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The Regency Cat Joanna here, talking about the cats of Regency England.

What kind of cats can our characters expect to encounter as they go about their adventures? Lots of cats, for one thing. While Englishmen may love their dogs, the English householder hated his mice and depended on cats to get rid of them. Defoe talks of forty thousand cats in London in the mid-1600s. "Few Houses being without a Cat, and some having several, and sometimes five or six in a House." These London cats were working cats -rangy, businesslike mousers and ratters. I see them dozing the day away in the kitchen, then rising in the night, roaming the house to do battle with vermin, meeting the enemy behind the plush curtains of the drawing room and down behind the sofas in the parlor. All the while, the gentlefolk snored in their beds. But there were pampered, plump cats as well. We find them in paintings, batting at a soap bubble, peering into a fishbowl. "Cats are intended to teach us that not everything in nature has a purpose." Garrison Keillor Samuel Johnson was one of many authors who owned cats. Hodge kept him company as he worked on his dictionary. Said Johnson, "He is a very fine cat; a very fine cat indeed." Hodge was fond of oysters, which were then a plentiful, cheap food, eaten by the poor. Johnson was the one to buy Hodge's oysters, saying his servant Francis might feel humiliated by the task and take a "dislike to the poor creature." Today, a bronze statue of Hodge, seated on a dictionary, with a helping of oysters at his feet, stands in front of the house he and Johnson shared. Hodge with his coal black fur would have been pretty typical of the cats of 1800. Native English cats were shorthairs. They came in in the same familiar shades of solid and stripe we see today.

Two native cat kinds are of note . . . the Manx and the Tortoiseshell. The tailless Manx cat was known to naturalists. Our hero and heroine in London would probably never have seen one. As late as 1820, visitors to Manx speak of them as an exotic curiosity found in the huts of the peasantry. The burning question of the day -- for naturalists -- was whether this peculiar cat was a freak of nature, or the offspring of a female cat and a buck rabbit. Opinion was divided. Tortoiseshell cats were recognized as a distinct type. They looked like their modern counterparts, with markings of mottled orange, white and chocolate. It was widely known that this sort of cat was almost always female. William Cowper, the poet, writes to his cousin, "I have a kitten, my dear, the drollest of all creatures . . . She is dressed in a tortoise-shell suit, and I know that you will delight in her." Tortoiseshells were called 'Spanish Cats', and there was a general belief they came originally from Spain. Why folks held this notion, I cannot say. "Time spent with cats is never wasted." Colette So your 1800 folks would have mostly encountered the perfectly ordinary 'native' cats of the British Isles. Which begs the question -- How did the housecat get to England anyway, and when? Genetic evidence tells us that the domestic cat as breed started out in the 'Fertile Crescent' of the Middle East and spread out from there across the world. Talking genes, housecats from Kentucky to Kyoto are indistinguishable from Felis silvestris lybica, the wildcat of the Middle East. So the Fertile Crescent is where man tamed the cat. Or vice versa. Cats and humans have been together a good

long time. A nine-thousand-year-old grave in Cyrus contains a human skeleton, buried with stone tools and a handful of seashells. In its own tiny grave, a foot and a half away, lies an eight-month-old cat, its body oriented in the same westward direction as its human companion. The housecat spread out from the Middle East to the rest of the world. Not just overnight. The domestic cat took seven thousand years to reach China and another eight hundred years to make the jump to Japan. Cats didn't spread in Europe much faster. The first representation of cats in Mainland Greece is on a marble block from 500 BCE. Then Romans grain ships from Alexandria in Egypt introduced cats to Roman ports around the Mediterranean. Cats followed Romans into northern Europe with their conquests. Perhaps they perched on top of a knapsack. Maybe they hitched a ride in the commissary wagons. A novel must be exceptionally good to live as long as the average cat. Chesterfield Oddly, domestic cats seem to have reached the British Isles before the Romans. Did the Celts, who had kin on both side of the Channel, take their cat with the luggage when they visited? Archeologists, delightfully, have found little Fourth Century cat footprints baked into Roman tiles at Silchester in England. One imagines some brindled tabby named Gaius or Decimus stalking birds across the tile yard, setting his feet down softly in the still-wet clay. Six hundred years later, cats found a protector in Hywel the Good, Welsh king and lawgiver. When he codified Welsh law, he made particular provision for them. A later version of his law reads: "The value of a cat is fourpence. The value of a kitten from the night it is born until it opens its eyes, a legal penny; and from then until it kills mice, two legal pence; and after it kills mice, four legal pence, and at that it remains forever. Her properties are to see and hear and kill mice, and that her claws are not broken, and to rear kittens; and if she is bought, and any of those are wanting, a third of her value is to be returned." I'm not so much talking about dogs here, but I have to add that Hywel's law said a guard dog, if killed more than nine paces from the door, is not paid for. If it's killed within the nine paces, it's worth twenty-four pence. They didn't try telling a cat where he had to report to duty, Welsh lawmen not being fools about cats, apparently.

