Chausie: A gorgeous wild look in a loving household cat

Chausie features a gorgeous wild look in an affectionate, loving household cat. Let’s learn more about this friendly breed.
Named after their jungle cat ancestors called Felis Chaus, Chausies are small species of wild cat found across Africa and Asia; as far south as Vietnam
Joyce Pierce
and in Nile Valley all the way to Caspian Sea. We can find mummified Jungle Cats in Egyptian tombs, suggesting they were not only domesticated but also held in high regard. Many feel the goddess Bastet was modelled after the Jungle Cat, and in these statues we can see a resemblance in the large ears and slender body she is given.
Coming of Chausies
There are records of Jungle Cat mating with domestic breeds of cat in modern times from numerous sources. The first recorded breeding of this type was recorded in 1990. Soon thereafter breeders began working together to develop the Chausie. Registration status in TICA (The International Cat Association) was obtained in 1995. After much hard work and diligence the Chausie was given Championship status in TICA in May of 2013.
Distinctive features
Much like Felis Chaus, Chausies have long legs, and an athletic body. They have upright large ears with tufts at the tips. These ears are set about two fingers apart and extend at a lightly outward angle. The forehead is long and with a slope that extends through the muzzle. Cheekbones are slanted in an exotic fashion.
The eyes of Chausies should be flat along the top, with a rounded bottom edge. They can be a medium to large cat with a short coat. The torso is rectangular, with a deep chest further evidence of their athleticism. The legs are long and the overall build muscular and athletic. A Chausie’s tail is slightly shorter than the average domestic cat, but this does not take away from their sense of grace and balance.
Tri-colours
The Chausies come in three recognised colours. They are brown-ticked tabby, solid black and grizzled tabby. The brown-ticked tabby has retained his
Pic courtesy: Starlight Photography
wild relative’s barring on the inside of the front legs and down the hock of the hind legs, sometimes the front leg bars extend up giving the appearance of a necklace on their regal chest.
The grizzled tabby colouration is acquired from the Jungle Cat. The hair shaft of Chausie is banded with a lighter colouration of skin level, a black base coat and alternating light bands with a black tip. This gives them an appearance of almost being a negative of the brown-ticked tabby coat. Both of these colours have a mouse coat, a light tan to grey coat close to the skin. The personality of these cats is endearing.
Athletic abilities
While they use their athletic abilities to hunt and play hard, they adore their humans with the same intensity. A round of play with amazing leaps and lots of hunting action akin to the behaviours of larger wild cats can be followed by a sound leap into a lap pressing into your chest with deep throaty purrs. Chausies chirp and converse with you throughout the day and are inquisitive, wanting to be involved in all you do.
In a typical cat like fashion Chausies can be insistent in a request that you stop what you are doing and devote a few moments to only them, but they return that moment of affection in a like manner.
(Joyce Pierce is owner and breeder at Mirage of the Wild Cats in California and she enjoys painting cats while not showing them).