Chartreux
The Chartreux appears in 16th century French literature. It describes a "Syrian cat" with a stocky build, woolly black-gray fur, and copper-colored eyes, which matches the appearance of the Chartreux. It is said that the Chartreux was brought to Europe during the Crusades. The two world wars of the 20th century brought the breed to the brink of extinction, but thanks to the efforts of breeders, it was saved. After World War I, French breeders selected the breeds that most closely resembled the Chartreux and crossbred them with it. By 1928, the breed was once again appearing in European cat shows, but World War II decimated France's native blue cat population. In the United States, the Chartreux was introduced in the 1970s.