Orlovia
The Chausie is a hybrid between the domestic cat and the wild Egyptian cat. In the profile, you get all the information about this special hybrid breed.
History and origin of the Chausie
The Chausie is a hybrid cat that was bred to produce a domestic cat with the appearance of a wild cat. In 1960, American researchers undertook the first breeding attempts and mated a female domestic cat with a male reed cat. This means that the first generation (F1) has 50% wild blood and is therefore most similar to the reed cat.
The second-generation (F2) carries only 25% and with each further generation, the proportion of wild blood continues to decrease. The main reason why breeding is so difficult is that most first-generation Chausie males are infertile. For this reason, tomcats are mainly found as pets. It wasn’t until 1995 that TICA (The International Cat Association) officially recognized the breed. The name derives from the Latin name Felis chaus, meaning reed cat. The breed is rarely found in Germany.
Essence and Character
The Chausie is considered a friendly and affectionate cat breed that, with the right treatment, can become a friend for life. Despite this, many representatives of the breed have inherited the temperament of their wild ancestors. The intelligent cats are active, and curious and love to climb and jump. In contrast to their wild relatives, the hybrids are very human-related and follow their two-legged friends at every turn. They love to be the center of attention and are also friendly and outgoing towards children.
The Appearance of the Chausie
Externally, the Chausie looks more like a cane cat than a domestic cat. Similar to its wild relative, it has an athletic body with long legs and a medium-length tail. Because her hind legs are longer than her front legs, she is an excellent runner. The typical wedge-shaped head with prominent cheekbones has wide-set, walnut-shaped eyes. The large ears are rounded and the chin strong. The short, dense coat is usually brown or black, but can also be silvery (grizzled ticked tabby). The cat’s belly is much lighter in color than its back. The color of the eyes is usually yellow or yellow-gold to match the coat, and rarely brown.
Attitude and Care
Outdoor cat or indoor cat?
Due to its descent from a wild cat species, the Chausie is very freedom-loving. The sporty cat also has a strong urge to move and can easily jump two meters high from a standing position. For this reason, pure housing is only possible under special conditions. If you cannot allow an outdoor space, the cat should have a large outdoor enclosure available. Ideally, she must be able to live out her natural urges when hunting mice and birds in order to be happy. If you keep your cat free, you should be prepared to regularly receive “gifts” from your cat in the form of prey.
How much employment does the Chausie need?
The clingy cat likes to be around its owners and is reluctant to be left alone at home. As a working person, it is best to keep two cats so that the animals do not get bored. A large, stable scratching post and various cat toys provide activity and variety in the apartment. They particularly enjoy playing tag games and chasing play mice and balls. You can also make the water-loving cat particularly happy with a bath in the bathtub or a bubbling drinking fountain. In fact, some cats are so fond of water that they’ll follow you into the shower.
Grooming and feeding
The Chausie’s coat is slightly longer than that of ordinary domestic cats but is still easy to care for. Regular brushing and removing dead hair will keep their coat shiny. Because their direct ancestors are wild animals, a high-protein diet is even more important for the breed than for other cats. Ideally, you provide them with BARF food that you have put together yourself. In this way, your cat gets all the important components of a healthy diet that it would also get in the wild.
Purchase of a Chausie
Before purchasing a Chausie, you should be absolutely sure that the hybrid catsuits you. If you can’t offer her enough exercise, you don’t even have to think about getting the cat that loves to move. In Germany, you will find it difficult to find a breeder anyway. The breed is not widespread in Germany. If you still find a breeder, you should first check whether he is responsible and pays attention to the health of his breeding animals. Due to their rarity, Chausie kittens naturally come at a price. Depending on the breeder, you can spend up to €10,000 on a purebred F1 kitten.