Chausie Cat: Breed Info, Pictures, Temperament & Traits

If you’re a fan of exotic cat breeds, chances are that you’ve come across the Chausie. While we’re not psychic, we’re assuming that’s probably why you’re here—and we can’t blame you.

Breed Overview

The Chausie is a stunningly impressive specimen that has both wild and domestic roots. They are significantly larger than traditional house cats and some owners might claim that these felines are more like dogs than cats. Let’s see what you think!

Chausie Cat Characteristics

Chausie Kittens

Chausie kittens didn’t come about until the 1990s when breeders crossed two unique partners—the ancient Abyssinian and non-domestic jungle cats (Felis chaus). Now, you can find them for sale by reputable breeders who preserve the authenticity of the breed.

Since the Chausie is exotic and rare, they might be hard to come by. Research will be necessary—and you might even have to travel out of state or join a waiting list.

The likelihood of finding a Chausie at a shelter or rescue is slim to none—but never say never. If you do, you can expect the shelter to include routine vet care like vaccines, deworming, spay or neuter surgery, and microchipping.

You might also find someone unable to care for their cat—such as an older adult or someone going through life changes. If so, you might get lucky and pay significantly less, but don’t bank on this situation.

Temperament & Intelligence of the Chausie

The Chausie is revered for its incredible intelligence, learning concepts with ease. These are wonderfully capable cats, and they may be even too smart for their own good sometimes.

Since they have wild roots, they are fiercely independent. While they are super amiable with family members and other pets, they don’t rely on you for much.

Because they are so athletic and have wild blood, they usually have very high prey drives. It’s not unusual to find a mouse on your stoop or find them salivating over birds out the window.

In the home, they are very curious and interactive with family members. They are the type to want in on all your business. Chausies are incredibly loyal and responsive to human-feline relationships.

Chausies can be real goofballs. They will keep you laughing with their silly antics and curious displays. Even-tempered and dependable, these cats will be your best pals and a top source of entertainment.

Are These Cats Good for Families? 👪

Chausies make exceptional additions to many living situations. However, they do thrive on interaction with others—human and critter alike. So, we recommend always having a friend nearby for your Chausie to hang out with.

These cats are wonderful with children and make awesome pets. However, since they are larger than normal house cats, play can get pretty rough sometimes. For this reason, we recommend the Chausie for children 6 and older.

Even though these are exceptional animals, due to their size and activity level, we don’t recommend them for small living spaces or senior citizens.

Does This Breed Get Along with Other Pets?

Even though they thrive on human companionship, they love their own kind just as much. So, if you spend long hours away from home, it will be fine as long as they have a best buddy willing to get into mischief.

They aren’t too picky when it comes to company, but they do best with feline friends. That doesn’t mean they won’t snuggle up to the family dog—they just love having another cat around.

Also, this breed especially should never be around smaller animals—particularly not unattended. They have insanely high prey drives, making them a danger to small rodents, fish, and birds.

Things to Know When Owning a Chausie:

Food & Diet Requirements

Even though Chausies have no specific dietary restrictions, there are some recommendations we can make. Ultimately, check with your vet to determine the best diet plan.

Since Chausie cats have wild roots and grow to a substantial size, grain-free diets with low carbs and high protein are ideal. Because these cats are highly athletic, they require cat food that nourishes muscles and bone, but it doesn’t have to be carb-dense.

Many owners provide raw or homemade diets for their Chausie to ensure they get the exact combination of ingredients to promote a healthy lifestyle.

If you choose to go this route, always make sure to run your chosen recipe by the professionals to ensure the nutrients are balanced.

Keep in mind that a Chausie will consume more than a regular-sized cat—so be mindful of ongoing dietary expenses.

Exercise 🐈

You won’t really have to persuade your Chausie to exercise—they probably will with or without you. It might be your cat coaxing you to play—not so much the other way around.

Chausies are highly motivated to move—which includes exercising their arms and claws for optimal hunting capabilities. Having various scratching posts will protect your belongings from falling victim to shredding.

Did we mention that the Chausie is a phenomenal jumper? It’s true—as we mentioned earlier, they can make bounds up to six feet directly up from the ground without hesitation. Isn’t that astonishing?

So, having a Chausie-friendly home requires tons of activities, toys, scratching posts, and even wall climbs or bridges. You can get really creative with your items and even try your hand at doing several fun DIY projects on sites like Pinterest.

Training 🧶

If you’re looking for a feline you can train without any problem, the Chausie is a top-notch candidate. They are brilliant in every regard—very keen, very agile, and very attentive.

These cats can not only learn basic concepts like litter training and simple commands—they can get even more advanced than that. These cats can learn to walk on a leash, perform advanced tricks, and listen to strict commands.

Granted, you have to keep up with their thirst for knowledge and desire to learn. So, this is an equal partnership full of training possibilities.

Grooming ✂️

The Chausie is a master of her own grooming. You won’t need to spend hours taming a wild mane—their short hair and excellent hygiene skills take care of the hard work.

However, to remove dead fur, excess dirt, or debris, it’s a good idea to set aside time for weekly brushing. Also, regular maintenance like teeth brushing, ear cleaning, and nail clipping are equally essential to keep up with.

Health and Conditions 🏥

As kittens, your Chausie will get to know their vet quite well in the first year of life. They will need routine care like deworming, vaccinations, and growth monitoring. Also, before they reach sexual maturity, it’s a terrific idea to spay or neuter unless you’re a breeder.

After that, visits slow significantly, requiring a minimum of one annual visit.

Chausies are generally healthy cats, but because they can take on health issues from Either parent breed, they might have some issues similar to the Abyssinian cat. Staying on top of regular vet care will help you avoid or manage the issues.

Male vs Female

The male Chausie is quite stunning in his own right. Massive, powerful, and agile, this guy definitely has a presence.

Female Chausies are usually sleeker and slightly smaller with more feminine features—like thinner heads and lighter frames.

Females surprisingly tend to make better hunters. In the wild, this isn’t all that unnatural, as females are generally responsible for most of the group kills. Since they are so closely rooted to their wild ancestors, this is pretty standard.

When it comes to personality, it’s hard to pin down as it varies from cat to cat. We recommend getting the gender that works best for your lifestyle or living situations.

3 Little-Known Facts About the Chausie Cat

1. You can teach your Chausie to walk on a leash.

Since the Chausie is so intelligent, learning to walk mannerly on a lead is a real piece of cake. We recommend getting them started early so they can get used to it.

2. Chausie cats are absolute masters at jumping.

You better be ready for some ninja moves. Chausies can jump 6 feet off the ground in a single motion.

3. Chausies have wild roots—literally.

Chausies share DNA with jungle cats, so they have a different demeanor and larger size than most traditional house cats.

In fact, in some states, it isn’t legal to own a Chausie because they are so closely related to wild cats. Some areas want them to be at least four generations removed from their jungle cat ancestors to weed out wild traits and accustom fully to domestication.

Final Thoughts

The impressive Chausie is great to admire, but the reality of owning this cat won’t be for everyone. After all, they do require a decent amount of space to express themselves through play, hunting exercises, and mental stimulation.

So, if you think you’re a match for the amiable wild-hearted Chausie, look for a breeder near you.

Featured Image Credit: Peakpx