French Fancies Chartreux
le chartreux - Made in France
The French Fancy
Dating back to at least the 16th century, today, a purebred Chartreux cat is a very rare animal indeed.
Records go back as far as the 1500's
​ Originating from France, they are large and muscular with relatively short, fine-boned limbs. Their blue (silver-grey) water-resistant short haired double coat is easy to maintain, with big pumpkin orange coloured eyes.
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Records describing the Chartreux go as far back as to the 1500s, and the true, pure-bred, pedigree Chartreux is a very rare animal.
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There is a legend that the Chartreux have descended from cats brought to France by “Carthusian monks” to live in the order's head monastery the Grande Chartreuse, located in the Chartreuse Mountains north of the city of Grenoble. Yet another legend that the Chartreux's ancestors were feral mountain cats from what is now Syria, brought back to France by returning Crusaders in the 13th century, many of whom entered the Carthusian monastic order. However, neither of these legends has been substantiated, but legends like those make a very romantic read for the Chartreux Cats past.
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They are mentioned for the first time in 1558 in a poem by Joachim du Bellay entitled "A small kitten's death" there is another representation of a Chartreux in 1747 in a painting by Jean-Baptiste Perronneau into which the cat is painted as a pet, (https://www.thegreatcat.org/cat-breeds-and-species/chartreux-cat/)French writer Colette made one of her Chartreux cats the heroine of her books "La Chatte" and "Les Vrilles de la Vigne.
The mascot of the world's largest jazz festival, the Montreal International Jazz Festival, is a blue Chartreux affectionately named 'Ste Cat' after the festival's hub, Sainte Catherine Street in Montreal.
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However, the breed almost disappeared at the beginning of the 20th century, but was saved by the Chartreux-lovers of France. Local communities, particularly in Belle-Île, helped to build the breed back up to its former strength. Several well-known figures of the mid-20th century, such as Charles de Gaulle, whose cat, ‘Gris-Gris’, helped restore the Chartreux’s status as cat of the French.
Even today, there are owners who maintain that their Chartreux is a descendant of Gris-Gris. It wasn’t until the late 1980s that the breed was popularised and accepted by the American associations, before today reaching recognition by almost all the feline associations in the world.
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They are very human-oriented, but independent at the same time. Keeping themselves in the background, they are fiercely loyal to their owners and with a friendly disposition; they are modest rather than intrusive. They get along with fellow cats, as well as dogs and children as they are great playmates and love to interact with anything that looks remotely fun. If things are too much for them they simply withdraw and watch the fun from afar. Withdraw tactically instead of extending claws is their way to keep themselves and their fellow playmates safe.
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They are not at all demanding, being content to follow you around devotedly, sleep on your bed and snuggle with you if you’re not feeling well. Treat him kindly and patiently and you will certainly be rewarded with a loyal friend for life.
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They are exceptional hunters renowned for their very fast reflexes and are highly prized by French farmers.
These days the "Chartreux" breed is recognised by a number of registries around the world, more about the Chartreux here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X96NJoBKMgc
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