York Chocolate cat breed: facts, temperament and care
A semi-longhaired American cat in solid chocolate or lilac, developed in New York from 1983 and now critically rare or possibly extinct.
Also known as York Chocolate cat, York Chocolate Longhair
Quick facts
| Origin | Grafton, New York, United States |
|---|---|
| Size | Medium |
| Coat length | Medium |
| Coat | Semi-long, fine, glossy coat with a soft, silky texture and a non-woolly undercoat |
| Colours and patterns | Solid chocolate or solid lilac, and bicolours of each with white |
Recognition
| Cat Fanciers' Association | Not recognised by the CFA |
|---|---|
| How common | Very rare |
Temperament and care (1 low, 5 high)
| Affection | 4 |
|---|---|
| Energy | 3 |
| Playfulness | 3 |
| Talkativeness | 2 |
| Grooming needed | 3 |
| Shedding | 3 |
| Good with children | 4 |
| Good with other pets | 4 |
| Happy alone | 3 |
| Trainability | 3 |
| Suits a small home | 3 |
Best suited to
| Suits | A reader interested in the history of American rare breeds; cats are unlikely to be available. |
|---|---|
| Less suited to | Anyone hoping to buy a kitten. The breed has no known active breeder. |
Registries that recognise it
- WCF
About the York Chocolate
The York Chocolate is an American breed that was named for New York state. The foundation cat was born in 1983 on a goat dairy farm in Grafton, New York, owned by Janet Chiefari. The breed standard was set in the mid-1980s, and the lilac colour, a dilute of chocolate, first appeared in 1990.
The York is described as a medium to large cat with an elongated body, long slim legs and large, moderately pointed ears with tufts inside. The eyes range from golden to hazel to green. The coat is semi-long, fine and glossy, and the colours are solid chocolate or lilac, with or without white.
Status today
The breed has been in decline for a long time. A count in 2005 found about 60 cats, and the last known breeder ended her programme in 2016. Today the breed is critically rare, and possibly extinct. The Cat Fanciers' Federation listed it as experimental in 1990, and the Canadian Cat Association adopted a standard in 1995 that is now dormant. The WCF recognised it in 2002. The CFA and TICA do not list it as a breed.
Temperament and living with one
Almost nothing reliable has been published on the York's temperament, and with so few cats there is no way to describe the breed with confidence. The scores in the profile are rough estimates based on its likely semi-longhair type. Treat any description with caution.
Care: coat, food and play
A semi-long coat without a woolly undercoat is usually easy to look after with weekly combing, a routine ear and tooth check and trimmed nails. Offer a complete diet in measured meals, a tall cat tree and daily play, as for any medium-sized cat.
Health
No breed-specific health conditions are documented, but that reflects how few cats there were. Any cat sold as a York Chocolate should be treated as a domestic cat of unknown ancestry, with a vaccination, parasite control and check-up plan agreed with your vet. Ask your vet if you are unsure what to do.
Is it right for you?
Because there are no active breeders, the York Chocolate is mainly of historical interest. If you want a chocolate-coloured cat, look at the Havana Brown. For another semi-long coat with an American background, read about the Chantilly-Tiffany, which is also a nearly lost breed.
Profile last reviewed November 7, 2026