Your guide to finding and caring for a Chausie in Des Moines
A Chausie suits Des Moines best as an indoor climber with room to roam. In a Sherman Hill Victorian apartment with tall windows and high ceilings, it'll claim the top of a bookshelf as a lookout, and a Beaverdale bungalow gives it hallways for sprinting laps. Chausies are lean, athletic and happiest with company, so they fit people who are home a lot or who already have a playful cat. Plan on long play sessions once the winter cold keeps everyone inside.
Adopt a Chausie today
While we don't have enough cats near Des Moines, keep in mind that many rescues may offer transport.
M, 0-6 mo., 820 miles
Domestic Short Hair, Bengal
F, 0-6 mo., 831 miles
Bengal, Domestic Short Hair
M, 7 y., 848 miles
Bengal
F, 0-6 mo., 851 miles
Bengal, Domestic Short Hair
F, 7 y., 855 miles
Domestic Short Hair, Egyptian Mau
F, 3-7 y., 858 miles
Bengal, Tabby
M, 0-6 mo., 862 miles
Bengal
M, 0-6 mo., 862 miles
Bengal
M, 0-6 mo., 862 miles
Bengal
M, 0-6 mo., 862 miles
Bengal
The Chausie is a tall, long-legged domestic cat descended from crosses between the jungle cat, a wild species of Asia and the Middle East, and domestic breeds such as the Abyssinian. TICA accepted it for registration in 1995 and granted championship status in 2013. Its lean build, large ears set high on the head and short coat in black, black ticked tabby or grizzled tabby give it a wild look.
Cats several generations removed from the jungle cat are fully domestic, and many are intelligent, playful and very social. They often dislike being alone and do best with people around or another lively cat. Some have sensitive digestion, and early-generation hybrids are more demanding and restricted in some places. Chausies are rare in shelters, so patience helps, and each cat's personality varies.
Having a Chausie in Des Moines
A Chausie pairs an athletic, jungle-cat build with a sociable domestic nature. The cards below cover its energy, its need for company, its sensitive stomach and the space and enrichment that keep it content in a Des Moines home.
Chausies tend to be confident, curious and affectionate, and many like being involved in everything you do. They often bond closely and dislike long stretches alone, which matters for Des Moines workdays away from home. Some are talkative. Personalities vary, and early-generation hybrids can be more independent and less predictable than later generations.
Most Chausies need several vigorous play sessions a day: wand toys, fetch, climbing and puzzle feeders. Many learn tricks or walk on a harness. With Des Moines winters keeping cats indoors for months, tall cat trees, window perches and rotating toys matter. Bored Chausies may open cabinets or raid counters for entertainment.
No breed-specific disease is well documented in the Chausie, but some have a digestive tract closer to their wild ancestors and can react to certain foods, often doing well on high-protein diets. Watch for stomach upset after diet changes. A veterinarian can check weight, teeth and digestion at regular visits, and an indoor life also avoids Des Moines coyotes.
A Chausie can live in an apartment or a house if it has vertical space, sturdy cat trees and plenty of toys. These jumpers reach high shelves easily, so fragile items may need a new spot. Secure window screens and indoor living suit them best, and homes where someone is often around fit them well.
| Expense | Typical cost | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Food | $30 to $60 per month | $360 to $720 |
| Pet insurance | $30 to $65 per month | $360 to $780 |
| Routine vet care | $150 to $350 per year | $150 to $350 |
| Other* | $465 to $1,165 per year | $465 to $1,165 |
| Estimated yearly total (after year one) | $1,335 to $3,015 | |
Other costs are estimates and vary with size, age and health.
* The $15 Des Moines cat license for a spayed or neutered cat, litter, flea prevention, a dental cleaning allowance, sturdy climbing furniture and toys, and simple home grooming.
Now that you know more, let’s find you a new best friend. These rescues and shelters below have cats available in and near Des Moines.
Rescues and shelters around Des Moines list cats regularly, though a rare breed like the Chausie appears only occasionally. Here are the rescues & shelters in the Des Moines area with cats available for adoption, worth asking whether a Chausie is coming in.
No. DART, the Des Moines bus system, doesn't allow pets other than service animals, and no carrier exception is known. Plan trips to the vet by car or with a ride-share that permits pets. Chausies are often nervous travelers, so practice with a secure carrier at home first and keep trips short.
Yes, as indoor cats. Des Moines has about 128 freezing nights a year and January lows in the low teens, so a short-coated Chausie shouldn't spend time outside. Provide warm perches, window views and several daily play sessions to burn energy, and wipe paws after any harness walk on salted sidewalks.
Yes. Des Moines licenses cats six months and older, at $15 if spayed or neutered and $35 if intact, and requires a rabies certificate. Chausies are rare, so availability changes. Watch the listings on this page, and save a search to hear about new cats.
Yes, if the apartment has vertical space. About 40% of Des Moines households rent, and Chausies do well in apartments with tall cat trees, window perches and daily play. Check the lease for cat rules, and remember Iowa caps deposits at two months' rent. Secure screens are important for these jumpers.
It can be, for people who are home often and enjoy active play. Long winters mean lots of indoor time, which suits a social, energetic cat that has climbing space. A Chausie left alone all day may get bored or destructive, and cats vary, so consider a household with another playful cat.
Very little. The short, dense coat needs a weekly brushing, a bit more during seasonal sheds. Dry winter indoor air can cause static or flaky skin, so brush gently and keep nails trimmed. Home grooming is included in the Other costs above, and a professional groomer is rarely necessary.
For a harness-trained Chausie, try the 1.9-mile loop at Gray's Lake Park or the Principal Riverwalk downtown, both leashed-pet friendly. Go early or late when crowds and heat are low. Skip the city dog parks, and stay alert for coyotes, which live in Des Moines neighborhoods.
No, Chausie cats are not generally dangerous. Cats several generations removed from the jungle cat, the ones TICA allows in championship shows, are domestic cats with domestic temperaments. They are large, strong and very active, so rough play needs redirecting to toys. Early-generation hybrids can be more wild in behavior and need experienced owners, and some places restrict them.
No, Chausie cats are not hypoallergenic. No cat breed is truly allergen-free, because the main cat allergen is produced in saliva and skin and spreads through grooming. The Chausie's short coat sheds relatively lightly, which may mean less hair around the house, but allergy sufferers can still react. Spending time with a specific cat before adopting is the best test.
Expect roughly $30–$60 a month for food and $30–$65 a month for insurance, which is about $720–$1,500 a year together. Routine vet care runs about $150–$350 a year, and other costs, including the $15 city license, litter and supplies, add about $465–$1,165 a year.
Looking for a different breed? Browse other cats available for adoption in Des Moines.
