York Chocolate: The Elegant Chewable Cat!

The Chocolate York is a good-natured, affectionate cat who likes to follow his human. Despite its good character and its exceptional color, it is extremely rare because it has struggled to develop.

Discover it chocolate york cathis universe, his character and his appearance.

York Chocolate In A Nutshell

• Other name(s): York, York chocolate
• Life expectancy: 12 to 16 years
• Weight: 4 to 5 kg (female), 6 to 8 kg (male)
• Height: 22 to 30 cm at the withers
• Silhouette: semi-foreign
• Hair: medium length
• Colours: chocolate or lilac
• Character: sentimental and demonstrative
• Origin: USA
• Cat breed recognized by the LOOF: yes

Chocolate York Breed History

As its name suggests, this cat comes from the state of New York, in the United States. He is the result of various crosses between domestic cats living on farms (without breed) in the early 1980s. He is an American breeder, named Janet Chiefari, who developed it. She had a female of chocolate and white color, called Brownie and the son of the latter, Minky who wore an entirely chocolate dress. She married these 2 cats with traditional round-headed Siamese.

The chocolate York has not developed much, because its color is close to black, a color that is not very popular. He is recognized as new breed (NR), i.e. it is in the experimental stage and does not yet have championship status. It is a very rare breed in the world, since it has brought together only a hundred subjects, in the USA and in Italy. She was imported to Europe in the early 2000s. In 2015 there was only one registered breeder (Debbie Reber) and none in 2016, suggesting that the breed is extinct or very close to it.

Did you know ?

Although it is recognized in France, the York is one of the extremely rare purebred cats, since the LOOF has not registered any more kittens since 2010. There are only 10 subjects declared since 2003.

Physical Characteristics Of The Chocolate York Breed

York Chocolate sports a mid-length fur. It is dense and silky. He has very little undercoat. His silhouette is semi-foreign, therefore muscular and elegant, quite rectangular. Her head is of medium height, with either a straight or slightly domed nose and oval eyes. The height of the ears is equal to their width at the base.

Finally, the tail is wide at the base, well supplied with semi-long hair all along and of a size proportional to that of its body.

The Colors Of Chocolate York

The dress is chocolate or lilac, which is the main characteristic of the York so much so that it bears the name. It may have white marks. It is then said that it is particole. In this case, the white can be from a third to a half of the entire surface of the cat.

In kittens, we accept tabby marks (stripes) and even tipping (another color on the end of the hair).

His gaze is gold or green. For particolous cats (with white), blue or odd eyes are accepted by the standard.

York Chocolate Character

It’s a cat sociable and friendly, always in a good mood. Affectionate, he appreciates being carried and held in the arms, which is not the case for all breeds. We say it intelligent, lively and curious. Player, he remains so even once he becomes an adult. Talkative and purring his happy temperament is very representative of the breed.

His dynamism allows him to be a good hunter. Faithful and loyal, he can follow his owner from one room to another, like a small dog. Despite his liveliness, he likes calm atmospheres. It’s a cat easy to live. We note however that he can be shy with strangers.

Each cat has its own personality. It’s a unique being and we can’t really generalize, but these characteristics are the ones that came up most often with regard to the York.

Ideal Living Conditions For York Chocolate

As he is a good hunter, a garden makes him very happy. However, his mid-length coat and rare color put him at risk of being stolen. The owners of such a cat therefore have every interest in securing their garden. Indoors, he can flourish if his environment is sufficiently enriched with toys and equipment allowing him to simulate hunting, running, climbing.

It’s a cat that enjoy the children because he is a player, provided, of course, that they are respectful towards him.

Close to his master, he needs the latter not to be absent for too long and to pay him attention. Thus, the York will transmit its good mood to its owner.

Sociable, he appreciates the presence of other animals pets, cats as well as dogs, if they have been introduced to him in stages.

Grooming And Maintenance Of The Chocolate York

Although his fur is mid-length, maintenance is not too complex, because it has little undercoat. Brushing once a week is enough. This not only helps to remove excess dead hair that could cause him digestive problems if he swallows too much during his toilet, but also to provide him with a massage that stimulates blood circulation and contributes to his good health.

Each eye and ear must be carefully monitored to avoid any risk of conjunctivitis and otitis.

Major York Chocolate Health Issues

No hereditary disease associated with the breed has been identified. It’s a cat that seems robust and resistant. However, the few subjects in the world do not allow us to have a real perspective.

You should take your York chocolate to the vet once a year. This is an opportunity for his happy owner to take stock of his vaccines, weight and diet. It is also during a consultation that his general condition is checked.

Feeding the Chocolate York

As with all cats, good quality food is essential. In general, it should be given high-end croquettes rich in animal products and mash, which will ensure optimal hydration.

Some owners opt for the household ration (the homemade), but they have previously collected all the information necessary to perfectly meet his nutritional needs.

others choose BARF made with raw meats, oils, fruits and vegetables, but again, this requires good knowledge.

He should always be able to drink from a bowl of clean water or a cat fountain.

Price of York chocolate

You can no longer find York chocolate in France and it remains very rare in the world. It is a cat that has become almost impossible to obtain. No price can therefore really be identified.

Celebrity Chocolate York

The chocolate York is far too rare a cat for a celebrity to adopt one.

Anecdotes around York chocolate

It is suspected that the first cats of the York lines have Siamese blood, which would explain the origin of this chocolate color carried by these cats.

Our Advice For Choosing The Right Chocolate York

Since York chocolate is no longer present on French territory and extremely rare in the rest of the world, we cannot give you advice on its adoption.

However, the associations and shelters are full of very pretty cats, some sport a semi-long hair, sometimes a dark dress close to chocolate. Many are ready to let you know their adorable and affectionate character.

How To Differentiate A Chocolate York From A Havana Brown?

The 2 breeds present a semi foreign silhouette, that is to say rectangular with a strong bone structure. However, the Havana can only have green eyes, the only color allowed, while the York also accepts different shades: gold, minnows and blue (depending on the coat). In addition, the ears of the Havana are larger and further apart than those of the York. The head of the Havana is longer than that of the York, more rounded. Finally, what distinguishes them without leaving any doubt is the length of their coat, since the Havana wears a short coat while it is medium-long in the York.

Adopting a chocolate York has become almost impossible. Its friendly and easy-going character, combined with its silky coat of an almost unique color, deserve that a breeder seduced by this rare cat tries to revive the breed.