The York Chocolate is a relatively new cat breed, having been established in the 1980s when a black and white farm cat mated with a black male cat. One cat in the litter was a brown kitten, which went on to have a litter of her own a year later. Another generation later and the York Chocolate was born.
The breed is considered a mild-mannered and friendly cat. They are intelligent and curious, having descended from farm cats, and they are also highly energetic and lively. They can be shy, typically with strangers, but they are sociable animals, and they will not do well if they are left alone all day while you go out to work. They are affectionate with their humans, and the York Chocolate is just as happy curled up on your lap as he is playing with interactive toys and enjoying extensive exercise.
Your York Chocolate cat will get along with people of all ages, and he will get along with cats, dogs, and other animals. They will enjoy interacting with all family members and will especially benefit from having interactive playtime to keep their mind and body active and alert.
York Chocolate Kittens – Before You Welcome One Into Your Familly…
The ancestry of the York Chocolate is such that this breed has developed from farm cats. Farm cats are known for being energetic, good hunters, and great climbers. Although the York is several generations away from the original farm cat, he does still possess many of these properties. When he isn’t busy curling up on your lap, you can expect your York to be climbing on top of wardrobes, chasing any pests around the house, and enjoying his time outdoors. You should try to mimic the aspects of a farm cat’s life. Offer interactive toys so that your cat can “hunt” them. If you let your York out, be prepared for him to hunt and to potentially bring home his quarry.
2. The York Chocolate is Very Sociable
One of the endearing properties of this breed is his friendly and sociable nature. The York will get along with all family members. He will like people, other cats, and dogs, although he may try and hunt any smaller animals in the home. The York can be shy around strangers, although some of this breed will be very friendly with all people, regardless of how well he knows them. Be prepared for the fact that the York is similar to a shadow dog in a lot of ways. He is likely to follow you around the house while you go about your business. He will also enjoy spending time curled up on your lap, though, and will enjoy a long nap just as much as the next cat. He will benefit from having other cats and people around the house, though. The York does need regular contact, and this means that he may not be a suitable breed if you will spend a lot of time out at work during the day.
3. They Do Require Some Grooming
The beautiful coat of the York Chocolate is one of the reasons that his popularity is increasing. They have long coats that are dark and rich chocolate color. The color of the coat tends to be lighter when they are young, and because the hair is long, it is prone to knotting and matting. Regular brushing will help minimize the amount of dead hair and knots. Expect to brush 2-3 times a week to ensure that your York is comfortable and that they leave fewer shed hairs around the house.
Credit: Ciprian Gherghias, Shutterstock
Temperament & Intelligence of the York Chocolate
The York Chocolate is often described as being canine. They tend to follow their people around, can be quite vocal, and will enjoy actively playing games with their human owners. Buy interactive toys and be prepared to spend some time playing with your pet.
Are These Cats Good for Families? 👪
Although the York Chocolate can be quite shy with strangers, he is not shy with family. He will get along with all his humans. He is just as happy with seniors as he is with children. The York will enjoy spending time on your lap, and extended naps on the bed or another comfortable surface.
Does This Breed Get Along with Other Pets?
The York also gets along with other cats as well as dogs. He is a farm cat, by nature, which means that he may pose a threat to small animals, especially if he is allowed to chase them. The time between your cat and small animals should always be supervised.
The York Chocolate is an attractive cat with a great temperament to match. He will become a loving and active part of the family that enjoys spending time on your lap, as well as time playing with his interactive toys. However, the York isn’t an ideal pet for all families and you should consider the following factors before introducing one to your home:
Food & Diet Requirements
How much food you should be giving your York every day will depend on the size of your cat, as well as their daily energy expenditure. It is important that you only feed the required amount, otherwise, your cat can become overweight. Also remember that an active cat requires more food, while a sedentary cat requires less food.
Cats are obligate carnivores. This means that they need to eat meat and that their primary source of protein should be animal-based. They will not thrive on a vegetarian or vegan diet, although they can supplement their meat diet with some plants, fruit, and vegetables.
You can give wet food, dry food, or a combination of the two. Wet food hydrates your cat and tends to be more appealing to the cat, while dry food keeps longer and has a longer shelf life, but you will need to provide a constant fresh supply of water to accompany a dry food source.
Exercise 🐈
Having descended from farm cats, the York Chocolate is an active and lively cat. He is also muscular and athletic, and he will benefit from any physical exercise you can give him. Buy interactive toys and spend some time playing with him. Get a scratch post or climbing tree, because your York will enjoy climbing and spending time playing vertically.
Training 🎾
It is possible to train your York Chocolate cat, although they do tend to be quite independent so while they are intelligent, it can be difficult to convince them to what you want. Training results can differ.
The York Chocolate has long hair, and this can become matted if you don’t help take care of it. You should brush his coat 2-3 times a week because this will help to eliminate knots and matting. It will remove dead hairs and may also prevent your cat’s fur from getting on the furniture and the floor. You should also brush your cat’s teeth and you may need to help keep their claws trim to prevent discomfort and injury.
Health and Conditions 🏥
Due to the newness of this breed, there aren’t any known breed-specific complaints that are known to affect the York Chocolate. However, you should keep an eye out for symptoms of illnesses that are common to cats and seek help if any symptoms show.
Minor Conditions
Still unknown
Serious Conditions
Still unknown
Male vs Female
The male and female of the York Chocolate are very similar in most respects. The male will grow a little larger than the female.
Final Thoughts
The York Chocolate is a chocolate brown cat breed that originates from a farm cat. He is athletic and energetic, enjoys playing, and he will get along with all family members, including humans and animals. He will enjoy spending time on your lap, as well as time playing with interactive toys. The York is not known to be susceptible to any breed-specific illnesses and has an average life expectancy of around 14 years. He makes a good family pet. He may be quite shy around strangers, at first, but will soon become close and friendly with anybody.
Featured image credit: Ciprian Gherghias, Shutterstock
Christian is the Editor-in-Chief of Excited Cats and one of its original and primary contributors. A lifelong cat lover, now based in South East Asia, Christian and his wife are the proud parents of an 11-year-old son and four rescue cats: Trixie, Chloe, Sparky, and Chopper.
