Where do they come from?

No one is really sure where or how the Turkish Angora originated. Often recounted is the theory that the Angora developed from the longhaired Pallas cat (Felis manul), an Asian wildcat about the size of the domestic, but this is doubtful. The Pallas has fundamental differences from the domestic feline and, unlike today’s affectionate Angoras, is virtually untamable. It is likely that the Turkish Angora developed from the African wildcat, like all other domestic cats. Possibly some crossbreeding occurred between the two.

The recessive mutation for long hair in felines probably occurred spontaneously centuries ago and was perpetuated through interbreeding in confined, mountainous areas that would limit outcrossing, like the Lake Van region in Turkey. (The French naturalist De Buffon, writing in the later part of the 1700s, wrote that cats with long fur came from Asia Minor.)

However they developed, longhaired cats have been noted in Turkey and the surrounding neighborhoods for centuries. According to the legend, Mohammed (570 – 632 A.D.), founder of the Islamic faith, was so fond of cats that he once cut off his sleeve rather than disturb his beloved Angora Muezza, who was sleeping in his arms. Formerly called “Ankara” cats (the name of the Turkish capital was changed from Angora to Ankara in 1930), Ankara is also home to longhaired Angora rabbits and goats prized by the Turkish people for their long, fine hair.

Longhaired cats were imported to Britain and France from Turkey, Persia, Russia, and Afghanistan as early as the late 1500s. The Angora had definitely found its way to Europe by the early 1600s, and by the late 1700s Angoras were being imported into America.

In the early days of the cat fancy, Angoras were highly prized. As the story goes, one Angora owner turned down an offer of $5,000 for her beloved Angora at an 1890 cat show in London.

Gradually, however, the Persian became the preferred type of cat in the European cat fancy. The Angora was used extensively in Persian breeding programs to add length and silkiness to the Persian coat. Later, the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy decided that all longhaired breeds should be simply called “longhairs”, Also confusing was the tendency of cat fanciers to call any longhair a Persian or Angora, despite its bloodline. Persians, Angoras, and Russian Longhairs were bred together indiscriminately. Except in their native land, Angoras ceased to exist as a pure breed. They stopped appearing in the show halls and from registration records. By the 1900s Angoras had virtually vanished.

In the early 1900s the government of Turkey in conjunction with the Ankara Zoo began a meticulous breeding program to protect and preserve the pure white Angora cats with blue and amber eyes, a program that continues today. The zoo particularly prized the odd-eyed Angoras (cats with eyes of differing colors), because they are believed to be touched by Allah. Mohammed’s Angora, Muezza, was reputed to be an odd-eyed cat.

Because the Turkish people valued the cats so highly, obtaining Angoras from the Ankara Zoo was very difficult, but in 1962 Liesa F. Grant, wife of Army Colonel Walter Grant who was stationed in Turkey, was successful in importing a pair of the zoo’s Turkish Angoras to America, complete with certificates of ancestry. These imports revived interest in the breed and soon other breeders began developing the breed. The Grants were instrumental in achieving CFA recognition for the Angora.

In 1970 the CFA was the first U.S. registry to accept the Turkish Angora for registration. In 1973 the CFA accepted the Angora for Championship, but until 1978 only pure white Angoras were registered. Today, all North American registries accept the Turkish Angora. While numbers are still small, the gene pool is growing, with the registration totals gaining ground each year.

Some photos of different Angora cats.

Turkish Angora fanciers are as attached to their cats as their cats are to them. Angoras seem to invoke strong responses in their humans with their symmetry, intelligence, and devotion to their humans. Angoras bond with their owners completely; an Angora is not happy unless it is right in the middle of whatever you’re doing. They enjoy a good conversation and can keep up their end of the discussion with the best of them. Angoras are good-natured, but determined. Once an Angora gets an idea into its head, you might as well just give in and spare yourself the lengthy argument.

Angoras have a great need to play and enjoy playing a good-natured joke on their favorite humans every now and then. They can be mischievous and action-packed when they’re in the mood. Angoras love practicing their pounce on scraps of paper or unsuspecting human toes whatever catches their fancy. When in movement, which is most of the time, Angoras seem to flow with the grace of dancers. Highly intelligent, Angoras are problem solvers that like to be in control of their surroundings; they will only tolerate being held for a few minutes before jumping down to bat at sunbeams and chase feathers. They’ll stay in the room, though, so you can watch their antics admiringly.

