The history of the appearance of the breed, a description of the standard of appearance of Chartreuse cats, the main character traits, the health of the Cartesian cat, advice on the care and keeping of a pet at home, the price of a kitten. Chartreux is a truly amazing representative of the largest feline world, which is still aristocratic called the Cartesian cat. No one will ever call this pet an ordinary cat. And the point is not only in the perfect, excellent and impeccable appearance, but also in the inner world of the animal. Rumor has it that these cats were the favorites of the richest and most famous families of medieval France, and this fact is very clearly reflected in the character of Chartreuse.
Such a pet is very good-natured and affable, but at the same time, by nature, he inherited a very strong and firm temperament. This seemingly cute Murzik is endowed with a variety of character traits. When necessary, the kitten will jump up to your side and purr its songs to you. But if you touch him with something or, God forbid, bring another pet into the house, a warlike knight wakes up inside him, who will defend with all his might and defend his superiority and his “place in the sun”.
History of the origin of chartreuse cats
Having looked even not too much information about these unusually beautiful cats, we can conclude that their history is extremely rich and no less mysterious. Despite the huge number of versions of the appearance of these felines in our world, none has been precisely confirmed.
Rumor has it that initially these murkas appeared in the territories of the countries of the Middle East, more precisely in Iran, Syria and in some provinces of Anatolia. And already from there they were brought to France around the 15th – 16th centuries, by the Cartesian monks, it is those times that are dated as the first mention of silver cats. The French immediately appreciated such a wonderful "tailed gift" and found many positive aspects in these pets. At first, such animals lived in the houses of ordinary people, one might even say, even the poor, who loved them very much. Cartesian cats are excellent hunters, so they deftly rid the villagers' possessions of unwanted problems in the face of rodents. But there was still benefit from them, unfortunately, not the most pleasant for the cats themselves. Most of the Chartreux were prized for their luxurious skins and meat.
And another version, less deplorable, says that representatives of this breed were considered elite animals, which only the French from high society could afford. And this is really true - Cartesian cats are the heroes of many works of art to this day. For example, among the works of the poet Joachin Du Bellay there is a poetic story called "A French verse dedicated to the death of a little kitten." It dates from around the end of the 1650s. In addition, the painting by Jean-Baptiste Perronot "Mademoiselle Gukier with a Cat", painted in the middle of the 18th century by Jean-Baptiste Perronot, is still in the Louvre, and the cat in the picture is a majestic chartreuse.
There is no official confirmation that Cartesian cats lived at the court of French kings, but it is known that such a pet lived in the homes of such famous people as the writer Sidoni-Gabrielle Colette and Charles Baudelaire.
But, unfortunately, the finest hour, Chartreuse was interrupted by the events of the First World War. In those difficult times, few people had the opportunity to take care of cats and many thought that the population of French exotic animals had disappeared forever from the face of the earth. But still a few individuals remained, and the breed was preserved in its original form.
Later, around the middle of the 20th century, the popularity of Carthusian cats began to gain tremendous momentum, and all because the notorious man Charles de Gaulle had a cute cat named Gris-Gris running around the house. The French all, as one, began to get themselves blue cats, inheriting the tastes of a statesman.
Since there was such a crazy demand for cats of the Chartreux breed, breeders could not miss this fact and began to "domesticate" their already aboriginal animals. Then it was decided to show them at a major exhibition and not anywhere, but overseas, in the distant United States. And everything succeeded, it was there that the chartreuse received their first official recognition of pedigree from the CFA. Later the Cartesians were recognized by the prestigious feline associations one by one, with the exception of the British GCCF. And all because the members of the commission of this association believe that these cats are very similar to the famous British cats. But, despite such categoricalness of England, this does not prevent the Cartesian cats from breaking champion titles around the world, well, except for Foggy Albion
Description of the official standard for the appearance of cats of the Chartreux breed
Modern breeders have not changed the standard of eminent cats that has formed over the years and centuries, therefore, looking at this fluffy, you can involuntarily plunge into the mysterious times of the Middle Ages.
