Turkish Angora

Other names: angora cat

The Turkish Angora is one of the oldest native breeds in the world. This is a graceful and sociable cat with a long silky coat.

Characteristics of Turkish Angora

Basic moments

• Turkish Angoras are attached to only one owner, so they are great for single people.
• Angora cats get along without problems in a large family and together with other animals, but by virtue of instincts they begin to hunt for smaller pets.
• The main signs of the breed: smooth silky fur without undercoat, graceful flexible body and a very long fluffy tail.
• Despite the exotic appearance, cats do not need complex care or a special diet.
• Turkish Angoras love to hunt and play, so if they do not have enough space, they can make a mess in the apartment.
• These cats never meow loudly, do not “scandal”, demanding food or attention of the owner.
• If you taught a kitten to water from a young age, you can be sure that an adult pet will learn to swim perfectly.
• Angora cats are smart, easy to train and trainable.
• Regular visits to the veterinarian, a balanced diet and the attention of the owner will provide the animal with a long life – up to 15-20 years.

Turkish Angora is a favorite breed of aristocrats and rulers, which has a long history of development. Angora cats of a snow-white color with blue or bicolor (one blue, the other yellow) eyes are especially valued. The mobile playful animal demands the minimum leaving, well gives in to training. A majestic and graceful pet is attached to only one person, whom he recognizes as the owner.

History of the Turkish Angora breed

Felinologists have not been able to find out exactly when and how this breed arose – Angora cats have lived next to humans for many centuries. Presumably, their progenitor was a Caucasian forest cat, who lived in the Middle Ages in Turkey. The breed appeared and developed on the territory of this state, having received the name in honor of the city of Ankara, which has been the capital since 1923. For the first time, wayward fluffy pets were mentioned in local legends of the 15th century. Only noble people could afford to keep white cats with bicolor eyes, although other colors were also natural. It was believed that a person who was bitten by such an animal should become the ruler of Turkey. Another legend explaining the veneration of Angora cats says that one of the national saints had eyes of different colors.

An interesting fact: modern Turkish Angoras do not look like their “great-grandparents”: over a long time they have undergone changes, but they still have an unusual coat, grace and sophistication.

In Europe, the Turkish Angora appeared at the beginning of the 17th century thanks to an Italian aristocrat. Traveling in Turkey, Persia and India, he became interested in unusual white cats with long hair. The Italian took a couple of fluffy beauties with him.

The Turkish Angora immediately became very popular, especially in the French court. It is known that one of the first owners of the Angora cat in Europe was none other than the all-powerful Cardinal de Richelieu. Later, no less famous Frenchmen chose pets of this breed: Louis XIV, Marie Antoinette, Victor Hugo, Theophile Gauthier. The Angora cat was the favorite of the Russian Empress Catherine the Great. However, despite its popularity, no one was engaged in its systematic selection.

At the beginning of the 19th century, the breed came to the United States, but quickly became an auxiliary, serving to breed Persian cats . At home in 1917-1930. The Turkish Angora has been declared a national treasure. The government has set up a program to restore the declining breed at the Ankara Zoo Nursery. The lack of systematic selection forced European and American breeders to recreate the population in the 1950s.

Officially, the Turkish Angora was recognized only in 1973 by the CFA (USA). Initially, only white cats were considered to meet the standard, but by 1978 it was possible to prove the traditionality of other colors. Today the breed has champion status in all world felinological organizations. To preserve the gene pool, since 1996, the Turkish government has closed the export of white Angoras from the country, but left the possibility of exporting cats of other colors that are considered equivalent. Interestingly, in Turkey, snow-white Angora cats with multi-colored eyes are allowed into mosques.

Video: Turkish angora

Appearance of the Turkish Angora

The Turkish Angora is an elegant medium-sized cat. The flexible elongated body is quite muscular and graceful. Females weigh 2.5-3.5 kg, males can be 2 times larger. When assessing, experts pay more attention to the balance of physique than the size of the animal.

Head

The flat skull and high cheekbones form a wedge-shaped head with a smooth silhouette. The forehead gently merges into a straight nose. The rounded chin in profile is perpendicular to the nose.

Eyes

Large, set wide, have a rounded, slightly oblique shape. Usually blue, green or yellow in color, individuals with differently colored eyes are often found.

Ears

Large, high-set ears have a wide base and are located vertically. Inside there is a thick “brush” of fur, on the tips there are small brushes.

Neck

The pronounced graceful neck of the Turkish Angora is of medium length.

Body

Small, toned and slender. The croup is slightly above the shoulders.

Legs

Slender and tall. The hind limbs are slightly longer than the front. It is desirable that characteristic tufts of wool be present between the fingers.

Tail

Bushy, almost as long as the body, tapering to a wedge-shaped tip.

