Chartreux: France's Quiet Blue Cat

The Chartreux cat breed is one of France's most celebrated national treasures, a breed with documented history stretching back at least four centuries, associated with the Carthusian monastic order, depicted in 18th-century French painting and owned by the writer Colette.

It is a cat of substantial physical presence: heavily boned, muscular and compact, with a distinctive blue-grey woolly coat and an expression that appears permanently, gently amused, what French breeders call the "Chartreux smile."

Despite its ancient pedigree, the Chartreux came close to extinction during the Second World War, and its survival as a breed is owed to the dedication of a small number of French breeders who rebuilt the population from a remnant on the island of Belle-Île off the Brittany coast.

---

History: Monks, Wool, and War

The Chartreux is first mentioned in 1558 by the poet Joachim du Bellay. In the 18th century the naturalist Buffon gave the first documented description of the breed, and it became associated with the Grande Chartreuse monastery of the Carthusian order near Grenoble, though documentary evidence linking the cats directly to the monastery's breeding is limited.

The poet Joachim du Bellay (1522-1560) wrote an elegy for his Chartreux, "Vers Funèbres d'un Petit Chat," one of the earliest documented instances of a cat as the subject of literary mourning. The writer Colette (1873-1954), who kept Chartreux cats throughout her life, described them in several works. Charles de Gaulle reportedly kept a Chartreux.

The breed's population was devastated by the upheaval of the World Wars. After the Second World War, breeders on Belle-Île-en-Mer, notably the Léger sisters, began breeding the best remaining cats, and a later effort by European breeders kept the Chartreux from extinction.

The CFA recognised the Chartreux in 1987. TICA recognises the breed as well.

---

Physical Characteristics

The Chartreux's physical type is distinctive and different from any other blue cat breed.

Body. The Chartreux has a "primitive" body type, broad-chested, heavily muscled, and dense-boned. Adult males are notably larger and more substantial than females. The substantial body sits on relatively short, fine-boned legs.

Coat. This breed's coat measures short to medium in length with a woolly texture that is denser and more textured than in typical short-coated breeds. A slight break in the coat comes from the thick undercoat beneath.

Colour. Blue only, in all shades from ash grey to a warm, lighter grey. No markings, no white, no other colours.

Head. The head is broad and rounded, with full cheeks and a slightly tapering muzzle that creates a permanent appearance of a small smile, the famous "Chartreux smile." The nose is medium short with a slight break. The ears are medium, set high.

Eyes. Round, large and vividly coloured, the preferred and most prized eye colour is brilliant copper to gold, though all shades from gold to orange are accepted. Green is not preferred.

---

Physical Characteristics at a Glance

Feature	Detail
Body type	Robust, heavily muscled, broad-chested
Coat	Short-medium, woolly texture, dense undercoat
Colour	Blue only (all shades from ash to warm grey)
Eye colour	Copper to gold (brilliant orange preferred)

---

The Chartreux Smile

The Chartreux's expression is one of its most remarked-upon characteristics. The combination of broad cheeks, a slightly tapering muzzle and high-set, alert eyes creates a permanent expression that observers consistently describe as a gentle smile or a look of serene amusement.

The cat is not expressing any emotional smile, this is purely structural, yet it gives the Chartreux a distinctive appearance that no other breed matches and that adds substantially to the breed's charm.

---

Temperament

The Chartreux is known for a calm, gentle and observant temperament. The breed is described as intelligent but undemanding, present and interested without being intrusive.

Key characteristics:

Quiet. The Chartreux is one of the quietest cat breeds. Many individuals almost never vocalise, and when they do the voice is often surprisingly soft. The breed communicates through body language, presence and occasional soft chirps rather than meowing.

Observant. The Chartreux watches household activity with focused attention. It notices everything but rarely reacts dramatically. This observant quality, combined with its stillness, gives the breed an air of wisdom that owners consistently remark upon.

Loyal but not clingy. The Chartreux bonds with its family and enjoys company, but it is not a demanding lap cat. It will be in the room, watching, present, but it does not insist on physical contact. On its own terms, it is affectionate.

Calm with children and other animals. The Chartreux's equanimity makes it a reliable family cat. It does not tend to startle, scratch unpredictably, or react aggressively. It may withdraw from a situation rather than fight.

Athletic despite appearance. Despite the stocky body, Chartreux cats are athletic, good hunters and capable of surprising bursts of speed and agility. They enjoy play but are not frantic, their play style tends to be focused and deliberate.

---

Health

The Chartreux is generally a healthy breed. One condition warrants attention:

Patellar luxation , displacement of the kneecap from its normal position, has been reported in the breed at some frequency. This can range from mild (intermittent skip in gait) to severe (painful, limiting mobility). Reputable breeders should screen for this.

---

Cross-Links and Related Articles

• Russian Blue
• Korat
• Nebelung
• British Shorthair
• Senior Cat Nutrition Guide