Where are Chartreux cats from?

Where Chartreux cats are originally from is a bit of a mystery, but they are believed to have origins tracing back to Syria before being brought to France via traders or returning crusaders during the late Medieval period. Once in France, these cats became associated with the Carthusian monks of the Grande Chartreuse monastery, although there is no definitive evidence that the monks bred them.

The breed faced near extinction during the World Wars but was revived through dedicated breeding programs in the mid-20th century. French cat enthusiasts worked to preserve the unique characteristics of the Chartreux and managed to stabilize the population.