Turkish Angora - Popular “Primordial Mother” of Long-Haired Cats

Records of the Turkish Angora have been kept since as early as the 16th Century; even the Prophet Muhammed was said to have owned one. The cat gets its name from the place in which it is said to originate from, Ankara (Angora), which is why in Turkish they are known as ‘Ankara Kedisi’ meaning cat from Ankara. Due to its warm undercoat, the Turkish Angora was perfectly protected against the harsh, icy winds in winter, but in summer this coat had the tendency to cause irritation making the cat insensitive to heat. Due to its gentle and elegant nature, it quickly became popular in the region, but it was only in the 1980s that its export and thus worldwide breeding were permitted by the Turkish government.

A Turkish Angora differs in many ways from other well-known long-haired breeds such as the Maine Coon or Siberian cat, their fur has much less undercoat, which is why it is less voluminous. The long top coat is also very smooth and silky. Their physique is also unique for a long-haired cat; the stretched, muscular and delicate body is supported by slender legs, which also gives them a certain grace. The bushy tail is long and does not lose its fullness even in summer. The most common colour is white; however, the odd-eyed colour feature that is common in long-haired cats, in which one eye is blue and one is yellow, also occurs here a fair amount. But be careful, in this case, the hearing of the cat on the side of the blue eye may be impaired. Breeders should therefore be able to demonstrate that both parents passed an audiometric hearing test without any problems. Other than that, the beautiful fur of the Turkish Angora can come in any colour, only Chocolate, Lilac, Fawn and Point colours are not desired. There are also no restrictions on eye colours.

With the Turkish Angora you bring a playful and intelligent cat into the house, which, however, needs to be constantly challenged. They love creative or challenging toys, brain teasers and also learns small tricks very quickly. But there should also be plenty of caring as the Turkish Angora is very human and social. For these reasons, they should not be kept alone: ​​they retain their zest for life and lively nature, only if they receive enough attention. A playmate is essential here, loneliness is a certain taboo for the Turkish Angora. Otherwise, the cosy cat is a very uncomplicated pet and can even be forgiving of a couple of mistakes made by new cat owners. Even their grooming is not very extensive: It is enough to brush the Turkish Angora weekly to remove loose hairs, otherwise they manage to keep their fur clean themselves.