Turkish Angora cat breed: the distinguished cat once kept in a zoo

His elegant coat and intelligent, beautiful eyes are a charming sight, although he is much less common than other cats with longer fur. The Angora has been around for centuries, but its survival has been under serious threat throughout history.

What this beautiful kitten has in mind is hard to dissuade. But because of its great nature and beauty, most owners turn a blind eye to its antics. This is a very people-oriented, curious and clever cat who loves to be the centre of attention and purrs to strangers.

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This naturally evolved breed (i.e. not bred by human intervention) is named after the city of Ankara in Turkey, formerly known as Angora. The breed has been around since a 16. century is also mentioned in a French record. However, how it got to Europe is a matter of differing opinions. One theory is that the Vikings brought them from Turkey over a thousand years ago. Others believe the breed was a diplomatic gift from the Sultan to Italy and France. The latter was very popular among the aristocracy in the latter country, and the beautiful cat was immortalised in many paintings. For a long time the Angora was also known as the French cat.

They were also used to breed Persian cats, to achieve a nice, longer coat. However, the Angoras interbred so many times that the purebreds eventually became extinct and were only rescued by the Ankara Zoo’s breeding programme. Angora were first introduced to the United States in 1954. At that time, some American breeders were given permission to export by the Turkish government. Breeders took an interest in them and began to breed the breed carefully, but it was not until the mid-1960s that they sought official recognition from the Cat Fanciers Association. The CFA began registering cats in 1968 and in 1972 gave full recognition to the white Turkish Angora (formerly only found in this colour). The colour Turkish Angora was adopted in 1978. Today the breed is recognised by most cat breeders.

Species standard

The Turkish angora is very muscular despite its slender, elegant build. It is medium sized, with a body weight of around 3-5 kg. The head is triangular, the jaw is strong, the bite is scissor-like. Ears floppy, fluffy, broad at the base, proportionate to the head. The eyes are almond-shaped, large and slightly slanted. Its colour is independent of the colour of the coat, it can be any shade of green and yellow, light blue and half-white. Its legs are long, straight and thin, but with strong bones. The hind limbs are slightly longer than the forelimbs. The coat is medium long, soft, fine and silky. More shaggy at the neck and tail. Originally, the angora was white with blue eyes, but today it comes in many different colours. Its fur can be black, blue, cream, red or turtle. Life expectancy is 15-18 years.

Character

Despite its refined elegance, this cat is a very skilful and efficient hunter, who likes to move around a lot, but also likes to relax. He enjoys playing with almost any kind of cat toy and likes to be in a high place to watch his surroundings. He is a curious character and likes to keep an eye on what is happening in his home. He often follows his owner around, expecting lots of petting and affection, but of course he reciprocates the latter himself. He often rubs and purrs, even to strangers.

Ideal environment

He is very fond of children, tolerates the presence of other pets, but likes to be the boss among them. As he is very curious, he likes to wander around and hunt in the garden, but it is important that it is well protected so that he cannot wander in the street. It’s worth giving him higher places in the home where he can lie down and watch what’s going on. He is affectionate to his owner, expects love and tries to keep an eye on him or follow him at all times. It is therefore only recommended for a family where it will get a lot of attention and will not be lonely.

To live happily with an Angora, you need to have a sense of humour like hers and a little patience. Once he gets something into his head, it can be difficult to dissuade him and explain how he should behave. But so charming is its nature that most farmers overlook its mischievousness. He is an affectionate, affectionate cat who is devoted to his family, but his high intelligence, resourcefulness, interaction and playfulness can be a challenge for some.

Care

The long coat of the Angora requires combing 1-2 times a week. Molted twice a year.
Karmait must be cut, if they grow too long, and it is also worth cleaning their teeth regularly. Wipe your eyes occasionally with a soft, damp cloth. The possible to avoid infections
use a separate area of the cloth for each eye. The cleanliness of the ears should be checked weekly. If they look dirty, wipe them with a cotton pad or a soft, damp cloth moistened with a 50-50 mixture of apple cider vinegar and warm water. As all cats are fussy about the cleanliness of their litter, make sure that the tray is always spotless. It is important to have a balanced diet because may be prone to obesity.

Common health problems

The Turkish Angora are generally healthy, but cats with one or two blue eyes and white fur are prone to deafness. Other problems that have been observed in the breed are ataxia and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Ataxia is a sometimes fatal neuromuscular disorder that affects very young kittens, 2-4 weeks old, and causes coordination problems. Careful screening greatly reduces the incidence of the disease. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a form of heart disease that causes enlargement of the heart muscle. The Turkish angora is one of the species that can be affected by this disease.

(Literature used: János Szinák – István Veress: Cat Guide, Jean-Luc Renck: The Cat, Laura Aceti – Viola Autieri: Our Best Friend, the Cat)