The direct result of a cross-breeding a domestic cat and a jungle cat, the Chausie is a hybrid breed that looks a lot like an Abyssinian on steroids, weighing up to 30 pounds.
Relatively new to the domestic cat scene, a Chausie unites the dignified, majestic appearance of a wild cat with the faithful and familiar character of a domesticated one.
Jungle Cat Origins
However, the need for exercise and freedom of its wild ancestors remains in the Chausie, and that is something you should definitely be aware of if you’re thinking of bringing one into a domestic setting such as a household.
The name “Chausie” is derived from the felis chaus, a south central asian wildcat, which, together with Abyssinians, breeders began breeding this hybrid cat starting in the 1990’s.
Here is a picture of a felis chaus, which is a slightly larger and more feral version of the Chausie. This literal jungle specimen might look a little out of place wandering around your living room, as you can see.
Athletic
Like its direct ancestor, the domesticated Chausie has a very athletic, long body, with a relatively short tail. The long legs, in which the rear ones are slightly longer than the front ones, show that it is an excellent jumper and runner. This is, of course, due to his ancestors time spent running around the jungle and being very un-domesticated.
In fact, the agile Chausie can jump up to 6 feet in the air – far higher than your average domesticated feline. He or she is definitely a leaper! As such, this breed of cat needs a lot of exercise, preferably outdoors, as you’d expect.
His wedge-shaped head, high cheekbones, cougar-esque snout, and wide-set eyes are all very exotic and regal looking. The well-shaped chin and rounded ears with the characteristic tufts of hair are reminiscent of a lynx.
Habits, Temperament, Diet, and More!
Despite its wild appearance, the Chausie is a loving, playful, and cuddly cat, who likes to be close to its humans.
However, from time to time, he or she gets the urge to hunt. On their outdoor adventures, the Chausie hunts mice and birds, which they often brings as offerings to their human family. There is still something wild about this open and friendly domestic cat.
Overall, it’s a judgement call if you think you can handle having this cat around your home and family. It’s rather large, and robust, and could easily knock over a lamp or coffee onto a laptop with the flick of its tail. That’s not to say it isn’t a beautiful cat – it is, without question. But as far as taking one on as a pet, there are certain considerations you’ll want to think about.
You also will want to think about the Chausie’s diet, which is ideally gluten-free and all meat. Having the right diet is crucial for a Chausie, as it was originally a jungle animal. No grains or veggies, please, or it’ll just inflame their digestive tract.
In addition, Chausies aren’t the type of cat you’d want to leave alone for the whole day in your house. It’s much too fiesty and frisky and in need of interaction to just leave it in a house or apartment for an extended period.
In terms of grooming, Chausies are fairly low maintenance, requiring only periodic brushing, due to their short hair.
Here are some additional Chausie cat videos for you to check out, in order to get a better sense of what this breed is like:
