History Brief history of "Le Chat Des Chartreux" Milestones 16th century Mention of blue cats living in France.

Breed Standards 1558 French First text about American the French blue Mes Chats cats. "French Mes Chats 2 verses on the History death of a About small kitten", Links Guest Book Joachim du Bellay. "Here lies Belaud, my little gray cat, Belaud, that was the most handsome perhaps That nature ever made in cat's clothing. This was Belaud, death to rats. Belaud, to be sure his beauty was such That he deserves to be

immortal." Read the poem in French 18th century "Chat des Chartreux" is used to refer to these blue cats for the first time. The Chartreux are Carthusian monks and were long thought to have raised the "Chats des Chartreux", therefore given their names to the blue cats. It is now believed that they were called "Chat des Chartreux" because of the wooly texture of their coat responsible for its similarity to a spanish wool called "la pile des Chartreux". However, the exact origin of the name remains an enigma. 1723 "Chat des Chartreux"

mentioned in the "Universal Dictionary of Commerce, Natural History and the Arts and Trade of Savvary of Brusion" refering to blue cats. "Finally we find several cats which tend toward bleu, these latter are commonly called Chartreux. This name was used to distinguish the blue cats. Incidentally, the furriers trade in the skin of the cats, especially those cats which were called Chartreux." 1727 In "The Cats" by FranoisAugustinParadis de Montcrif (1687-1770), slate-colored cats are reported in

North Africa from Malta and coming from Malta. 1747 Portrait by Jean-Baptiste Perroneau: Magdaleine Pinceloup de la Grange holding a gray cat which appears to be a Chartreux (very large body, yellow eyes, and head shape of the breed). The painting is at the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, CA. 1748 Denis Diderot, French philosopher and poet, writes: "...without my three beasts my Canary, my Chartreuse (female Chartreux) and Callirhoe, I am nothing." 1753

Brande Aldobrande, Italian scholar, describes a cat of ash gray color originating in Syria and writes: "Of all the variety and number of cats, the best is that which is streaked with a diversity of pale dark ash colors; it comes from Syria, the place from whence comes the name (?). Its blood is very mild, it lets itself be domesticated and is a smart hunter. Moreover, its snout (?) is round, its chest muscular, it has strong legs, it is always vigilant and makes a habit of watching over the household. It is content with little food

and supports its hunger; it feeds at times on its own capture and never fills its insatiable tummy to the detriment of its owners." 1753 Article called "Chartreux", in "Grande Encyclopdie ": "Chartreux: a sort of cat whose fur is gray ash and tends toward bleu. It's one of the skins in which the furriers trade and employ in the manufacture of furs." 1756 Description of the Chartreux cat as different from the European and Angora cat by Buffon, French naturalist. The plate illustrating the

book shows the Chartreux cat compared to a domestic cat with: a shorter size, a straight and no-stop nose, a little longer fur of a woolly texture, and a tail set straight up and tapering at the end. 1760 Beside the use of the Chartreux Cat fur, Carl Von Linn mentioned another sad destiny : "One can still meet daily some people who eat big well fed cats called Chartreux cats..." 1778 Josephus Flavius Martinet, from Holland, writes: "We in Holland have also some blue cats mostly at

Overijasel where they are brought to Holland to be bought and sold; their fur is gray ash, blackish brown at the base, the coat is very dense of the sort which, when one sees the gray of the tips and the brown underlaying, the mixed colors make the appearance of the cat to be blue." 1780 "Reasoned and Universal Dictionary of Natural History", published in Switzerland, mentions the Chartreux: "In Persian one sees these (cats) whose color is that of our Chartreux." 1817

Dictionary of Natural Science reads: "The Chartreux cat, whose fur is very fine and generally a beautiful uniform gray, the lips and the bottom of the feet are black." 1832 Edition of Buffon's Natural History with the plates colored : the Chartreux cat is deep slate blue gray with yellow eyes. 1867 Charles Ross writes in "The Book of the Cat":"Blue is not a common color, these species are styled Chartreux cats and are esteemed rarities. Merit of being extremely gentle, pure blue cats were

very rare and greatly prized." 1877 Heath's "FrenchEnglish Dictionary" defines the Chartreux cat as a "cat with bluishgray color." 1880 Cassell's "New French-English Dictionary" lists the "Chartreux cat of bluish gray color." 1896 Chartreux are used by furriers. Dr. Beauregard, "Our Beasts": "after death the coat is used in different ways. That of the Chartreux is cut and dyed and sold as Otter fur." 1920 Lger sisters (Christine et Suzanne) after

