The breed of Chartreux has been in existence from as long back as the sixteenth century. It is believed that the monks belonging to the ‘Order of Kartuizer monks’ bred them in the hilly areas of France in order to keep the rodents in the monastry at bay.
This breed was very close to extinction after the Second World War, but the efforts put in by some breeders in Europe saved them. The first of this breed made its way to the US when they were brought in from Europe by a couple who were on a holiday.
The males mature between 4 to 5 years and weigh about 12 to 16 pounds while the females mature by 3 years and weigh about 7 to 10 pounds. This feline has bluish grey coat which is easy to maintain and eyes close to gold or copper color. They are fond of company, fast learners, affectionate, and intelligent. They are usually quiet and have a chirpy voice.
One should feed them a balanced diet. They have few health issues like small and closely set incisor teeth which may need to be extracted when the permanent teeth grows. One should visit the vet regularly in order to keep problems related to gums and teeth at bay. Another problem which occurs in this breed is gingivitis. Many cats of this breed also suffer from patellar luxation, which commonly means displacement of the knee-cap. In serious cases, this can even lead to lameness. On an average, this breed is seen to have a life expectancy of 15 years.
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The breed of Chartreux is muscular and large sized. They have fine-boned limbs and big sized paws as well. They are very attractive, have good reflexes, make good hunters, intelligent and alert. They have a coat which is slightly bluish in color, expressive and sharp golden or copper colored eyes, and erect ears. Their uniqueness lies in their long and tapering muzzle which gives an impression of the cat smiling. Hence the alternate name, ‘smiling cat’.