Let a man get up and say, Behold, this is the truth, and instantly I perceive a sandy cat filching a piece of fish in the background. Look, you have forgotten the cat, I say. Virginia Woolf Our Regency hero, running down an alley to get away from the bad guys, is going to pass cats who are descendants of cats the Romans knew. Cats with more than a thousand-year history in England. They will be largely unremarkable in color and type because cat breeding and the importation of exotic cats from abroad comes later. It's a Victorian phenomenon. Cats are not really thought of as 'breeds' at this time. With three exceptions. First off, you got yer Persians. Persians go way back as a distinct breed, both in and out of Europe. This is the Persian cat story: An Italian nobleman, Pietro della Valle, left Venice in 1614 and wandered around the Middle East for a dozen years. He was inspired to do this, apparently, by an unfortunate love affair. His loss. Cathood's gain. When he was in Persia he wrotes, "There are cats of a species which properly belong to the province of Charazan. Their size and form are like those of the common cat; their beauty consists in their colour, which is grey, spotless, and uniform . . . their hair is shining, soft and delicate as silk, and so long, that, though more smooth than rough, yet it is curled, particularly under the neck. . . . The most beautiful part of their body is the tail, which is very long and covered with hair of five or six inches in length, and which they turn up over their backs like the squirrel." Pietro brought home 'four couple' of these cats in 1620. From Italy, the breed eventually made its way to England. Interestingly, the Persian cat does not seem to have traveled to England by way of France. The French naturalist Buffon who wrote in the mid 1700s had never seen a Persian cat. In England, however, the Persian flourished and multiplies. They interbred with the

English shorthairs, passing their long coat to some of their offspring, who now appeared in a variety of colors. The cats became so common in England that, by the 1820s, any housekeeper or village spinster would be likely to have one. A Persian cat would thus be a wholly suitable pet for our Regency heroine, or even our Blofeld-like Regency villain. A cat is never vulgar. Carl Van Vechten The Angora is the second of the exotic breeds that would be familiar to our 1800 folks. They were described as "possessed of singular beauty, as it is clothed with long hair of a silvery white appearance, and silky texture; on the neck, from its superior length, it forms a kind of ruff; and the tail, by being thickly clothed with hair of a very fine quality and length, has the semblance of a brush." The Lady's Magazine, 1800 The Angora was sometimes called the 'lion cat' because that ruff gave it the appearance of a lion. They were called 'the French cat' till the middle of the Nineteenth Century because they were largely imported from Paris. Angoras arrived in France in the Sixteenth Century when Nicholas-Claude Fabri de Peiresc imported several from Angora, that is, Ankara Province in Turkey. The gentle, even indolent, goodnatured white cats became favorites at the French Court. Marie Antoinette kept a small herd of them. They were said to roam about the table during court functions. The difference between the Angora and Persian

was the Angora had only the slightest undercoat beneath the long, silky outercoat. Lacking a wooly layer, the hair followed the lines of its body. The Persian, with coarser hair and a thick undercoat, was . . . well . . . Fluffier. "A fine Angola Cat is as handsome an animal as can be imagined, and seems quite conscious of its own magnificence. It is a very dignified animal, and moves about with a grave solemnity that bears a great resemblance to the stately march of a full-plumed peacock conscious of admiring spectators." Rev JG Wood The final distinct and foreign breed our character might encounter in 1800 London is the Chartreux cat -- the 'blue cat'. It's so called because the fur is "gray ash, blackish brown at the base, the coat is very dense of the sort which, when one sees the gray of the tips and the brown underlaying, the mixed colors make the appearance of the cat to be blue." Josephus Flavius Martinet 1778 Chartreux cats were well known in France and the Netherlands. Rarer in England, but seeing one would not be at all impossible. The breed, as a distinct type, dates back to at least the Seventeenth Century. Legend has it they were the "chats des Chartreux" -- the cats kept by the Carthusian monks. The Carthusians reluctantly point out they have no records of this . . . So . . . Those are the cats of 1800 London. All our favorite and accustomed British shorthairs. No Siamese, no Burmese, no Japanese Bobtail, no Maine Coon Cats, But Chartreux, Persian and Angora of a proper 1800s type that does not exactly resemble their modern breed standard. "I meant," said Ipslore bitterly, "what is there in this world that truly makes living worthwhile?" Death thought about it. "Cats," he said eventually. "Cats are nice." Terry Pratchett

Adrian Hawkhurst, who will get his own small gray tabby cat at British Service We don't see much of it, but I know it's

book, Black Hawk, in November, has a Headquarters in London. It's named 'Cat'. there.

What's your favorite literary cat -- either appearing in a book or enlivening the life of an author. One lucky poster, chosen at random, will win a copy of Forbidden Rose. BREED PROFILE: Getting to Know the Chartreux By Jill J. Rasmussen

from The Cat Fanciers' Association Complete Cat Book Old as antiquity, the robust and muscular French Chartreux (pronounced: shar trew) is built for survival. Its physical appearance still reflects its ancient origin in the harsh arid cold of mountainous Asia Minor. Its large body mass conserves heat, aided by a dense woolly coat that repels dew and seasonal weather. Small, fur-covered appendages-ears, legs, and tail-prevent heat loss and resist frostbite. Its large belly promotes efficient food consumption and easy storage as body fat. Broad chest, bull neck, and powerful shoulders propelled by narrow hips with long, well-muscled hind legs allow the Chartreux to be expert climbers, capable of bounding effortlessly after prey through rugged, rocky terrain. This powerhouse can walk silently with felt-like steps. Medium-sized ears set upright, close together, and high on the head easily pinpoint prey. Large, heavily muscled jaws grip prey with precision. Its large size, hunting prowess, and fearlessness make the Chartreux superb predators. The Chartreux remains a master at adaptation. Now pampered and kept strictly indoors as a beloved pet, the Chartreux is well behaved, self-sufficient, and quiet, rarely meowing. The modern-day Chartreux, still very much aware of its own strength, is a gentle giant. In the absence of prey, the Chartreux expends its great energy and power in hearty play and retains its "joie de vivre" into old age. Kittens and adolescents, even at two to three years of age, are highly active; mature adults have short burst of energy lasting 15-30 minutes, when they gallop about madly. They love to play and favorite games include Fetch, Chase, and Tag. They are highly inventive and truly effective in subtly training their owners. Despite their silent nature, Chartreux are highly communicative. Very active tails, ear movements, ever-changing facial expressions, and a vast repertoire of trills, chirps, and coos speak volumes to the observant owner. Males can be twice the size of females. However, females will not be bullied; while he would not think of throwing his weight around, she might. Their Personality Both sexes, when neutered and spayed, make excellent companions for the individual or the family. They adapt well as single pets or in multi-pet households. They are also remarkably friendly toward other creaturesparticularly dogs. Chartreux pick a favorite person within the household but are not possessive. The Chartreux makes the choice and shows special devotion towards its favorite. The cat may prefer this person's company, sleep on his or her bed, follow him or her throughout the house, or play its most favorite games only with the chosen one. While others in the household are treated with affection and politeness, favoritism will be evident to all. For this reason, families should not get a Chartreux for a specific child; the cat might just

