The Afro-Chausie came about from breeding a few individuals from a species of jungle cat which was native to India, Asia and the Middle East. In other words, this is a cross between a wild cat and a domesticated cat.
It was only in 1995 that the Chausie was recognized as a domestic breed, and by the International Cat Association.
The Chausie breed essentially began in the 1990s, when breeders name the breed Chausie and also developed a breeding program. They received registration status in 1995. Chausies are bred in North America and Europe and in 2003 became a new breed in the United States.
The Chausie is a medium to large cat with a long body and long legs. In fact, the hind legs are somewhat longer than their front legs, and they’re able to easily leap into the air and up onto high perches. Some people say these cats look like Pumas.
The adult Afro-Chausie can weigh between 5 to 9kg and they stand in height from 35cm to 45cm and sometimes taller, both male and female.
The ears of the cat are broad and tall and the almond-shaped eyes are a yellow to green shade. The TICA Chausie breed standard says that the cat comes in 3 colors – a black/brown ticked coats, solid black and black grizzled tabby, but in fact, they come in quite a few other colors and patterns too.
Your Afro-Chausie is an intelligent, loyal, social and athletic cat that is also playful. They love their human companions and will form a deep bond with them, making it difficult to rehome him later on.
They don’t like being alone, in fact to such an extent that they will befriend dogs in the home too. This is such an active cat and you can even train him to walk on a leash.
It’s a cat that also loves water and Similar to Bengals and Savannahs, this breed, too, enjoys water. This cat will form deep bonds with owners, hence rehoming has been known to be particularly challenging with this breed
The Chausie loves human contact and they love games with their human family.
They’re intelligent and are constantly looking for things to do. They are athletic and have plenty of energy. They’re social, playful and make great playmates for children who have been taught to respect animals.
When you bring an Afro-Chausie into your home, you can expect to have a lot of action and entertainment with this beautiful cat.
With good health, your Afro Chausie can live to be anything between 12 – 16 years of age. These cats are prone to developing food allergies, and this is why it is important to feed your Chausie high-quality food.
They’ve got fragile digestive systems and many are gluten intolerant.
All kinds of parasites can invade your Afro-Chausie’s body – internally and externally so be sure to have your Chausie checked over for parasites such as tick and fleas, worms and mites.
Check your Chausie for putting on too much weight as these cats have a huge appetite.
You just have to bear in mind that these cats can develop any of the illnesses that other domesticated cats get
With their short coats, they only need to be brushed once a week as they are moderate shedders.
Provide your cat with a quiet place to sleep and which is comfortable and dry.
A cat tree can be useful for allowing your cat to climb and scratch.
Chausies are essentially meat-eaters. They don’t want to eat fruit and nuts. One of the Chausie’s ancestors was a wild cat and this is why they don’t eat the same foods as what your dog does.
Every cat thrives on a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet. A dog’s diet with scraps from the table as well as human food can be fatal for your Chausie if it becomes your cat’s regular food.
He requires a diet of quality meat – beef, chicken, fish and organs – all foods that are easily digestible for your cat. Cats also need taurine from muscle meat such as shellfish and fish.
Always make sure your Chausie has access to a constant supply of fresh, cool water.