Your guide to finding and caring for a Chartreux in Minneapolis
A Chartreux fits quiet Minneapolis apartment life well, say in one of Elliot Park's early-1900s brick buildings. They're soft-spoken and often attach to one favorite person, so shared walls and a sunny window seat work fine. Play is the main job: a few short bursts with a wand toy keep a Chartreux lean through a long Minnesota winter indoors. Because the breed is uncommon, keep an eye on the listings on this page.
Say hello to your Chartreux
While we don't have enough cats near Minneapolis, keep in mind that many rescues may offer transport.
F, 1 y., 513 miles
Russian Blue, Chartreux
F, 6 mo., 513 miles
Russian Blue, Chartreux
M, 1 y., 937 miles
Chartreux, American Bobtail
M, 1 y., 1505 miles
Chartreux
F, 6 mo.-2 y., 1531 miles
Chartreux
M, 6 mo.-2 y., 609 miles
Chartreux
F, 0-6 mo., 994 miles
Chartreux, Domestic Short Hair
M, 0-6 mo., 994 miles
Chartreux, Domestic Short Hair
M, 3-7 y., 1134 miles
Chartreux, Russian Blue
M, 0-6 mo., 1134 miles
Russian Blue, Chartreux
The Chartreux is a French breed with a plush, water-resistant blue coat, gold to copper eyes and a sturdy, muscular build on fairly short legs. It nearly disappeared after World War I and was rebuilt in the 1920s from natural colonies of blue cats, which is part of why it's still uncommon in the US.
In a Minneapolis home, that dense coat matters most during seasonal sheds, when regular brushing keeps fur off the furniture. Chartreux are often calm, quiet and devoted, though each cat has its own personality. They mature slowly, over several years, and gain weight easily without play and measured meals, so a steady routine helps. Many are comfortable alone during a workday but still like company in the evening.
Having a Chartreux in Minneapolis
Chartreux are sturdy, medium-sized cats that can do well in Minneapolis apartments and houses alike. Short bursts of play, weight control and a steady routine matter most, especially through long indoor winters. Each cat varies, so spend time with the cat you're considering.
Chartreux are often quiet, calm and loyal, and many pick a favorite person to follow from room to room. That suits Minneapolis apartment life, where thin walls and neighbors reward a soft-spoken cat. Some take time to warm up to visitors and noisy gatherings, so give a new cat a quiet room to settle into.
Expect short, intense play sessions rather than constant activity. Wand toys, feather teasers and food puzzles suit a Chartreux's hunting instinct, and a cat tree with a window perch gives indoor exercise during Minnesota's long cold stretches. Aim for a couple of play sessions daily, since this sturdy breed gains weight easily and some cats need encouragement to move.
Chartreux are generally hardy, though patellar luxation (a slipping kneecap), weight gain and dental disease are the main concerns. Measured meals and daily play help keep a cat lean. A veterinarian can check the kneecaps, teeth and weight at the first visit, then set up regular checkups.
A Chartreux usually adapts to a small apartment or a house equally well, as long as there's a cat tree, a window perch and a steady routine. In Minneapolis, a sunny sill makes a good lookout through the dark months. Keeping this cat indoors protects it from traffic, winter cold and coyotes, which are increasing in the metro area.
| Expense | Typical cost | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Food | $25 to $50 per month | $300 to $600 |
| Pet insurance | $25 to $50 per month | $300 to $600 |
| Routine vet care | $150 to $350 per year | $150 to $350 |
| Other* | $480 to $1,180 per year | $480 to $1,180 |
| Estimated yearly total (after year one) | $1,230 to $2,730 | |
Other costs are estimates and vary with size, age and health.
* Litter, the $30 Minneapolis cat license for a spayed or neutered cat, parasite prevention, a dental cleaning allowance, toys and scratchers, and brushing supplies for seasonal shedding.
Now that you know more, let’s find you a new best friend. These rescues and shelters below have cats available in and near Minneapolis.
Minneapolis has a city shelter and a wider network of rescues, and the cats they list change often. Here are the rescues & shelters in the Minneapolis area with cats available for adoption, worth asking whether a Chartreux is coming in.
212 17th Avenue North, Minneapolis
Minneapolis
Minneapolis
Minneapolis
Minneapolis
Minneapolis
Yes, a Chartreux is a good match for apartments. The breed is quiet and tends to tolerate time alone better than very social cats, which helps with shared walls and workdays. Provide a cat tree, a window perch for watching birds and daily wand-toy play. Keep balcony doors and window screens secure, and keep the cat indoors.
Yes, as an indoor cat a Chartreux handles Minneapolis winters well. The dense coat helps, but it's no reason to let a cat outside in long, snowy months. Offer a warm bed away from drafts, keep play going indoors, and make sure the ID tag and microchip are current in case the cat slips out while you're shoveling.
Yes. Minneapolis has no known breed-specific rules for cats. You'll need a city license once the cat is over four months old, and a current rabies vaccination is required to get it. Without a multiple-animal permit, you can keep up to three cats, so a single Chartreux is well within the limit.
Yes, but only in a carrier. Metro Transit lets pets ride buses and light rail when they're in a carrier, and leashed pets aren't allowed to board. Service animals are the exception. A Chartreux, typically 7 to 14 pounds, needs a sturdy, well-ventilated carrier it can turn around in. Check current fares with Metro Transit.
A Chartreux needs weekly brushing most of the year, and a few times a week during the heavier spring and fall sheds. Indoor winter heating can leave the coat feeling dry, so keep brushing gentle and regular. Professional grooming is rarely needed, and brushing supplies are counted in the Other costs line of the cost table.
Often, yes. A Chartreux's calm, quiet nature suits Minneapolis apartments and homes, and indoor play carries a cat through long winters. It fits people who can offer steady routines, daily play and measured meals. It may not suit a household wanting a constantly social, boisterous cat, though each Chartreux has its own personality.
Yes, Chartreux cats are rare, especially outside France. Relatively few are registered each year in the United States, and they seldom appear in shelters. Many blue-gray shelter cats are domestic shorthairs or mixes rather than Chartreux. Breed rescues and cat rescues occasionally have adult Chartreux available, so watching listings regularly helps.
Chartreux is pronounced shar-TROO in French, and many English speakers say shar-TREW. The name may come from the Carthusian monks of the Grande Chartreuse monastery, though some historians link it to a Spanish wool. Whichever origin is true, the breed's name is tied to its French homeland.
You can identify a Chartreux by its solid blue-gray woolly coat, gold to copper eyes, sturdy muscular body on fairly short legs and a rounded head with a tapered muzzle that looks like a smile. Look-alikes include Russian Blues, which have green eyes and a sleeker coat, and British Shorthairs, which are rounder. Pedigree papers confirm a purebred.
Expect roughly $1,230 to $2,730 a year for a Chartreux in Minneapolis. That covers food at $25 to $50 a month, insurance at $25 to $50 a month, routine vet care at $150 to $350 a year, and other costs of $480 to $1,180 a year, including litter. The low end assumes a healthy cat and basic supplies.
Looking for a different breed? Browse other cats available for adoption in Minneapolis.