Along with its cousin the Turkish Van, the Angora is known for its swimming prowess, and will even plunge in for an occasional swim. Not every Turkish Angora enjoys water, but many do, with varying degrees of enthusiasm.

How does an Angora Cat behave?

Turkish Angora cats have long, silky coats and elegant, sinuous bodies. Though it is known for a shimmery white coat, Turkish angora cats can display a variety of colors.They come in tabby and tabby-white, along with smoke varieties, and are in every color other than those that indicate hybridization (cross breeding), such as pointed, chocolate, lavender, and cinnamon.

Eyes may be blue, green, amodd-eyed (e.g., one blue and one amber or green). Ears are pointed, large and wide-set. The eyes are almond shaped and the profile forms two straight planes. The plumed tail is often carried upright, perpendicular to the back

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History

Like all domestic cats, Turkish Angoras descended from the African wildcat (Felis silvestris lybica). The Fertile Crescent was a place where cats were first domesticated. Cats from eastern mountainous regions of early Anatolia and through inbreeding and natural selection, developed into longhaired breeds like the Turkish Van and the Turkish Angora.

Longhaired cats were imported to Britain and France from Asia Minor, Persia and Russia as early as the late 16th century, though there are indications that they appeared in Europe as early as the 14th century due to the Crusades^{[citation needed]} . The Turkish Angora was used, almost to the point of extinction, to improve the coat on the Persian. The Turkish Angora was recognized as a distinct breed in Europe by the 17th century.

Angoras and Persians seem connected. The Persian cat was developed from Turkish angora mutations by British and American cat fanciers. Although some cat associations think the Persian cat is a natural breed, in the 19th century Persians and Angoras were identical. In 1903, F. Simpson wrote in her book The Book Of The Cat:

"In classing all long-haired cats as Persians I may be wrong, but the distinctions, apparently with hardly any difference, between Angoras and Persians are of so fine a nature that I must be pardoned if I ignore the class of cat commonly called Angora, which seems gradually to have disappeared from our midst. Certainly, at our large shows there is no special classification given for Angoras, and in response to many inquiries from animal fanciers I have never been able to obtain any definite information as to the difference between a Persian and an Angora cat."

The Angora of the 20th century was used for improvement in the Persian coat, but the type has always been vastly divergent from the Persian – particularly as the increasingly flat-faced show cat Persian has been developed in the last few decades.

In the early 20th century, the Ankara Zoo, began a meticulous breeding program to protect and preserve what they considered a national treasure: pure white Turkish Angoras. The zoo particularly prized odd-eyed Angoras (i.e., Turkish Angoras with one blue eye and one amber eye), however the cats were chosen only by their color (white)—no other criterion was used. Despite the lack of selective breeding and no consideration given for the deafness problem, Ankara Zoo cats have a very similar type.

The Turkish Angora, which was brought to Canada in 1963, was accepted as a championship pedigreed breed in 1973 by the Cat Fanciers' Association. However, until 1978 only white Angoras were recognized. Today, all North American registries accept the Turkish Angora in many colors and patterns. While numbers are still relatively small, the gene pool and base of fanciers are growing.

"Breeders in Turkey feel that the cat fancy’s fine-boned version of their national breed is unrepresentative of the true Turkish cats, which are much sturdier. American “Turkish” Angoras may have only a minimal remnant of the original Ankara Zoo DNA and are only “purebred on paper".

Introducing one of the most beautiful cat breeds in the world: Angora cats!

The Turkish Angora (Turkish: Ankara kedisi, 'Ankara cat') is a breed of domestic cat. Turkish Angoras are one of the ancient,natural breeds of cat, having originated in central Turkey, in the Ankara region (historically known as Angora). The breed has been documented as early as the 1600s and is believed to be the origin of the mutations for both the coloration white (the dominant white gene is in truth the absence of color) and long hair. The breed is also sometimes referred to as simply the Angora or Ankara cat.