Chausie

Chausie
An adult Chausie cat.
Alternative names	Jungle Curl Stone Cougar Mountain Cougar
Breed standard
TICA	standard
Cat (Felis catus)

A Chausie (pronounced /ˈtʃaʊsi/; also known as Jungle Curl, Stone Cougar, Mountain Cougar^[1]) is a hybrid of the domestic cat (Felis silvestris catus) and the Jungle Cat (Felis chaus).^[2] Despite their wild appearance, they are domestic.

[edit] Breeding history

Generations are identified by F1, F2 and F3, with F1 being the offspring of the original cat and the jungle cat mating. Males in the F1 to F4 generations are usually sterile. The domestic cat breed most widely used for Chausies is the Abyssinian, because they have the same look and active habits as a Jungle Cat, but are very much smaller. A Chausie, due to the various sizes of the parents, can weigh between 15 and 30 pounds (when full grown, the males are larger than the females). They were first bred in the late '60s or '70s to provide a safer alternative to keeping full jungle cats as pets. The breed was granted registration status with TICA in March 1995. In February 2001, the breed's status was changed to allow only animals four generations or more removed (F4) from the wild cat into show halls. It was changed to Advanced New Breed (ANB) status as of May 2003.^[3][4]

[edit] Appearance and behaviour

Chausie males typically weigh about 25 pounds, while females tend to be smaller. They appear to be found in colours of 3- brown ticked tabby, solid black and silver-tipped black. Their ears are notably special- a large mobile-type. Individuals considering keeping Chausies should be aware of the cats' much larger requirement for space and activity. They are very loyal to their family and like other pets. Digestive tract problems have been occasionally associated with this breed; some cats may be gluten-intolerant, and have trouble digesting commercial cat food which contains wheat or other gluten grains. Similar to other large cats, Chausies can take up to 2 or 3 years to reach full size. The size depends on the size of their parents. The females are usually smaller in size. The common weight of a chausie is between 15-30 pounds, when they are full grown. Chausies are known for their speed and nearly six foot vertical leap.

[edit] References