Chausie Cat Names, Names For Chausie Kittens, Page 5

The Chausie is the less-famous wild-blood hybrid. Where the Bengal traces to the Asian Leopard Cat and the Savannah to the African Serval, the Chausie traces to the **Jungle Cat (*Felis chaus*)** — a small wild cat whose range stretches from the Nile Delta and the Caucasus through Iran and South Asia to the wetlands of Southeast Asia. The breed name derives directly from the Latin species name and is pronounced *chow-see*.

The first deliberate Chausie breeding in the United States is recorded in 1990. TICA granted Foundation Registration status in 1995 and full Championship on May 1, 2013, after passing through TICA's Advanced New Breed program. CFA and GCCF do not recognize the breed. The registered population is small — far smaller than Bengal or Savannah — and breeders work with a tighter gene pool.

Generation matters as it does for any wild-blood breed. F1 Chausies are 50% Jungle Cat. F2 are 25%. F3 are 12.5%. TICA accepts F4 and later for show competition; earlier generations are restricted from championship rings and may face import restrictions. Three coat colors are accepted: brown-ticked tabby (the wild *F. chaus* coat), solid black, and grizzled tabby — the silver-banded tipping inherited from the Jungle Cat parent and unique to this breed.

A Chausie is a tall, deep-chested, athletic cat — males often 15–25 lb — built for speed and persistent play. Temperament reads loyal and dog-like: TICA describes them as 'good-natured, loyal, highly intelligent and trainable,' and the playfulness extends well past the typical two-year domestic plateau.

The hybrid lineage extends to its better-known cousins. For naming reference, browse our Bengal cat names — the Asian-Leopard-Cat hybrid that established the wild-domestic register the Chausie now sits in.