choose a sibling or parent instead. This loyalty is also noticeable in its protective and non-aggressive attitude toward the favored person, yet cautiousness toward strangers. Chartreux may prefer to observe strangers while safely hidden beneath furniture or peering out from the doorway of the next room. With familiarity and maturity, Chartreux may change from seemingly shy to becoming an official greeter. Most Chartreux do not like to be picked up or carried around, preferring to have at least their back legs firmly on the ground. Instead, Chartreux tag along everywhere, attentively watching whatever is going on and occasionally asking for an invitation to participate. Individual personalities vary to a degree. Some Chartreux are more sociable and outgoing than others by nature. Some Chartreux insist on sitting in your lap while others may prefer to sit nearby. When selecting a Chartreux try to discuss expectations and household situations with breeders, who can then help to match these with an individual Chartreux kitten, adolescent, or adult whose personality is best suited to the situation. Caring for a Chartreux Diet management is an important aspect of the look as well as the health of the cat. Because this breed becomes obese very easily, it is best to measure food, rather than feed freely. Using a "lite" cat food may be a good option for maintaining an appropriate weight. Taking weight off a Chartreux takes patience, time, and a special diet designed for weight reduction. Fasting is very dangerous for cats and should never be used for weight control. Chartreux are easy to care for and have few grooming requirements. Combing during spring and fall sheds is highly recommended as a mature Chartreux develops an extraordinarily thick undercoat that can matt on the flanks. Use a metal medium- or coarse-toothed comb or shedding comb. Brushes tend to pull out too much undercoat and leave a spiky look. Combing helps prevent hairballs and reduces the amount of downy hair floating throughout the house. Bathing a Chartreux is not usually necessary for the pet. But show cats need to be bathed a couple of days before a show to allow the natural oils to redistribute and the coat to have a woolly texture and "break." Use a pH-balanced shampoo for cats that is tearless and hypoallergenic. Try texturizing shampoo for double-coated breeds and shampoo with whiteners or brighteners. Experiment with different brands to find the right ones for your cat. Avoid conditioners as they tend to flatten the coat, which is naturally oily. The most critical step in bathing a Chartreux is getting it wet down to the skin; the coat is highly water repellent. Hold a spray nozzle close to the skin and aim it against the lie of the hair; then move the spray nozzle slowly over the entire cat. Shampoo twice, with a good rinse in between. After the final shampoo, rinse extremely well to make sure all soap is removed from the thick undercoat. Blow-drying is desirable because it adds loft to the coat and hastens the drying process. Naming Tradition for Chartreux Chartreux are named according to the French convention of using the letter of the alphabet assigned to a given year. For example, kittens born during calendar year 2005 have names beginning with the letter A; 2006, B; 2007, C; and so on. The letters K, Q, W,

X, Y, Z are not used, so letters repeat every 20 years. As a result, fanciers can tell the age of a Chartreux simply by knowing its name. Breed History The history of the Chartreux is somewhat cloudy. How the breed came to France is uncertain, although historical documents offer several explanations. One story is that returning Crusaders may have brought back these blue-gray cats as gifts to monks of the Carthusians or Chartreux contemplative order founded in France, whose metallurgical expertise had provided swords for the conquests. According to legend, Chartreux cats kept by such monks on the Mediterranean islands, such as Cyprus and Malta, would leave the monastery in the morning to venture out into the countryside where the cats would kill poisonous serpents but not consume them. In the evening, when the monks rang the bells, the Chartreux cats would return to the monastery for their evening dinner. Monasteries on the continent may have valued the Chartreux for its ability to control large, aggressive (and plague-carrying) rats. Medieval institutions also may have valued them to rid archives and libraries of gnawing rodents. An amusing legend has evolved: It is said that, like the monks, Chartreux cats took on their vow of silence. However, when these cats do choose to vocalize, it is often with soft, breathy whispers or musical trills, chirps, and coos. Some Chartreux still pose as if praying, sitting with front paws raised together, gazing heavenward. Survival of the Chartreux in modern times is due largely to the efforts of two sisters, whose family in 1926 moved to Belle Ile off the stormy French coast. They noticed a colony of blue cats on the island that matched the Chartreux cats described by the eighteenth-century French naturalist, Buffon, whose works they had studied in horticulture school. The sisters began the first recorded selective breeding of Chartreux in 1928 and continued breeding Chartreux for 60 years. Other Chartreux breeders had parallel breeding programs under way in Paris and the French interior (Massif Central), using "natural Chartreux," or blue-gray cats living in the countryside. World War II left registries of pedigreed animals in shambles. Certain breeders began crossing the few surviving Chartreux with the more numerous and readily available British Blues (the old term for what is now a British Shorthair with a blue coat). Without a concentrated effort to select against undesirable influences from the British Blues, the Chartreux began losing its distinctiveness. In 1970, most European cat registries assimilated the Chartreux with the British Blue and both were registered as the same breed, causing great confusion. Fortunately, some Chartreux breeders were fiercely committed to preserving the original Chartreux type and coat. Thanks to their efforts, most registries separated the Chartreux from the British Blue in 1977 and reinstated the original Chartreux standard. About the same time Chartreux and British Blues were being assimilated in Europe, a woman from California, having read about these legendary cats and being unable to locate any in North America, began her quest to bring Chartreux to the United States and

