The York Chocolate is relatively new longhair cat breed that not only sounds luxurious but feels it too.
The breed gets it name from New York, the state where it was first bred, and the luxurious brown color of it’s fur, that resembles chocolate.
Known also as “Il Gatto Cioccolato” the York Chocolate the softest dark brown (almost black) fur that you just can’t stop stroking. These luxurious fluffy coats come from their ancestors as they were long-haired acts from various breeds of domestic cats.
The breed is a friendly, loving and loves to be around people. They adore a good cuddle and fond of sitting on your lap and receiving a huge amount of attention.
They are known to be very playful, full of energy and super curious and intelligent. They love life and love a good hunt. They are expert mouse killers, so if you have a mice problem then this is the cat for you! With a Chocolate cat in your home, rodents don’t stand a chance!
York Chocolate Breed Overview
| Height | 8 to 10 inches (20 – 25cm) |
| Weight | Male: 14 – 18 pounds Female: 12 – 16 pounds |
| Origin | United States |
| Lifespan | 13-15 years |
| Cost | $800 – $1200 |
| Good with | Any cat loving household. Good with children, adults, dogs, other cats and families |
| Temperament | Playful, social, intelligent, curious and friendly |
| Shedding | Frequent |
| Coat | Long hair Soft Undercoat |
| Activity level | Medium |
| Colors | Chocolate Brown / Lavender |
| Patterns | Solid |
| Playfulness | Medium |
| Vocal | Medium |
| Intelligence | Medium |
| Traits | easy to groom friendly toward humans friendly toward other pets |
History of The York Chocolate
In 1983, a breeder by the name of Janet Chiefari, created the first York Chocolate kitten. The father was a black long-haired cat and the mother was a black and white cat with a long coat.
According to Janet, the male cat who sired the kitten, had some Siamese ancestry, which is where the brown coloring came from in the kitten that was born. The female kitten was of course named “Brownie”.
When it was time for Brownie to have kittens of her own, she was bred with a black long-haired male called “Minky”. The result was a litter of just two kittens, one of which was a chocolate colored male kitten and the other a female with white and chocolate coloring.
Brownie mated with Minky a year later, and they had a solid brown kitten named Teddy Bear. They also had a female named Cocoa who was brown and white.
Janet began breeding the cats and publicising them, and the experimental breed was accepted in 1990. It had CFF Championship and Canadian Cat Association Championship status by 1995.
Appearance
York Chocolate cats are larger than your normal domestic cats. They have an overall stronger build, similar to farm cats. They have long bodies with shorter necks.
Their muzzles are rounded, and their heads are wedge-shaped.
The York Chocolate is distinguished from others of its kind by its semi-long, lustrous fur, which is also remarkably light, plush, and resistant to matting.
Additionally, the undercoat is very fluffy and velvety, and the hair is denser on the chest, neck, and upper legs of the animal. The tail is puffy and full, and there is some tufting between the toes on each foot. The interior of the ears have some feathering.
The York Chocolate has stunning eyes and has a gorgeous face. The eye coloring tend to be golden, hazel, or even green.
Grooming
Because this breed requires very grooming care, all that is necessary is a once-or-twice-weekly brushing to help maintain the skin and coat’s health.
The fur is super soft, which helps prevent matting.
Do York Chocolate Cats shed?
Yes they do, but not as much as other long haired cat breeds. Expect a certain amount of shedding from this breed.
To combat excessive shedding, brush once a week to help maintain a lovely coat and less hairs around the house.
How long do York Chocolate Cats live?
This all depends on how well you look after them. If you feed them with high quality cat food, play with them, take them for regular check ups at the vets and love them, then they can live 15 years+. Generally they have a life span between 13 and 15 years.
Are York Chocolate cats Indoor cats only?
No. These cats are not indoor cats. They love the outdoors and like nothing more than to hunt and kill mice, birds and other rodent type animals.
Are York Chocolate cats rare?
Yes. York Chocolate breed comes from a very rare mutation of the black color gene, resulting in a solid dark brown fur color.
Are all chocolate colored cats York Chocolate?
No. Even though there are cats in existence today who have been randomly bred and have a similar appearance to York Chocolate cats, these cats are not York Chocolate cats because they do not have pedigree records.