Versailles Horticulture School move to BelleIsle-en-Mer (Guerveur) and start the selection of the breed from a wild population on the island. 1928 The Federation Feline Francaise (FFF) is founded in Paris, France, and the Chartreux is listed and a standard written; registration began then and continues to the present. Prior to and after World War II there was considerable breeding between the Chartreux, European cats (in other words, Feral cats), British Shorthair (blue,

blue-cream, and cream), Russian blue, and Persian (blue.) 1933 Colette writes "La Chatte" (The Cat), where the heroin is Saha a female Chartreux is inspired by her own cat. 1935 Publication in the magazine "Life in the Country" dated from April 15, 1935 of an article in which the Leger sisters from Guerveur Cattery tell their beginning of Chartreux breeding: read the article. 1967 The FFF, Fife, and GCCF Judges change the standard of the British Shorthair and the

Chartreux, without consulting the breeders, and put both breeds under the same new standard. The Chartreux by 1970 were reduced to cats with one or more of the above breeds in their pedigrees, so that the cats from the de Guerveur Cattery (Leger sisters), de Saint Pierre cattery (Mme. S. Bastide), and the Cat Club of Paris stock all had, at some point, one or the other of the above breeds behind them. 1972 FFF outlaws all cross breeds. 1977 Fife, after discussion with the breeders of Chartreux, rules that all cats of mixed lineage will be registered with

the letters RIEX attached to indicate an experimental breeding. 1978 The 1972 ruling outlawing all cross breeds is strictly enforced at FFF show in Paris.

Breed Profile Size: Large Size: Medium Origin: France Colour: Only one colour is recognized: BlueGrey (Genetically, this is a diluted black).

Terms used to describe this breed include: friendly, good-natured, accommodating, playful, self-assured, hardy, uncomplaining, quiet, devoted, gentle and placid. Said to like children and dogs. Characteristically lazy until a rodent appears, when it becomes a savage hunter. Owner's Guide Domestic Breed: An old French breed, dating from the 1300s or even earlier. The name of 'Chartreux Cat' was first used for this breed in 1750. It is sometimes referred to as the 'Chartreuse cat', the 'Carthusian Cat', the 'Monastery Cat', or the 'Blue Cat of France'. Sometimes known as the 'smiling cat'. In France it is called the Chat des Chartreux; in Germany it is the Kartuser; in Holland it is the Karthuizer ; and in Italy the Certosino . Appearance: A strong, heavily-built, broad-headed, short-haired, blue coated, orangeeyed cat with rather finely boned legs. Affectionately described by one American breeder as 'a potato on toothpicks'.

History: A cat of obscure origin. As with several other ancient breeds, there are a number of conflicting stories as to how it began: (1) It originated as a cross between an Egyptian Cat and a Manul Cat. There is no scientific evidence whatever to support this fanciful idea. (2) It was originally imported into France, in the 17th century, from the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa by Monks of the Carthusian Order. La Grande Chartreuse, just north of Grenoble, in SE France near the Italian border, was the principal monastery of the Carthusians, a Roman Catholic order established in the year 1084. Renowned for their yellow and green liqueurs, the Carthusian monks have also become famous for their own special breed of monastic cat. The oldest reference to link the monks with this breed is found in Bruslon's 1723 Universal Dictionary, in which he says: It 'is called Chartreux because of the monks of this name who owned the breed first.'. Thirty years later, a little doubt has crept in: 'Chartreux cats, perhaps named because it was the monks of this name that were the first to have this breed.' (Chevalier de Jancourt in the Grand Encyclopaedia of 1753). Unfortunately there is no archival evidence that they ever possessed such a breed. Replying to a query about the Chartreux Cat in 1972, the Prior of the Grand Chartreuse had this to say: 'We have never had the Chartreuse order...at the Cape of Good Hope. As for the subject of a breed of cat which had been of use by the Grand Chartreuse, our archives stand silent. Nothing lets us assume that a breed of this type of cat had been utilized in any epoch of our long history.'. (3) It originated in the Middle East and was given to the Carthusian Monks by the knights returning from the Crusades. The fact that blue-grey cats were recorded from Syria, Cyprus and Malta, all places where the crusaders were active, has been offered in support of this theory. But again, there is no archival evidence that the monks ever received this type of cat. (4) It originated in the Middle East and arrived in Europe about 450 years ago, where it was exploited by the fur trade, its woolly pelts being highly prized for their fine, dense texture. (5) It began in Northern Europe and Siberia, where its thick, woolly coat protected it from the intense cold, and later developed into both the Russian Blue and the Chartreux. If this is true, then the famous Blue Cat of France may simply have been a non-pedigree European domestic, wandering the fields and alleyways until it was taken up as a special breed. An early Encyclopaedia published in London in the 1780s suggests that blue cats were, at that time, the dominant form of domestic feline in France. The author of the encyclopaedia, George Howard, states categorically that : 'In France the cats are all of a bluish-lead colour.'. If either (4) or (5) are correct, they beg an obvious question. How did this cat become associated with the Chartreuse Monastery? A possible answer may lie in a reference to the word 'Chartreux', in Bruslon's 1723 Universal Dictionary. There, mention is made of a fine wool imported into France from Spain, called the 'Pile de Chartreux'. Bearing in mind the very fine, woolly coat of this breed, it may well have been that the cat was named after the wool and that the monks of La Grande Chartreuse had nothing to do with

it. Later, their connection may have been assumed, simply because they had the same name. In this way, legends can easily be born and then repeated time and again until they are part of a widely accepted tradition. Whichever of these stories is true, we do know for certain that the breed is recorded, named and illustrated by Buffon in his 18th century Natural History. And 19th century British authors were also aware of the breed, although by then it seems to have become less common: 'Bluish-grey is not a common colour; this species are styled "Chartreux Cats", and are esteemed rarities'. (Charles Ross, 1868). By the 1920s, French cat breeders had started to take a serious interest in the Chartreux . In 1928, two spinsters, the Leger sisters of the Guerveur Cattery, began a selective breeding programme on the small island known as the Belle-Ile- sur-Mere. Their foundation pair were a male called Coquito and a female called Marquire. They made good progress and, by 1931, were able to exhibit the breed in Paris. Sadly, however, their efforts were interrupted by the chaos of World War II. After the war the breed was barely surviving and the decision was taken to re-construct it using it non-pedigree French cats that had blue-grey coats. This was done until the original shape and style of the Chartreux had been achieved. It is these re-constituted cats that comprise the foundation stock of the modern Chartreux. (This also explains why some authorities now refuse to distinguish between the British Blue, the European Blue and the modern Chartreux.) In 1970 ten of these new Chartreux were imported into the United States by the California breeder Helen Gamon. There, an enthusiastic group of breeders continued to develop them until they had gained championship status. Personality: Terms used to describe this breed include: friendly, good-natured, accommodating, playful, self-assured, hardy, uncomplaining, quiet, devoted, gentle and placid. Said to like children and dogs. Characteristically lazy until a rodent appears, when it becomes a savage hunter. Related breeds: There are several breeds of blue-grey cat and the relationship between them has been hotly disputed for many years. They are: (1) The Russian Blue; (2) The British Blue; (3) The Maltese; (4) The Chartreuse Blue; (5) Blue European Shorthair; (6) Exotic Shorthair Blue. Other blue breeds, not confused with the above, include: (7) The Blue Burmese; (8) Korat; (9) Foreign Blue; (10) Blue Longhair. Colour form: Only one colour is recognized: Blue-Grey (Genetically, this is a 'diluted black'). Bibliography: 1990. Simonnet, J. The Chartreux Cat. Synchro Co., Paris. (Translation of Le Chat des Chartreux , 1989 )