Wool

The semi-long coat of the Turkish Angora is very soft, crumbly, with little or no undercoat. In the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe “panties” and the collar, the hair is slightly longer than on the rest of the body.

Color

Until today, snow-white Angora cats are in favor, but cream, brown, tabby, smoky, red colors are also considered acceptable.

The nature of the Turkish Angora

The Angora cat has an independent, wayward character. Usually the pet behaves calmly, but sometimes it likes to run around, knocking everything in its path, so it is advisable to provide enough space for games. The cat loves mouse toys, although it will not refuse live ones either. If an object of fun is taken away from her during the game, she will not calm down until she takes it away or demands it back. Turkish Angoras are very persistent and purposeful. Passionately loves walks and gladly climbs somewhere higher. This cat does not like to sit on its knees for a long time, but seeks to capture the attention of others, while it never meows loudly, does not scandal, but “talks” with the help of uterine purring sounds. The Turkish Angora gets along well with pets, family members, but considers only one person to be the owner.

Cats of this breed have a developed hunting instinct, so they are happy to master various toys and set up ambushes. If the owner accustoms the kitten to water procedures, then the adult pet will insist on bathing. Turkish Angoras have a developed intellect, if desired, easily opening bags, cabinets, doors. Also, animals can learn to fetch objects, turn lights on and off. Your pet will securely hide your own toys from extraneous encroachments. The cat suffers without human attention, but is always ready to support the sick owner.

Angora treats strangers with caution, it takes a long time to get used to new faces. The pet is obedient, easily accustomed to the scratching post, the tray and the rules of behavior in the house. If for some reason the animal is offended by the owner, it will deliberately violate the established order as revenge.

Care and maintenance

Turkish Angoras require minimal care. In a healthy animal, the silky coat does not tangle, so it is enough to comb it 2 times a week. White cats are bathed every 2-3 months, using special conditioners that prevent yellowing of the coat. Pets of other colors can be washed even less frequently. It is necessary to regularly examine the ears and eyes of the angora, if necessary, wipe the shells with special lotions. Once a week, you need to brush your teeth with special pastes, wipe your ears and eyes. This will avoid the appearance of inflammation, the formation of tartar.

Take care of the animal’s leisure so that your pet does not spoil the furniture: purchase a multi-level “cat tree”, a scratching post, a set of toys. Get a house for the cat – personal space will become a reliable shelter for the angora, allow her to hide her favorite toys and just relax. If you have accustomed your pet to a scratching post, there is no need to trim the nails.

This breed does not have special preferences in terms of nutrition. The most important criteria are a balanced diet and its sufficient fortification. Kittens should be fed 4-5 times a day, accustomed to fermented milk products. Otherwise, you will have to buy calcium supplements that ensure normal tooth enamel mineralization and claw growth. Adult animals need to be fed 2 times a day at a strictly defined time. Increase your intake of fat-soluble vitamins during the shedding season to help reduce hair loss. A natural diet should include:

• dairy products (but not milk);
• boiled or frozen meat, offal, fish;
• raw or boiled eggs;
• vegetables.

White Angora cats are not recommended to be fed with hearts, liver, sea kale – all this contributes to the yellowing of the fur. This restriction does not apply to other colors. Completely protect your pet from the consumption of fried, peppery, too salty foods, sweets. When choosing ready-made food, give preference to the highest quality products for long-haired cats.

Turkish Angoras health and disease

The Turkish Angora has good health, allowing the pet to live up to 15-20 years with proper care. Adults may suffer from congenital diseases and tartar. Kittens are prone to ataxia and other ailments, so constant veterinary supervision is important for up to six months. Older cats sometimes suffer from cardiomyopathy, suffer from tumor neoplasms.

White individuals with blue eyes are often born deaf, although their character does not change from this. It is better to completely transfer such animals to home keeping and walk on a harness. In bicolor cats, deafness can affect only one ear (on the side of the blue eye).

How to choose a kitten

If you want to buy a healthy kitten that really belongs to the Angora breed, contact only specialized catteries. Be sure to look at the parent’s pedigree. For snow-white kittens, a line of buyers line up several months before the next litter is born. If you want to get a furry friend earlier, look at Turkish Angoras in other colors. The kitten must stand confidently on its feet, be accustomed to food. Healthy animals are playful, although cautious, do not have creases on the tail, areas of matted fur.

How much is a Turkish Angora

The price depends on the purity of the pedigree, color and health of the cat. In Russia, a non-exhibition Angora kitten can be bought for 150 – 200$. The most expensive are breeding individuals, which will later be used by breeders to breed the breed, as well as pets that meet the most stringent standards, suitable for participation in exhibitions. The cost of elite Turkish Angora kittens reaches 400 – 500$.