I think I may have rescued a beautiful Chartreux

I think I may have rescued a beautiful Chartreux

by Jennifer
(Pennsauken, NJ, USA)

Smudge

Smudge

About 5 years ago I decided my domestic shorthair, a black cat named Mr.BoJangles needed a cat-companion. He seemed bored all the time, didn't want to play, and was showing a lot of aggression and discouraging behavior.

So I went to the local shelter here in New Jersey and fell in love with a gorgeous male kitten (or so I thought, they told me he was actually at least a year old and possibly two) who had the softest gray fur I'd ever felt and shimmered like he was dusted in glitter.

I named him Smudge because of his smokey gray coloring. He was so sweet tempered when I played with him that I thought he was declawed, which he is not.

He has still never used claws in play with humans. I also thought he was mute, because you would see his mouth open but hear no sound. So I got my new cat home, the two bonded immediately, and all is well.

However I got to wondering exactly what type of cat I had gotten. In the 6 years I've had him, he's gone from kitten size to being 13lbs.

He has short little legs, acts "boneless" (he gets into these crazy positions that should be hard even for a cat). He also does this odd thing I call "roosting" where he lays his head on his side, while leaning against a wall, and sleeps almost like a sleeping bird would.

It looks uncomfortable, but he does it all the time. Also, he has developed a very powerful voice. The cat I thought was mute, went from making no noise, to mewing very very lightly, and now that he's 8 years old he is as loud as any other cat.

He is very attached to me, and me alone. He's friendly but a bit skittish with other people. So my question is, did I rescue a Chartreux?

It's hard to believe one of these gorgeous cats was left at a shelter, but you never know. Please let me know your thoughts. I have included a picture of Smudge at 6 years old.

Jennifer


Hi Jennifer... thanks for asking. My immediate feeling is that Smudge is a Chartreux. He has a special purebred look. You don't get that sort of appearance in random bred cats. In short he looks selectively bred.

However, you have no pedigree to prove he is a Chartreux and they are pretty rare as far as I am aware.

Also his eye color is not copper or orange. That is the breed standard for this cat.

All that said, you may well have a Chartreux. The problem is we can only speculate because you can't say for sure a cat is purebred from appearance alone. You need records of parentage etc.

Smudge sounds like a interesting cat and a great companion. And as I said he looks special. I have seen thousands of cats in building this site and only rarely have I seen a cat that I think is purebred when a visitor asks. This is one of those occasions.

Incidentally I have also see a blue Russian bred British Shorthair who looks a bit like this (large cheeks). But Smudge's muzzle seems to be perfect Chartreux.

Best
Michael

Comments for
I think I may have rescued a beautiful Chartreux

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May 22, 2012 Rescue cats are special indeed !! NEW
by: Anonymous

Jennifer:

So nice of you to adopt a cat from shelter, the rewards are great, he's a very handsome boy & does look like a Chartreux. Late summer 1976 we were adopted by a young cat that we learned later was a Russian Blue, he had enormous almond shaped vivid green eyes, slim build & very partial to my husband.

Please read "Keke,our Russian Blue adopted us" he was highly intelligent, loved to ride in cars/trucks & other unusual behavior for a cat. Sadly we lost him late October 1988 due to kidney failure. Almost 24 yrs later he still missed & remembered for his antics.Rescuing cats does bring great rewards that stay fresh in our minds for a long time.

keenpetite

Southeast Arizona (USA)


May 22, 2012 Smudge NEW
by: Ruth

Smudge does look like a Chartreux but whether he is or not he is a very handsome boy and I admire you very much for adopting him from a Shelter as there are so many cats in them in need of good homes.

Kattaddorra signature Ruth


May 21, 2012 I knew it! NEW
by: Jennifer

Hi Michael, thanks for your comments. The only thing that made me wonder was the eye color, also. When he was younger, his eyes were more orangey than they are now, Obviously now they are yellow. I've never seen a cat's eyes change color before, but this ones did! Anyway thanks for your feedback, I always knew my little guy (who's now a big guy) was special! If he is indeed a Chartreux, and we'll never know for sure, I would highly reccommend them to others even though they are extreamly rare. In fact, I would just hope that the real moral of my story is that sometimes you can go to a shelter and come away with a beautiful little baby, purebred or not, who will steal your heart.


2 thoughts on “I think I may have rescued a beautiful Chartreux”

  1. The author of the best comment will receive an Amazon gift of their choice at Christmas! Please comment as they can add to the article and pass on your valuable experience.
  2. Just rescued a one year old female cat, she’s blue /silver and has cooper penny colored eye’s, I’d like to know what letter was used for the Charteuse cat born in 2016.

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