Chartreux Cat Breed Information Guide All About Chartreux Cats and Kittens The Chartreux is a quiet cat, and makes a devoted companion and a good traveler. They are not known for meowing, but emit a sweet chirrup and are experts at purring. Chartreux generally accept children, other pets, and household noises with little fuss. They will even adapt to a harness for getting exercise outside, as long as they decide where to go! Very loveable and affectionate, your Chartreux will love jowl scratches, and will return it with head butting, which is a sign of love. Chartreux owners moving from room to room in their houses soon get used to seeing a grey shadow close behind. They are not demanding, but you might feel a pulling on your leg while seated, indicating that the cat wants to sit on your lap for a while and get a good petting. All in all, Chartreux make wonderful household companions and exhibit consistent devotion to their owners. Its not unusual to find praying Chartreux, like that shown in the photo on the left. Some kittens start this spontaneously when very young; if you see this, you can encourage the little one by dangling a toy in front of the kitten. In any case, it seems to be a quite natural behavior for some Chartreux and they retain this characteristic behavior all their lives, frequently begging for food or affection by this praying attitude. The Chartreux coat is short to medium in length, and ranges from ash to slate grey in color. Plush and wooly in texture, it consists of down hairs close to the skin and longer guard hairs held up by kinkier support hairs. The hair starts out a light color next to the skin and grows darker farther out; the silver tips give the cat a lovely iridescent sheen. The degree of wooliness depends on the age, sex, and habitat of the individual cat. Kittens may show some barring, or faint stripes, and some rings on the tail, which usually disappears by about two years of age. You can see from these two photographs the result of this mixture of hair types: the characteristic breaking or wool-like appearance. The three-year old female on the left shows this beautiful texture to perfection, as well as the desirable flat whisker pads. The male on the right shows the heavy coat to be found on some males as young as three years of age. Your Chartreux will benefit from (and will absolutely adore) a daily brushing to remove the dead hair as it sheds, especially as Winter turns to Spring and then Summer. Ive found that a good tool to use in addition to

a brush is a roller lint remover! When you look your Chartreux in the face, you will be first and foremost struck by the sweet, smiling expression, one of alert intelligence and satisfaction. The eyes will be from orange to a deep copper color, with a slight upward slant to the outer edge. The picture on the left shows a 6 month old male with gorgeous deep copper eyes; that on the right is of a 16 month old female with beautiful orange eyes. The nose is straight and of medium width. The muzzle is small and narrow, with no puffiness to the whisker pads. The ears are medium in height and width, set high on the head and erect. The cats head will sit firmly on a short neck directly on a large, muscular, well-rounded body. The chest will be deep, and the Chartreux will have broad shoulders. The overall impression is of a large cat supported by relatively slender legs and smallish, rounded feet. There is a marked difference between the male and female cats: although the general proportions will be the same, females range from 8 to 14 pounds (3.5 to 6.4 kg), while males range upwards to 20 pounds (9 kg). Now thats a lot of cat! You will be able to note a heavy, muscular appearance, and a short neck. In profile, the cats face will display a gentle slope to the nose; the ears will be very well proportioned and set high on a massive head. The standard Chartreux tail is moderate in length, heavy at the base and oval at the tip. Further Reading About Chartreux Cats: 1 Cat Fanciers: Chartreux Cat FAQ Answers questions about this natural French 6 Simple Steps to Find your Dream Chartreux kitten 23/06/2012 balladebleue Carthusian Cat, Chartreux cat, kitten, Pets Leave a comment 1. Please do your homework and study several breeders websites and compare the way their Chartreux cats and kittens are presented.. in terms of pedigrees and pictures to identify the Chartreux kitten/cat that fits your expectations and also try to have an idea of the kind of breeder you are inquiring. For a good idea how a Charteux kitten/cat looks.. please have a look at the pictures at the link below: http://www.flickr.com/photos/59624874@N04/ Without any doubt, quality breeders announce their litters on their website upfront and identify clearly the parents of their kittens. Be careful with breeders who refuse to share basic information.

Equally important: try to find information about how well the kittens are socialized. As a rule of thumb the more Chartreux cats and their kittens are integrated in normal family life .. the better..The most important part of the socialization phase for a kitten is between 0-6 weeks.. Be cautious with breeders with too many breeds and too many different animals to care for..as there is only so much time in a day.. and pets need a lot of attention to be happy. Another potential clue is to check if the address of the VET who regularly follows the health of the breeders Chartreux cats and kittens is mentionned on the breeders website. I believe that providing this information is a sign that a breeder has a long term relation with a professional VET to care for the well being of his Chartreux cats which is a positive sign to be taken into account in the overall assessment of a breeders seriousness.

2. Compare the information given in the breeders website to the information provided with other available sources of information such as official Chartreux breed association websites.. and look for breeders who are members of such organizations. 3. Once you have identified a range of breeders that may be of interest to you send an

email to Mr Goetz in Germany to ask access to the Chartreux pedigree database. Access is free and it is not restricted to breeders.. Mr. Goetz email address is: kartaeuser@ligne-bleu.de In the Chartreux Pedigree database you can find out more about the ancestors of the kittens you are interested in inlcuding their degree of cosanguinity. Chartreux cats are rare and for this reason breeders can not avoid completely that their Chartreux cats are family to each other. But some Chartreux are more related to each other than others.. As a rule of thumb.. the lower the degree of consanguinity the better.. less than 10 percent inbreeding is excellent, less than 15 percent inbreeding is very good, more than 20 percent of inbreeding is not recommendable. You may ask why the consanguinity percentage should bother you? Well, the probability of inheriting genetic diseases increases with a higher percentage of cosanguinity.. If the breeder you are having in mind does not have any pedigree filed in the Chartreux database.. well ..extra caution may be wise here. 4. Adopting a Chartreux kitten in your life is the equivalent of being your best friends best man at his wedding..Be prepared to wait for your dream kitten and to travel.. to bring the kitten to your home. This is such a very special occasion, no matter how far you have to travel.. it is worth the extra miles.. If logistical problems are really impeding you to make your choice, try to discuss this with the breeder.. many times solutions can be found.. go for the gold not for anything less because of distance.

5. Present yourself in a honest and truthful manner to the breeders of your choice. If you are looking for a kitten for breeding purposes be clear about your intentions and be prepared to answer the questions the breeder will ask you.

Quality Chartreux breeders are in most cases family breeders who have selected very carefully their Chartreux and take a lot of pleasure in nurturing their newborn kittens and finding new families for them. Any breeder can tell you about the dozens of emails they recieve without any signature, address or telephone nr .. just inquiring about the availability or the price. Please contact the breeders in an open manner, do mention your name and address in an email.. Most Chartreux kittens cost between 850-1000 Euro..in Europe..including microchip and vaccins. In some case the price may be higher.. 6. NEVER BUY A KITTEN WHEN YOU CAN NOT CHECK THE KITTEN S ORIGIN/BREEDER AND PLEASE DO NOT SUPPORT BREEDING FARMS AS DEPICTED IN THE PICTURE BELOW THROUGH YOUR PURCHASE/IGNORANCE. If you do want to adopt a kitten without knowing the breeder please adopt a kitten (or cat) from an animal shelter. Although the picture below depicts litte dogs.. breeding farms also exist with cats. Like you, I wish every kitten/puppy a good life..but when you adopt kittens from breeding farms.. more kittens/puppies in these deplorable circumstances.. will be bred so instead of helping you make things to become worse.

Finally, I wish you good luck and a pleasant journey in searching and finding your dream Chartreux kitten..if you have further questions, just let me know, See you soon or hope to hear from you, Ballade Bleue http://chatterie-la-ballade-bleue.com/home.html https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?

set=a.127354270677361.32848.100002083663732&type=3#!/ballade.bleue http://www.flickr.com/photos/59624874@N04/

3 Reasons Why a

Chartreux/Carthusian Cat is a Blessing in Your Life 22/06/2012 balladebleue Carthusian Cat, Chartreux cat, Pets, Uncategorized 1 Comment

A Chartreux cat embodies Jacques Brels most famous song.. ne me quitte pas.. je serais lombre de ton ombre..he is the most loyal and faithful compagnion you can dream of. The Chartreux will watch television with you .. have breakfast with you and will be walking from room to room with you.. enjoying your company. Famous artists and writers were inspired by the presence of their Chartreux cats A Chartreux has a striking beauty.. but plays it very low key.. only when you see your Chartreux in action when playing you will discover the agility and smoothness of his movements and his beautiful proportions as you can see on the following link:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/59624874@N04/ A Chartreux enjoys excellent health, travels easily and will adopt to allmost all circumstances of your life without being a burden. Why do you think a Chartreux cat is your best friend? Please drop a line or visit our site to find out more about these wonderful compagnions, http://chatterie-la-ballade-bleue.com/home.html https://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=hp#!/ballade.bleue