PKC - Chartreux

A sturdy, shorthaired French breed coveted since antiquity for its hunting prowess and woolly, water-repellent coat. The Chartreux is one of the oldest known cat breeds, and perhaps one of the first imports as well. They were brought to French monasteries by knights returning from the Crusades; genetically, they bear remarkable resemblance to cats from the Near East rather than French cats, which lends credence to the story. Although traditional breed folklore held that they were named for the Carthusian monastic order, history now suggests that they were named for a Spanish wool bearing a similar texture as their coat. By tradition, all kittens born in a year are given a name beginning with a specific letter of the alphabet; they use only 20 letters, omitting K, Q, W, X, Y, and Z.

Type & judging remarks
Its husky type is sometimes called primitive, for it is neither cobby nor classic, and breeders describe them as “potatoes on toothpicks” due to their muscular, round bodies on short, fine-boned legs. Its character is an important part of the breed and breeders select as much for strength, intelligence, and amenability as much as breed type. Some judges argue that they are the only cat breed for whom balance and harmony are not ideal, as the legs and the body are not required to look like they belong to the same cat.