes to us via ancient history. The name comes from “Felis chaus,” the Latin name meaning jungle/wild cat. It’s pronounced “chaw-see”. Very often the Chausie represents a mix between a wild cat and an Abyssinian.

In ancient times, the cat originated in Egypt, many thousands of years ago. Though this feline resembles its wild cousins, the Chausie has a friendly, affectionate and intelligent personality.

The Appearance Of The Chausie

This cat, with short to medium hair length, comes in coat patterns of tabby, solid, ticked, or grizzled, with colors in black or brown. (Ticked: Tips of the fur are darker than the rest of the strand. Grizzled: Each single hair strand has different colors.) The eye color can be yellow, green or gold.

The cat has a long, graceful, and robust frame. His breeding makes him medium to long in size. Though a little smaller than a male Maine Coon, his normal size comes in at 15 to 25 pounds, but he has been known to reach 30 pounds.

He has a pretty normal life span, living from 10 to 15 years. H stands from 14 to 18 inches tall.

Breed Standards Set In The 1990s

There really wasn’t uniformity in the breed until the 1990s. At that time, a group of breeders planned a direct breeding program for the official “Chausie.” The breed has become formally known to be bred due to the hybridization of the Chaus (Wild Cat) and the Abyssinian. Now the Chausie is bred in both Europe and North America.

You Must Pay Attention To This Dietary Requirement

The breed has no underlying health problems. However, the one factor that could cause difficulties for the cat comes from diet requirements. Because they still reflect genetically their relationship to wild ancestors, they cannot eat plant material. The reason for this digestive problem rises from a shortened intestine.

Any food containing vegetables, grains, or gluten would not be suitable, because this cat has no way to break down these materials in the digestive system. If the cat eats such foods, it will cause inflammation and will not allow them to absorb the required vitamins and nutrients.

You must pay attention to this heavy protein requirement or you will have a very sick kitty.

Try Making Your Own Food

You can make the cat’s food yourself if you choose. Follow the Ketogenic (Keto) Diet, which makes meat and animal fat the cat’s primary nourishment. (Look online for suggested recipes.) Just make sure your prepared food provides all the necessary ingredients for good cat health. You might check with your vet for a complete list.

Some Chausie Characteristics

This cat, built for running and jumping, has the capability of making incredible leaps. If you like an acrobatic cat, this choice would do. He can easily jump up to eight feet in the air from a standing position. I guess my six-foot fence around my yard would present no challenge for him.

The cat enjoys exploring the great outdoors, and will appreciate the chance to walk with you on a leash. Take him out to explore and you can both get your exercise.

Though smaller than a Maine Coon, your Chausie still ranks in the top five biggest domestic cats in the world.

If you leave for the day, your Chausie will not enjoy his alone-time. If you have another pet to keep him company, that becomes the ideal arrangement.

Though they tend toward an affectionate nature, they do not represent the ideal animal to keep in a home with small children. Because their wild nature might emerge during play, they could present a danger to tots who don’t know much about cats. The Chausie makes a great playmate for a dog.

Due to their high intelligence, they prove quite easy to train. Learning about harness and leash should not pose a problem, and they also have the ability to learn some tricks as well. This cat might benefit a great deal from clicker training.

Some Physical Features

Your Chausie will have striking eyes and an intense gaze. His legs become powerful, making those high jumps possible. The back legs are a bit longer than the front legs.

Compared to the body, the tail is short, thick, and muscular, and does not taper much. The long, slender body shows well-developed musculature. He has a rounded head with prominent whisker pads.

The large, well-proportioned ears have wide bases that taper to rounded tops. The cat has a plush undercoat, with a coarser outer layer.

How Much Does A Chausie Cost?

Don’t expect to find a Chausie at a shelter, unless it’s one that caters to more exotic breeds. Instead, you’d best find a breeder. Then you can expect to pay between $500 and $2500.

If You Have Allergies, They Might Flare

This cat does shed, though not as much as a medium-to-long-haired cat. Thus, if you have an allergy to cats, this one may cause you a flare-up. Brush your cat’s coat once a week to keep shedding minimal.

If you would like a large cat that closely resembles its wild ancestor, yet proves sweet, affectionate, very active and quite intelligent, you might see if you can find a Chausie.

References I used for this post:

basepaws.com/blogs/news/the-chausie-cat-a-meow-and-a-roar
thesprucepets.com/chausie-cat-breed-profile-5188031
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chausie
allaboutcats.com/cat-breeds/chausie