ChausieCharacteristics, history, behaviour and care

The first hybrids of jungle cats and domestic cats may have been born in Egypt, several thousand years ago: the Egyptians sometimes mummified jungle cats as well as domestic cats.

A few people tried crosses in the late 1960s and the 1970s, as a reasonable alternative to keeping wild cats. The breed proper began in the 1990s, when a group of breeders gave it the name Chausie, after Felis chaus. TICA registered it in 1995 and gave it championship status on 1 May 2013. Abyssinians and Oriental Shorthairs were mainly used in breeding it.

How the breed developed

• Antiquity – possible hybrids in Egypt.
• The 1960s–1970s – the first experimental crosses.
• 1995 – registered by TICA.
• 1 May 2013 – championship status at TICA.

• People who spend a lot of time at home or have another cat. It does not like being alone.
• Very active families. It is athletic and very energetic.
• Homes with a dog. It gets on well with dogs, especially if it grew up with them.
• Check the law. Several countries restrict keeping or breeding hybrids.

It is medium to large compared with ordinary domestic breeds: males weigh 5–7.5 kg, females 3.5–6 kg. It is built for running and jumping: a long body, long legs, medium bones, a deep chest and flat flanks.

General appearance

The ears are broad and tall, set high. The cheekbones are prominent, long and angular, and the eyes are flat on top and half-oval below. Gold or yellow eyes are preferred; shades of light green are also accepted.

The TICA standard accepts three colours: solid black, black grizzled tabby and black (brown) ticked tabby. The “grizzled” pattern comes from the jungle cat and is not found in any other domestic breed. Black cats may fade slightly towards brown in strong sun.

Related breeds and how to tell them apart

The Bengal and the Savannah are also hybrids with wild cats. Abyssinians and Oriental Shorthairs were mainly used in breeding the Chausie.

Wikipedia says that, because intelligent and outgoing breeds were used, it is an intelligent, active and athletic cat. Kittens are very “busy”; adults are calmer, but stay playful and curious all their lives.

They do not like being alone: they need other cats or people around almost all the time. They become deeply and loyally attached to people and may find it hard to adapt if they change homes as adults.

Socialisation

It gets on well with dogs, especially if it grew up with a dog in the house.

A kitten gets used to new people, noises and other animals most easily in its first months of life.

Habits at home

Like all cats, it sleeps a lot: usually 12–16 hours a day. It is most active early in the morning and in the evening, but partly adapts to the family's routine.

Cats instinctively bury their droppings, so it quickly learns to use a litter tray. It scratches rough surfaces to shed the old outer layer of its claws, so it needs a scratching post or board.

It is very active and runs and jumps a lot. It needs space, daily play and company.

Tips for a balanced life

• Change its toys from time to time, so it does not get bored.
• Play with it in short sessions, several times a day.
• If it goes outside, let it do so in a fenced area or on a balcony with a safety net.

Coat care

The short coat is easy to care for: one brushing a week.

Common health problems

Because it comes from a wild cat, some cats have a shorter gut that does not process plant ingredients well. These can trigger chronic intestinal inflammation; the breed seems prone to food allergies.

Recommended genetic tests

There is no genetic test required for the breed. Ask the breeder what food the kittens and parents are given.

Is it hypoallergenic?

Cat allergy is caused mainly by the Fel d 1 protein, found in saliva and skin glands; it is behind the allergy in 90% of people who are allergic to cats. Kittens, females and neutered males produce less of it, but still enough to trigger symptoms. No breed is completely hypoallergenic.

Other care

• A check-up at the vet once a year.
• Vaccinations and parasite treatment on the schedule set by the vet.
• Trim the claws if they do not wear down on their own.
• Clean its teeth or give it food that helps keep them clean.

Wikipedia says some Chausies have a shorter gut, like their wild ancestors, and do not digest plant ingredients well; that is why they develop food allergies more easily. Discuss with your vet a meat-rich diet without many plant ingredients.

The cat is a carnivore: it needs animal protein. Unlike a dog, it must get vitamin A, arachidonic acid and taurine from its food. Water is very important, because cats usually drink little; several water bowls around the house encourage it to drink.

Tips for a healthy diet

The table gives a starting estimate, calculated with the formula from the Merck Veterinary Manual for a healthy adult cat. The last column shows what this means in dry food with 3,500–4,000 kcal per kilogram. If you also feed wet food, reduce the dry portion.

• Adjust the portion to its weight: neutered cats put on weight easily.
• Weigh it monthly; the ribs should be easy to feel under your fingers.
• Kittens need more calories: Merck recommends 2.5 times the resting energy requirement.

Dangerous foods and substances

Some common household items are dangerous for cats:

• Lilies (and daylilies): they can destroy a cat's kidneys. Even the pollen or the water in the vase is dangerous.
• Paracetamol: extremely toxic to cats, which lack the enzyme that breaks it down. Never give it human medicines.
• Flea spot-ons and collars for dogs containing permethrin: the concentration meant for dogs is dangerous for cats.
• Foods: chocolate, coffee, alcohol, onions, garlic, grapes and raisins.

Maturity

Females usually reach sexual maturity at 5–10 months, and males at 5–7 months. The age varies from breed to breed.

Mating and pregnancy

Pregnancy in cats lasts 64–67 days, 65 on average. A first litter usually has fewer kittens than later ones. Only healthy cats that match the breed standard are used for breeding.

Blood type

Cats have blood type A, B or AB. Type A is the most common: in a study from England, 87.1% of non-pedigree cats and 54.6% of pedigree cats had type A. This matters for breeding: if the mother is type B and the kittens are type A, the antibodies in her first milk (colostrum) can destroy their red blood cells. The condition is called neonatal isoerythrolysis. That is why breeders test the blood type of both parents.

We found no published data on how common type B is in this breed; the test is done before mating anyway.

Caring for the kittens

Kittens are weaned at 6–7 weeks. They are ready to go to their new home at about 12 weeks, when they can be separated from their mother.

Neutering

Neutering used to be done at 6–9 months, but it is more and more often done before puberty, at around 3–6 months. It prevents unwanted kittens, urine marking in males and the loud “calling” of females in heat. A 2024 study found that neutered cats live one year longer on average. After the operation, the metabolism slows down and appetite increases, so the portion has to be reduced.

How to choose a kitten

• Ask for the pedigree from a recognised cat association (for example, TICA).
• The kitten leaves its mother at about 12 weeks.
• Ask which generation the kitten is from and check what the law says in your country.
• Look at the mother and at the place where the kittens are raised: it should be clean, with kittens used to people.
• Ask about vaccinations, parasite treatment and the blood type of the parents.

• Jungle cat mummies. The ancient Egyptians sometimes mummified jungle cats, not just domestic cats.
• A unique pattern. The “grizzled” tabby is not found in any other domestic breed.
• A scientific name. The name comes from Felis chaus, the jungle cat.
• Attached for life. It may find it hard to adapt if it changes owners as an adult.

Ancient Egypt

The jungle cat also lives in the Nile delta, and the ancient Egyptians sometimes mummified such cats. Wikipedia says the first hybrids may have been born there, several thousand years ago.

Is it a wild cat?

It is a hybrid, but from the fourth or fifth generation on the cats are fully domestic in temperament.

How much does it weigh?

Males 5–7.5 kg, females 3.5–6 kg.

What does it eat?

A meat-rich diet; some do not tolerate plant ingredients well.

Is it legal everywhere?

No; several countries restrict keeping or breeding hybrids.