to interest other breeders in them. Between 1970 and 1976, a total of twelve Chartreux were imported from France and Belgium. About half of these imports formed the foundation of the North American Chartreux population. Much to the credit of the early breeders and to the inherent good health of the Chartreux, the breed continues to be remarkably sound and robust. Aware of European hybrids, North American breeders vowed to preserve the Chartreux: theirs would be a breeding population geographically removed and carefully protected from the hybridization pressures in Europe. Breeders set up rules governing importation, registration, and breeding of Chartreux and adopted a breed standard based on the French one. CFA accepted the Chartreux for registration as a natural breed in October 1979. Provisional status was granted in 1986. Advancement to full championship status became effective May 1, 1987. The breed, while relatively few in number, has steadily increased in popularity both as pets and for show. In little more than a decade, many Chartreux had achieved the ranks of National and Regional Winners, and several sires and dams had earned coveted Distinguished Merit titles. The French Chartreux is one of the oldest natural breeds in the world and, by far, the most primitive of the Old World "Blues." Its woolly blue coat with iridescent sheen and a strikingly unbalanced appearance are unique among cat breeds. Its personality is equally distinct, giving the overall impression of great dignity, patience, discretion, and stability. As an early U.S. breeder observed, "It is only in play that the Chartreux appears the clown, having perhaps the best humor in the cat world." The Chartreux, a master at survival, has finally secured its place in our homes and won over our hearts with its general good nature and politeness. It is truly a treasure, a living legend. Chartreux - silent observer

Chartreux is a breed of cat native to France. Chartreux cats are known for doublecoated fur and their smile.These cats are excellent hunters and very appreciated by farmers. Also, the mascot of the largest jazz festival in the world, The Montreal International Jazz Festival is' Ste Cat ", a blue cat Chartreux breed. Among the most famous masters of French writer Sidonie Chartreux include Gabrielle Colette, and General Charles de Gaulle. History According to legend, Chartreux cats are offspring of cats brought to France by monks in the monastery to live Carthusieni the Chartreuse Mountains north of the city of Grenoble.

Another legend identifies as the ancestors of this breed wild cats in the mountains of Syria, made in France by soldiers participating in the Crusades of the thirteenth century. The first document that mentions race, belongs to the French naturalist Georges-Louis Leclerc, and was written in the eighteenth century. Chartreux cats were on the brink of extinction during the First World War and wild specimens have been seen after the second World War. An effort of breeders saved the breed from extinction. The first Chartreux cat breed was brought to the United States of America by John Gammon, in 1971. Cat Fanciers' Association owners allowed to participate Chartreux cats exhibitions since 1987.

