Chausies (pronounced Chow-see) are a new domestic breed originating from the hybridization between Jungle cats (felis chaus) and domestic cats. *Note: This website is dedicated to Domestic Chausies (F3 generation and beyond.) I do not raise, nor own, any pure-blood Jungle Cats. Please, do not contact me looking for Jungle cat kittens or F1 hybrids. Thank you, and I hope you enjoy your visit. |
|||
|
Chausies were accepted for registration in The International Cat Association (TICA) in July of 1995. Chausies are also accepted for registration in the United Feline Organization (UFO.) Chausies are now eligible to be exhibited for breed evaluation in TICA. Chausie breeders will next be working towards NBC (New Breed & Color) status, we hope to attain this status within the next few years. In order to be eligible for exhibition status, Chausies must be at least 3 generations removed from the Jungle cat ancestry. In order to be eligible for championship competition, when this status is achieved, we will need to reach stud book (SBT) status by breeding Chausie to Chausie for a minimum of 3 generations. The goal of Chausie breeders is to capture the beauty and elegance of the Jungle cat in a domestic cat. Large, tufted ears, long legs, and a long body are all traits of Jungle cats and Chausies. |
|||
|
Chausies are a medium to large breed, comparable in size to the Maine Coon (ranging in size from as little as 8 pounds, to as much as 20 plus pounds.) These are not huge cats, but many are larger than the average house cat. Females tend to be significantly smaller than their male counterparts. There are only 3 currently recognized colors of Chausies, and all are colors naturally found in the Jungle cat. These colors are brown ticked tabby ("golden"), black, and silver-tipped black. Chausie kittens commonly have stripes or spots in their coat when young. Ideally, markings on their body should fade with age, leaving a lovely, wild ticked coat. Barring (stripes) on the legs and face are desirable, and should still be visible in the adult coat. I am working on compiling pictures from other breeders of Chausies that fall within the current TICA breed standard, or are very close to standard (we still have a bit of work to do with developing this breed.) Only Chausies at least 3 generations removed from wild blood will be posted on the Chausie pics page. I have also posted a copy of the TICA Chausie standard on my site. |
|||
|
Temperament/Behavior of Chausies at least 3 generations removed from wild blood is completely domestic in nature. They are typically sweet-natured, very affectionate cats. Some of them are so demanding of attention that they become virtual pests, to the delight and frustration of some owners. Most are highly active (comparable to a high-energy Abby,) though the activity-level may vary depending on the outcrosses used. I will only address the issue of temperament/behavior of F1's and F2's briefly with the following: *F1 Chausies, cats that have a Jungle cat parent, are not typically shy like F1 Bengals, with a few exceptions. However, F1 Chausies/Jungle cat hybrids do retain more of the wild nature than following generations, and Must be bottle-raised from a very young age to make acceptable pets. F2 Chausies may vary from a totally domestic-nature, to a temperament/behavior similar to that of an F1 (this depends on random genetics, determining how much of the Jungle cat genes each kitten will inherit, and also on the outcrosses used.) F2 Chausies from a high percentage F1 (over 50% wild blood) or a wild-natured parent may also require bottle-rearing. F1, and even some F2, Jungle cat hybrids are not for everyone. These cats tend to form their closest bonds with one or two people, and do not generally adapt well to new owners. Some adult F1/F2 Chausies will Never form bonds with a new owner. For this reason, it is not advised buying an early generation Chausie without first careful consideration of the cat's needs and a commitment to providing a lifelong home for that cat |
|||
Home
| Breeding & Placement | My Chausies | Kittens | Outcrosses | Links | Index | Email© copyright 2000-2001 C. Kay Terry. No portion of this site may be reproduced, in whole or in part, without the authors express permission. Created May 28, 2000, edited Feb 16, 2001.
The Chausie has been granted evaluation breed status in TICA!