<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2006-05-11</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001003929</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>CORAUTUS GENETICS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>VEGF</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001026765</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ROYSTON IVOR</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O CORAUTUS GENETICS INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>75 FIFTH STREET, SUITE 700</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>ATLANTA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>GA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>30308</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>.85</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2006-05-11</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>87769</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2016-05-11</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>87769</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>87769</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Of the 87,769 shares, (A) 22,800 shares were awarded to the director as a retainer grant for the upcoming service year, which shall become 100% exercisable on the last day of the service year if the director continues to serve through that date; (B) 22,800 shares were awarded to the director as compensation for attendance at board meetings during the upcoming service year, which shall become first exercisable on the last day of the service year if the director continues to serve through that date; (C) 11,400 shares were awarded as compensation to the director for attendance at meetings of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee of the board for the upcoming service year, which shall first become exercisable on the last day of the service year if the director continues to serve through that date; (cont'd in footnote 2)</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">(cont'd from footnote 1) and (D) 30,769 shares were awarded to the director as a retainer grant for the upcoming service year which shall become exercisable in 25% increments on the first day of each calendar quarter beginning July 1, 2006.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks>Exhibit Index:
Exhibit 24 - Power of Attorney</remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>David K. Brown, by power of attorney</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2006-05-15</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
