The following standard is the most recent copy submitted to TICA.

HEAD........………………………….......(Total of area 40)

SHAPE.........................3 points
EARS...........................7 points
EYES...............….….…...4 points
CHIN......................…….7 points
MUZZLE.......................7 points
NOSE.....................….…5 points
PROFILE...........……….....5 points
NECK...................….....2 points

BODY.................……………….....(Total of area 40)

TORSO........................8 points
LEGS...................……...8 points
FEET..........................4 points
TAIL.................………...4 points
BONING.........….………....8 points
MUSCULATURE.............8 points

COAT/COLOR/PATTERN............(Total of area 20)

TEXTURE....................8 points
PATTERN....................8 points
COLOR.......................4 points

HEAD

SHAPE: Equilateral triangle, medium in size with a long sloping forehead and high angular cheekbones.  The muzzle is long and squared at the end.  A change in direction at the sides of the muzzle gives the appearance of rounded whisker pads.

EARS: Wide at the base, should be taller than the width of the base and set as much to the side as on top of the head with a slight flare. Ears tufts preferred, but lack of tufts is not a penalty.

CHIN: Strong, full, both in profile and frontal view and with substantial depth.

MUZZLE: Long and squared at the end. A change of direction at the sides of the muzzle gives the appearance of rounded whisker pads.

NOSE: medium-wide with good breadth between the eyes. Nose leather is full and fleshy.

PROFILE: Curve of the forehead should flow into the bridge of the nose with no break. Bridge of nose extends above the eyes; the line of the bridge extends to the nose tip, making a very slight, to nearly straight, concave curve. 

NECK: The neck is long enough to carry the head without the head sitting down on the shoulders, although it is not regarded as a long neck.

BODY

TORSO: Long, lean and substantial; the large rectangular body is strong and athletic, with a full chest and good depth of body.

LEGS: The legs are moderately long, well muscled with medium boning. The hind legs are slightly longer than the front, as the cat is built for running and leaping.

FEET: The feet are proportionately small and round. Five toes in front, four toes in the rear. Absolutely no polydactyl feet.

TAIL: The Chausie has a 3/4 length tail that extends just past the hock. This is the result of a normal length tail from the Jungle Cat with fewer vertebras. Full-length tails are acceptable, though not preferred.

BONING: The Chausie is a medium to large boned cat with legs that are long, lithe, but still substantial enough to carry the Chausie with grace and elegance.

MUSCULATURE: The musculature of the Chausie is similar to "swimmers" muscles...long and flat rather than bulky.

COAT

LENGTH: The coat is semi-short and resilient with enough length to accommodate at least two bands of ticking.  No longhaired cats should be used in the Chausie breeding program. Length: Short to medium. Allowance for slightly longer coat in kittens.

TEXTURE: a dense, coarse, resilient coat.

COLORS & PATTERNS:

BROWN TICKED TABBY: a mouse gray color next to the skin with sandy-gray to reddish-gold base coat. The coat will have 2 or more bands of color in the ticking. There will be barring on the tail, upper front legs and to the hock on the back legs and a black tail tip. In addition, there may be faint markings on the face, vertical markings above each eye preferred to the tabby "M", with faint markings only on the body. The backs of the ears will have "thumbprint" markings of a lighter color. A white or off-white color should outline the eyes and muzzle. Nose leather pink to brick red. The underside will range in color from white or off-white to sandy-gold. Some flecking or speckling may occur on the stomach, but not to the degree of belly spots.

BLACK: solid black.

SILVER TIP: a black cat with random silver bands and some silver hairs. Faint markings may occur on the body.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: The Chausie is a large muscular cat, with the males being proportionately larger than the females. The goal of the Chausie program is to create a good-natured domestic cat with the look and beauty of the Jungle Cat. They have large, mobile, tufted ears, long legs and a naturally short tail, reaching to the hock. The Chausie should be amenable to handling and must not show signs of challenge.

ALLOWANCES: Hazel to light green eye color allowed. Full-length tails are acceptable, though not preferred.

PENALIZE: Gooseberry Green eyes. A cat that is refined or too heavily boned. A cat void of tabby markings on the legs or tail. Definite spotting on the body (faint pattern only allowed).

WITHHOLD ALL AWARDS: Tail too short, resulting from a mutated gene (MX /PB/ BB). Tail kinked or lacking flexibility. Polydactyl feet. True mackerel or classic pattern. White lockets. Any colors other than the three allowable colors.

Temperament must be unchallenging; any sign of definite challenge shall disqualify. The cat may exhibit fear, seek to flee, or generally complain aloud but may not threaten to harm.

Updated March 3, 2001 © C K Terry