Chartreux vs Ashera - Breed Comparison | Petzlover

Hailing from the USA, and looking similar to the Savannah Cat, the Ashera is a hybrid breed of cat - an exotic domestic cat known as a designer cat that came about by crossbreeding the African Serval and the Asian Leopard cat.

In fact, the cat was developed fairly recently through genetic manipulation and by the Lifestyle Pets laboratory. Also, some domestic cat was added to the mix as well, giving the cat a beautiful spotted coat similar to that of a leopard as well as some stripes.

Lifestyle Pets stopped producing these cats in 2008 so they’re hard to come by and are very expensive.

Hailing from France, the Chartreux cat is a rare cat breed but is still recognized by a number of cat registries around the world.

It’s not a new breed of cat, and in fact, the Chartreux is mentioned for the first time in 1558 in a poem and later on in paintings. There are quite a few legends as to the origins of the Chartreux and while some believe that the cats were brought to France by monks others believe that the Chartreux's ancestors were feral mountain cats from Syria.

European breeders kept the breed from extinction, especially after the 2nd world war, and the first Chartreux were brought to the United States in 1971. In 1987 the Cat Fancier’s Asociation advanced the Chartreux breed to championship status.

The Ashera cat has large ears with stripes and which are slightly rounded at the top. The eyes are a beautiful greenish-yellow shade.

It's a large cat and can weigh as much as 14kg. The length of the body is long too and can be more than one meter in length. The cat is tall and if it stands up on its hind legs, it will be able to put its front paws on the shoulders of an adult.

People have always fancied owning such a large ‘domestic’ cat. There are different kinds of Ashera cats – the hypoallergenic one, the common Ashera, the snow Ashera, and the royal Aashera which looks much like the common Ashera but just a more rare type.

Temperament:

The Ashera is a very intelligent, independent cat and likes to climb, being a very playful cat, enjoying the company of children.

Because of its wild side, it's always on the lookout for prey. In spite of the cat’s size, it is an amicable cat and will even enjoy going on a walk with a leash. It’s not your traditional aloof cat and is both sociable and vocal and some people liken them to dogs.

Even though the cat enjoys the company of its human family, it doesn’t mind being left alone.

The Chartreux is a large, strong, stocky, muscular cat that can weigh anything between 4 to 7kg while some can weigh as much as 9kg.

He has short legs when compared to the large body. He is known for his blue-like, silver-gray coat. In fact, the color can be any shade in the region of blue-grey. The coat is short, dense and double-coated and he has gold or copper-colored eyes.

People who have owned these cats say that they can take 3 to 4 years to reach maturity. Some people get mixed up and think this cat is very similar to the British Blue but they are two different breeds altogether.

Temperament:

The Chartreux is a real lap-cat just loving being able to settle down into his human owner's lap. It’s a cat with a 'smiling’ face because of the structure of his muzzle.

He is a very affectionate cat and will follow his people much like a dog. He is very intelligent and quiet and adapts well to a new situation. It's a cat that loves to climb so you will need to invest in a climbing tree for him as well as a scratching pole.

He is a good cat for first-time cat owners as well as being a good friend in homes with well brought up children. He is able to be friendly with other pets in the house.

The Ashera cat is beautiful alright but you might battle to get hold of one and they cost a fortune too, being the rare breed it is.

Hybrid cats mean that the breeding of cat species that would never have mated in the first place.

Wild cat breeds belong in the wild. They’re solitary by nature and if they battle to adjust to being in a social setting they land up in a shelter, abandoned as ‘bad news’. People aren’t clever tampering with nature particularly when it’s just to feed the ego of humans who want something unusual and exotic that nobody else has.

There are pet owners who are willing to spend enormous sums of money to own a rare cat such as the Ashera.

If you want an Ashera, there are just a few kittens being made available each year. One thing is sure, they make splendid pets, being playful, loyal, intelligent, and affectionate.

Although this is a large, strong cat, he is actually a gentle feline in nature and he doesn’t like being part of any bickering among his human family, preferring to run away. He also doesn’t like being spoken harshly to when he has done something wrong.

This cat isn’t an extrovert by any means but he isn’t particularly shy either and enjoys spending time with his human family.

He isn’t a demanding cat but is easy-going, just wanting to get on in life and he promises to make you a steady, loyal companion.

The scientists involved with the development of this cat tell us that it can reach up to 25 years of age.

It’s a new cat breed and at this time there are no common diseases that affect this beautiful feline.

Remember that these cats come with an insurance policy and this means that the cat’s veterinary visits will be covered for the entire first year of its life. Your Ashera cat will also be vaccinated and chipped and the cat will have been spayed or neutered before he comes to you.

These cats are particularly prone to dental problems. The reason for this is that their incisors are closely set together and small.

Because of the heaviness of this cat, the Chartreux is also prone to a disease known as patellar luxation or kneecap displacement. This problem can eventually lead to lameness. One way to avoid this particular problem is to rather get your kittens from reputable breeders.

These cats are much inclined towards weightiness so you have to be watching his diet carefully, more so because the cat is prone to patellar luxation.

DIET

The Ashera doesn’t need any special food as they will eat the same cat food that your other cats eat. If you feed your cat commercially manufactured food, make sure its food that is of a high quality.

CARE

Those who have owned an Ashera cat, say tthat looking after an Ashera is much the same as lookijg after your regular domestic cat,

Bedding:

These cats like warmth so make sure you provide him with a warm blanket in his sleeping area.

You won’t have to worry about spaying or neutering your Ashera cat, as they are sterile. The ony place you can buy this cat is from the Lifestyle Pets laboratory. The laboratory implants a chip into the cat and they also undertake to vaccinate the cat for a year.

It’s a low maintenance cat and you can brush the short coat from time to time. Ensuring a good diet will bring about a lustrous, healthy coat.

The cat is intelligent so it will require toys that get him thinking and working things out. Also supply the Ashera with a scratching post.

They Ashera will need the best kind of cat food there is and you will want to ensure he has a good intake of protein and fats to maintain his gorgeous coat and his muscles.

Your Chartreux cat’s dense, double coat will require brushing once or twice a week, especially in the cat’s seasonal shedding period.

This cat doesn't take well to changes in his diet, particularly when he finds a type of food that he likes, then he wants to stick to that. You want to feed your cat a top-quality food to encourage good health but you want to avoid overfeeding as obesity in cats comes with lots of problems. A cat is a carnivore and you therefore need to feed your cat a diet rich in protein. Speak to your vet or another cat expert who can advise you on feeding your cat if you are in any kind of doubt. Make sure your kitty kat has a never-ending supply of fresh, cool water.

Always make a point of checking inside your cat's ears as well as inside his mouth for bad teeth. Bad teeth can cause terrible pain and your pet has no way of communicating this to you.

Have your cat neutered or spayed if you don't want your cat to have kittens.