Aspect Chartreux cat has a robust body, muscular with broad shoulders and strong chest. The legs are medium length and apparently thin bone. The head of this cat is rounded, softly contoured forehead tapers to a bot that gives the impression that cat thin smile. The nose is straight and the eyes are round, slightly curved upward extremes. Eye color varies from gold to copper. The ears are located high on the head, with average height and width. Chartreux cat fur looks woolly due to a sub-layer density gives it strength. Any shade of blue coat color is acceptable for this breed. Temperament Chartreux are very quiet, rarely making noise and some pieces are even moving. They like to observe what happens discreetly around them. Some cats of this breed could be taught to perform complex actions such as turning on a radio or opening the door handles on doors, showing a very high degree of intelligence. Chartreux reach maturity after two years but keeps for life the pleasure of playing. Some cats can be taught to retrieve small objects, like dogs, and can be trained to respond when called by name. Chartreux are good with children and other pets. There are aggressive and can be a lot owner can attach, better cope with long trips and are generally very healthy. Chartreux can develop special affection for one person in the house (sometimes even watching your favorite person in a room in another) but looks attachment and the other family members. Features Chartreux cats really like them and watching TV and being quite foodie, there is always the danger of obesity.Chartreux are known because owner tries to intervene in action, playing with the phone cord when speaking to him or trying to be permanent when it goes to master. The best way to care for this cat fur is simply caress the animal, without using a brush. Thus, the social behavior of the cat will benefit. Tags: cats, cat breeds, cat, pet, pets, chatreux, chatreux cat BREED PROFILE: Chartreux

The Chartreux is a sturdy, shorthaired French breed coveted since antiquity for its hunting prowess and its dense, water repellent fur. Its husky, robust type is sometimes termed primitive, neither cobby nor classic. Though amply built, Chartreux are extremely supple and agile cats. Males are much larger than females and slower to mature.The Chartreux is a study in contrasts. Often described as a "potato on toothpicks," the Chartreux has a robust body, broad shoulders and a deep chest, all complemented by medium short, finely boned legs. The Chartreux is also known for its smile. The rounded head with its softly contoured forehead tapers to a narrowed muzzle. This gives the Chartreux an image of smiling. More about the Chartreux ...

COAT LENGTH: Shorthair CHARACTERISTICS: Well muscled body, medium woolly blue coat PERSONALITY: Quickly become attached to their family Chartreux kittens are precocious. Physical maturity can be three years in coming, with a scraggly stage between kitten and adulthood that puts one in mind of a gawky, adolescent youngster. Then, almost overnight, they put it all together, with stunning results. Chartreux quickly become attached to one family and frequently follow their masters from room to room. Known for their dog-like behavior, these cats can be taught to fetch a ball, and most will respond to their names. My Chartreux Roommate & BFF by Emily (Michigan)

Sage Meet my best friend and roommate, Sage. Sage is almost 7 years old and is at her "summer" weight of 16lbs. Like most women, she packs on holiday weight during the winter and can get up to 18lbs. I

would consider her more of an early morning cat, rather than an evening cat as she prefers breakfast with me rather than dinner. As a single professional, she greets me at the door when I arrive home each day with bells on. When I previously had roommates she was lovable toward them, but did not greet them. Also, if I was around, she abandoned them to lay by me instead of them. You'll find this is a notable and common quality in Chartreux cats. A tip: If you want a Chartreux to love you more, it will help if they see YOU putting the food in their bowl. She is protective of me, similar to that of a dog. She sleeps with her back to me so she can watch the door. Although she is not a lap cat, she is a spoon'er. Her favorite way to sleep is to be smooshed up against me. This is a nice quality to have in a cat as she will never jump on guests and expect attention. Rather, she will just lay next to them. When she naps, she sleeps on her back human-style. I must say, it's adorable. Although Sage is is quite chubby she is fast on her feet--and I mean fast. When in the mood she attacks her toys and is always up for a good game of "string". Although she is an indoor cat, she still finds time to "hunt". She attacks and hunts hair ties, buttons and crumpled post-its. I can always find them in her dish the next morning. If she is looking for attention, she will leave her "prey" piled up in front of my bed for me in the morning. Sage is also very quiet, but purrs like mad. I find that she talks most when she wants me to wake up (to show me her "catch" of the night, of course). Most friends comment on how much she is like me. You know what they say--animals and their humans tend to be quite alike. That couldn't be more true of Sage an I! Chartreux cats will definitely pick up on your moods! She is very healthy and doesn't seem to have any problems. I notice, however, when the weather gets hot she gets "cat acne". It usually clears up after a week or so. I am unsure if this is common in the breed? Also, she does not like any human food other than tuna (of course). I'm unsure if this is a breed-thing, or a Sage-thing. She is more loyal than any pet could be and I hope she lives forever! Emily

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