Cat breed · United States
The York Chocolate is a rare pedigreed breed of domestic cat originating in the United States. It has a long, fluffy coat and a tapered tail. The coat is predominantly or completely solid chocolate, or its dilute form, known as solid lilac. The breed was named after the US-state of New York, where it was established in 1983. This breed was created by selectively breeding domestic long-haired cats of non-pedigree ancestry. The breed is not widely recognised by the major cat registries, except for the WCF. As of 2026, the breed is either in critically low numbers, or extinct.
Appearance: The breed is of medium to large size, with an elongated body, substantial bone structure and firm musculature. The rib cage and shoulders are not broader than the hips. The legs are long and slender, with the hind legs slightly higher than the forelegs; the paws are oval in shape, with tufts between the toes. The tail is medium to long, broad at the base and tapering slightly to a rounded tip, and is fully furnished with flowing hair. The neck is medium to long in length.
The head is medium in size but appears relatively small in proportion to the body. It forms a modified wedge, extending in straight lines from the nose to the tips of the ears. The forehead is slightly rounded. The nose is long, straight and evenly medium broad, with a slight indentation at eye level. The muzzle is elongated and well defined, with a smooth contour, though it may appear somewhat square due to pronounced whisker pads. The chin is firm, gently contoured, and aligned vertically with the nose and upper lip.
The ears are large, moderately pointed, broad at the base, slightly flared and tilted forward, with well-furnished inner ear tufts. They are set wide apart, with at least one ear’s width between them, and continue the wedge-shaped lines of the head. The eyes are medium-sized, oval, and set at a slight slant towards the nose in harmony with the head shape. The distance between the eyes is at least one eye width. Eye colour ranges from golden and hazelnut to green, with preference given to purer and deeper shades.
The coat is semi-long, fine and glossy, lying smoothly along the body. It has a soft, silky texture with a well-developed undercoat that is not woolly. The fur is shorter on the shoulders and gradually lengthens towards the back; a slight frill is desirable.
History: The York Chocolate originated from the selective breeding of random-bred domestic long-haired cats in the United States. The foundation cat, a female known as Brownie, was born in 1983 on Janet Chiefari’s goat dairy farm in Grafton, US. Her dam was a black-and-white bicolour long-haired domestic, and her sire a solid black long-haired domestic.
Upon noticing similarities in coat and body types, Chiefari began her own breeding programme. In 1985, Brownie was mated back to her half-brother and son, producing chocolate-coloured kittens, establishing the basis of the breed. The dilute form of chocolate, lilac, first appeared in 1990; this variety was described as a rich, warm cocoa tone. The breed was developed in those two colour varieties: solid chocolate and solid lilac, recognised with or without white spotting. Kittens were typically born in a lighter cocoa or chocolate shade, with the coat deepening in colour as they matured, reaching full development at approximately 12 to 18 months of age.