- Head Cartesians in its configuration resembles a trapezoid turned upside down. In terms of dimensions, the cranium is quite large, the lower jaw stands out well, it should be slightly wider than the base of the skull. In the event that the cat's head is elongated in shape, in front of you is anyone, but not chartreuse. These animals are also remarkable for their cheeks, they are too big for them. The profile of these Murziks is straight, the nose is painted exclusively in a dark gray color scheme.
- Eyes in the Cartesian cat they are large, rounded in shape, similar to large buttons. Located close to each other, which gives the cat's face a special cuteness and attractiveness. The color of the iris can be of any shade of yellow, the most common are individuals with honey, amber and copper eyes. Newborn kittens rarely have yellow eyes, most often their irises are colored blue or gray, but after a while everything will fall into place. In earlier times, green-eyed cats were also found among Cartesian cats, however, today this is a disqualification sign.
- Auricles in Chartreux of medium size, set high on the vertex, sloping slightly forward. From a wider base, the ears taper towards the rounded tips.
- Torso Cartesians are quite strong, stocky, their body has very well developed muscle tissue, in addition, the skeletal system is very powerful. The area of the shoulder girdle is wide, so is the projection of the hips. These animals do not seem large at first glance, however, the average body weight of an adult of the stronger sex is approximately 6–7.5 kg, while females are somewhat smaller and more refined, their weight does not exceed 5 kg.
- Limbs Chartreuse cats, although short, are extremely strong and resilient. According to the standard, the hind legs are slightly longer and more massive than the front ones. The paws are small in size. Since the French know a lot about fashion, the French cats do not lag behind them, everything should be in harmony with them, therefore their paw pads are painted in the tone of the main color of wool.
- Tail process not too long, the size is correctly combined with the general parameters of the body. Tapering from the base to a well-rounded tip.
- Wool - this is, perhaps, the visiting card of the representatives of this breed. For the reason that, in addition to the main coat, on the body of cats there is also an additional thick undercoat, which corresponds in length to the axial hair, these animals are, well, very fluffy. The structure of the wool is dense, but soft and delicate to the touch.
The most important criterion for compliance with the standard is the color of the Cartesian cats. The main coat and the undercoat must be of the same color. The basic tone can vary in any shades of blue-gray color scheme. The most popular and in demand are Chartreux with a lighter coat. It is interesting that at birth the kittens may be somewhat different, their body may show off an expressive tabby pattern, but upon reaching the age of one, not a trace remains of this decoration.
Features of the character and photo of the cat Chartreuse
These pets have a very calm and welcoming temperament. Such an animal with unprecedented ease adapts to new living conditions, becomes attached to members of its new family, and even in record time can find its favorite place. Such kittens are very restrained and patient, they will not bother with their meows, on the contrary, it may be that you are not lucky enough to hear their thin little voice. The Cartesian cat knows how to love and be faithful, so you should be prepared for the fact that your pet will accompany you everywhere.
Since the Chartreuse are excellent hunters, they have some kind of internal source of inexhaustible energy that needs to be put somewhere. In this case, he needs toys. When it comes to young children, it is common for Cartesians to immediately qualify them as their best friends. They can tirelessly chase with the child, and even if the kid, after playing, does something wrong, then the cat, most likely, simply does not pay attention to it, and does not interrupt the game because of nonsense. Aggression is far from their quality.
But in the case of other animals in the house, things are a little different here. For their dedication, Chartreux will demand the same of you and will try to prevent anyone else from getting your attention. So, bringing such a fluffy jealous person to the house, it is better to give up the idea of getting someone else, it will be better for the "principled Frenchman", and for "that other" pet it is even better, since a war will be declared on him for sure, which the persistent chartreuse will definitely win.
Cartesian cat health
In general, these are quite strong and healthy animals, but there are a number of pathologies to which the Cartesians have a predisposition. Their weak point is the musculoskeletal system. Dislocated patella and hip dysplasia are common in cats. In addition, obesity can trigger joint dysfunction in Chartreux.
The teeth and soft tissues of the oral cavity are also extremely vulnerable and therefore require careful care.
With good care, these Murziki will accompany you through life for an average of 13-15 years.
