Turkish Angora

The Angora is a special kind of cat.

It comes from a land called Turkey. These cats have long and soft fur. They also have long and thin bodies.

Their eyes can be many colors. Some cats even have two different eye colors. These cats are very smart and like to play. They often pick one person to be their best friend. They like to stay close to that person.

The Turkish Angora is a special kind of cat.

These cats come from a place called Anatolia. This area is in modern-day Turkey. People have known about these cats since the 1600s. They have long, silky fur. Their bodies are long and slender.

Most people think of them as white cats. But they can have many colors and patterns. They cannot be chocolate or lavender. Their eyes are shaped like almonds. They can be blue, green, amber, or yellow. Some cats have heterochromatic eyes. This means they have two different eye colors. These cats are very smart and playful. They like to be active. They often bond with one person in a family. They like to stay close to that person.

In the past, a zoo in Turkey worked to save white Angoras. They chose cats based on their color. Today, cats in North America can be many colors. They are not just white anymore.

The Turkish Angora is a very special kind of domestic cat.

These cats are an ancient and natural breed. They first came from central Anatolia in modern-day Turkey. People have known about them since the 17th century. In some places, they are called the Angora cat. Others call them the Ankara cat. These cats are known for being very elegant. They have slender bodies and look very graceful.

This cat has a very specific way it looks. They have a long and muscular body. Their fur is silky and very soft to touch. Most people think of them as white cats. However, they can actually have many different colors and patterns. They just cannot be chocolate, lavender, or colorpoint. Their heads are small to medium in size. They have large, almond-shaped eyes. These eyes can be blue, green, amber, or yellow. Some cats even have two different eye colors.

Learning about their history is quite interesting. All domestic cats came from the African wildcat. Longhaired cats were brought to Europe from Asia Minor a long time ago. In 1788, a man named Charles Catton wrote about them. He thought the Angora and the Persian were the same breed. In the early 1900s, a zoo in Turkey started a program. The Atatürk Forest Farm and Zoo wanted to protect white Angoras. They chose cats based only on their white color.

Many important things happened as these cats moved around the world. The breed arrived in Canada in 1963. In 1973, the Cat Fanciers' Association accepted them as a championship breed. For a short time, only white cats were recognized. This changed in 1978 when other colors were allowed. Scientists also studied their DNA to learn more. A study in 2012 showed that American cats are different from Turkish cats. The Turkish cats belong to an Eastern Mediterranean group.

If you meet an Angora, you might find a very active friend. They are known to be playful and very smart. They are also quite athletic and love to move. These cats like to bond with humans in a special way. They often pick one person in a family to be their best friend. They can be very protective of that one person.

Having a cat like this is like having a tiny, elegant athlete in your home.

The Turkish Angora is a distinct breed of domestic cat.

It is considered one of the ancient, natural breeds of cats. These cats originated in central Anatolia, which is the Ankara Province in modern-day Turkey. While they are widely known as Turkish Angoras, they are often called Angoras or Ankara cats outside the United States. This breed is significant because it represents a long history of natural feline development. Understanding this breed helps us see how domestic cats have changed over many centuries.

All domestic cats descended from the African wildcat, known scientifically as Felis lybica. The ancestors of the Turkish Angora were among the cats first domesticated in the Fertile Crescent. Longhaired cats were eventually imported to Britain and France from regions like Asia Minor, Persia, and Russia. These imports happened as early as the late 16th century. By the 17th century, the Turkish Angora was recognized as a distinct breed in Europe. This shows how long humans have interacted with and categorized these specific animals.

Historically, the distinction between some breeds was not always clear. In his 1788 book, *Animals Drawn from Nature and Engraved in Aqua-tinta*, Charles Catton listed "Persian cat" and "Angora cat" as alternative names for the same breed. There is a strong historical connection between Angoras and Persians. In the 20th century, Angoras were even used to improve the coats of Persian cats. However, the two types remain divergent. This is especially true because modern show cats of the Persian breed have developed increasingly flat faces.

Physically, the Turkish Angora is defined by a slender and elegant body. They possess a long, muscular frame with good fineness of the bone. Their heads are small to medium in size and feature a smooth wedge shape. The eyes are large and almond-shaped, with colors including blue, green, amber, or yellow. Some cats exhibit heterochromia, which means they have different colored eyes. Their ears are pointed, large, and wide-set. A notable feature is the plumed tail, which the cat often carries upright and perpendicular to its back.

While many people associate the breed with a shimmery white coat, they actually display various colors and patterns. The only disallowed coat colors are chocolate, lavender, or colorpoint. The breed's temperament is also quite specific. Turkish Angoras are described as playful, intelligent, athletic, and involved. They form strong bonds with humans. Often, a cat will select one specific family member to be its constant companion. In these relationships, the cat can be very protective.

In the early 20th century, the Atatürk Forest Farm and Zoo began a breeding program. Their goal was to protect and preserve pure white Angoras. The zoo specifically prized odd-eyed specimens, though they chose cats based only on color. The breed's journey to North America included an arrival in Canada in 1963. In 1973, the Cat Fanciers' Association accepted them as a championship pedigreed breed. Initially, only white Angoras were recognized, but this changed in 1978 when all colors were accepted. Today, North American registries accept many different colors and patterns.

Science has helped clarify the true origins of the breed through DNA studies. A 2012 study involving cats from Turkey found that American and Turkish Angoras are separate breed populations. American Turkish Angoras are categorized as descendants of European random-bred cats. In contrast, cats imported from Turkey were assigned to the Eastern Mediterranean group. This suggests that while American cats are "purebred on paper," they have minimal remnant DNA from the original Atatürk Forest Farm and Zoo populations. There are also health considerations to note. The gene responsible for the white coat and blue eyes can cause deafness. Some reports also mention ataxia in kittens and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in adults.