# could my cat be a chartreux, or a mix of chartreux?



## Bambi

Hello everyone. I've had this question about my cat, Lenore, for ages. 

8 years ago, she appeared in our backyard one morning and refused to leave. She was 6 months at the time. There was no doubt that she was lost, because she was a beautiful cat in perfect conditions. We looked for her owners everywhere, asked at some local animal shelters, asked all around the neighbourhood, but never found them, so we decided to keep her. 

When the veterinary saw her, he was very impressed. He said he's never seen one of these cats, and he thought she might be a British Blue or a Chartreux. I've read about these breeds and she really matches the description of Chartreux cats: her coat is very different from all the other cats I've ever seen. It's thick, but extremly soft. It's also completly grey, making her feet and ears look silver sometines. She also has a muscular body and rather short legs. She's also very quiet. Back when she was a kitten we thought she was mute (she's become "chattier" now that she's older).

I know Chartreux are extremly rare these days (and I'm chilean, so even more in my country), however, I can't help but thinking she might have some Chartreux in her. We don't really know where she came from, so our little Leo is quite a mystery! I know that without papers she's a DMH, but I'm just curious 

Anyways, here's some pictures:



















(this is her when was less than a year, i think)



























Her coat is grey, but I think the daylight gave it this reddish shade in this pic:









Tell me what you guys think!


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## marie73

I'll tell you basically what everyone else will:

You'll never know for sure, but Lenore is GORGEOUS!!!!!


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## cloa513

*Best chance is to ask a club like this*

*Les Amis des Chartreux (USA)* 
CFA affiliated Chartreux breed club since 1983. The club publishes a newsletter, "Griffonage", and gives the Gamon Award to CFA's highest scoring Chartreux kitten, adult, and premier. Contact: Kitty Kisrow, 202 Scott Ave, Nashville, TN 37206


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## Bambi

Thank you Marie!!!  and Cloa, thanks for your information too!


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## Lenkolas

She is stunning. I'd love to have a grey kitty like yours someday 

You mentioned local shelters, are there shelters in Temuco? WHat kind of shelters? 

Saludos! :wink


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## catloverami

I rather doubt Chartreaux as they are quite rare. I used to only see the odd one at shows and mostly none at all. To me he looks like he may be a Russian Blue/mix. RB's do have short dense plush feel to the silky coat, and the purebred ones have each hair tipped in white which gives a beautiful silvery sheen on the coat, and usually their pawpads are lavender-pink or mauve, and have distinctive _*green*_ eyes. In a mix you likely wouldn't get the green eye color or the mauve pawpads, but the shape of his face and profile and more muscular build are reminiscent to me of an "old style" RB, as opposed to what you'd see in shows today which are a more refined and slender cat.


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## Bambi

catloverami said:


> I rather doubt Chartreaux as they are quite rare. I used to only see the odd one at shows and mostly none at all. To me he looks like he may be a Russian Blue/mix. RB's do have short dense plush feel to the silky coat, and the purebred ones have each hair tipped in white which gives a beautiful silvery sheen on the coat, and usually their pawpads are lavender-pink or mauve, and have distinctive _*green*_ eyes. In a mix you likely wouldn't get the green eye color or the mauve pawpads, but the shape of his face and profile and more muscular build are reminiscent to me of an "old style" RB, as opposed to what you'd see in shows today which are a more refined and slender cat.


Thanks for you opinion! I didn't know about "old school" RB, I'm familiar with the modern breed, and Lenore definetly looks more on the heavier side, hahaha


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## Bambi

Lenkolas said:


> She is stunning. I'd love to have a grey kitty like yours someday
> 
> You mentioned local shelters, are there shelters in Temuco? WHat kind of shelters?
> 
> Saludos! :wink


Hi!! They're not exactly shelters :/ I couldn't find the right word so I used that one instead, but they're just veterinary clinics. People usually give advice to these clinics when their pets are lost.

ps: your cats are so beautiful!!


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## catloverami

Bambi said:


> Thanks for you opinion! I didn't know about "old school" RB, I'm familiar with the modern breed, and Lenore definetly looks more on the heavier side, hahaha


Rather than "old style", try a search for photos on _"Traditional Russian Blue"_. I did see one (and now can't find it!) and it looked a lot like your cat.


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