Maintenance and care of chartreuse at home
- Hair care. This is, to some extent, the most difficult, since their fur coat is very thick. Cartesians need to be combed regularly, it is better to do this two or three times a week, so there will be less wool around the house, and there will be a lot of it, and the cat eats it less, and it will look beautiful. During the molting period, and this is twice a year, it is better to comb them out daily. Bathing is often not necessary, only as needed, since it is very difficult to do this. This pet is not a big fan of water procedures, and buying it in five minutes will not come out with all the desire. His overly thick coat gets wet for a very long time, so the cat needs to stay in the water for some time before soaping it. After washing his "chic clothes" dry for a long time, try to dry your pet as best as possible with a terry towel.
- Hygiene. A Cartesian cat needs to brush its teeth, and do it as often as possible, and preferably daily. To do this, you need to purchase a special care product for your cat's teeth and oral cavity at your veterinary pharmacy. Fortunately, in the era of our modernity, on the shelves of pet stores there is simply an abundance of different toothpastes and powders for animals, there are also sprays and lotions, and a variety of gels for the prevention of tartar and just for general care. You can buy a toothbrush there, designed for cats, but it also happens that it is inconvenient to use it, in which case you can use a soft toothbrush for children. If it does not fit, then you need to resort to a reliable and time-tested method. A piece of dense, clean, lint-free cloth should be wrapped around the index finger, put the right amount of hygiene product on the cloth and thus clean the kitten's teeth and gums. It's also a good idea to add tooth-cleaning food to your pet's diet. The auricles are regularly cleaned of earwax accumulations. For this, we recommend baby ear sticks with a stopper and a lotion for cleaning the ears. Eyes should also be periodically wiped with cotton pads soaked in a disinfectant solution. Chartreuse claws are a very powerful "cold weapon", and in the absence of a scratching post, he will attack your wallpaper and upholstery with them. Therefore, together with the cat, it is worth buying this necessary attribute, it is better to accustom the cat to it from early childhood. If the pet completely ignores the scratching post, you can sprinkle its surface with a few drops of valerian.
- Leisure. Cats of the Chartreux breed are amazing pets, they can be just bumpers, but several days pass and their soul requires adventure. Such a cat is great for those people who stay at work for a long time and even go on short business trips. The pet knows how to entertain itself, and if you give him a couple of other entertaining toys, he will be just happy. All kinds of climbing attributes, small tunnels and attractions are perfect as such entertainments. You can make a small structure with a tree, it will be both a scratching post and a fun activity. He will be very pleased with small movable toys, and it will not matter to him at all whether it is an ultra-expensive interactive mouse or an ordinary tennis ball or an old lace from sneakers. As for walks, these pussies do not really like to walk on a leash, but they are always ready to walk on their own without supervision in any weather. If you live in a private house, it will be just a paradise for Chartreuse. The pet will be able to run and climb trees, and do not be surprised if sometimes your tailed friend will bring you presents in the form of mice caught by him - such is the nature of the Cartesian. But it is worth limiting the time the cat walks when it is very hot outside. Direct sunlight has an extremely negative effect on the color of their coat, and it may soon fade.
- Toilet. These cats are very smart and lend themselves well to education, so it will not be difficult to train them to the litter box. However, they can teach you to clean their tray on time, if the cat litter does not smell very good, the animal will immediately find a more comfortable place for itself.
- What do they eat? In principle, Chartreux are not picky about food, they will not refuse a slice of pizza or a flavored sausage, but whether they need it is not at all. It is best to feed the Carthusian premium or super premium ready-made, commercial food. And you need to do this in moderation, since these cats can eat and eat until the bottom of their plate appears, no matter how much you need to gobble up to see this goal. So, in order to prevent obesity, it is better to feed your pet three to four times a day in small portions.
Chartreuse: where to buy and the price of a kitten
Although the breed is primordially European, there are, unfortunately, very few Chartreuse nurseries in Europe. One of these is located in Moscow, but the most titled kittens, oddly enough, are sold in the United States. The average cost of a purebred Cartesian ranges from 18,000 to 22,000 rubles.
