The history of the origin of the breed, a description of the external standard of a cat of the Turkish Angora variety, the nature and health of the animal, recommendations for keeping a cat, the price of a kitten. The Turkish Angora, also known as the Angora cat, is an animal that emerged from robotic breeding conducted jointly by European and American breeders. These representatives of felines have been leading their line since the middle of the 20th century, but cats brought from Turkish lands, namely the pets of the Ankara Zoo, became the progenitors. This beautiful creation of human hands knows how to win over anyone, from ordinary people to royal nobility. It is not for nothing that a cat with a patriotic name (Angora is an ancient Turkish city) has become a luxury item far beyond its homeland and continues to be popular to this day.
History of the origin of the Turkish Angora breed
If we talk about these representatives of the feline world, then we can say with confidence that this is one of the oldest breeds that have ever existed on our planet. But when it comes to such species, the origins of the genealogy of which go back centuries, then involuntarily in the head there are associations with wars, battles and other disasters that have steadily weighed down the lives of people, not to mention pets. However, this was not the case with Angora cats.
The thing is that the Turkish Angora cat, according to many historians, was a pet of none other than the Prophet Muhammad himself. For this reason, having such a purr in your home was considered simply the height of luxury. Therefore, Angora cats were inhabitants of exceptionally luxurious mansions and loyal friends of eminent owners. A Turkish Angora kitten, starting from about the XIV-XV century, was considered a very prestigious and very expensive present. On a big holiday, such an animal could only go to some official or even a sultan.
Local residents were very respectful of their aboriginal cats, and in order to express their love and respect for them, representatives of the Turkish Angora had the right to cross the threshold of the mosque, and this was considered the highest measure of favor.
Angora cats gradually began to delight not only local residents and their rulers, but also noble people of Europe. For example, once the famous king of France Louis XVI was presented with a pretty kitten Turkish Angora. His Majesty loved his tailed pet so much that almost everything was allowed for the cat, the animal could calmly walk on the table, at which great affairs of state were decided. Nor could anyone afford to chase away the annoying, furry "member of the state council." When hard times came in Europe, the wife of the King of France, Marie Antoinette, did not leave even the cats in trouble, she did her best to save them by ferrying her pets far overseas - to the United States. It was there that the fluffies from Turkey were officially approved as a new breed, such an important event in the life of Angora cats happened at the beginning of the 19th century.
For a long time, these purrs were simply wildly popular, but since people love everything new, with the advent of new long-haired breeds, they gradually began to forget about the Turkish Angora. Only more than 100 years later, Turkish officials came to their senses that they have an aboriginal breed of cats and threw a lot of effort and material resources to return them to their former glory. The Turks succeeded, but since then it has been strictly forbidden to export local Turkish Angora outside the country. But this does not mean at all that you cannot find an Angora kitten for yourself. If it is not sold to you in Turkey, then you may well get it in the USA or in nurseries in Europe.
Turkish Angora cat: description of the standard of appearance and photo
- The torso. Cats have a beautiful, slender, fit and graceful body, which seems to be sculpted by some skillful craftsman. The muscle tissue is very well developed, but there is no feeling that too much. The majestic elegant gait, flexible body and medium size of the animal, and say that these are representatives of the highest feline society. The average body weight of an adult Turkish Angora is approximately 3-5 kg, while the weight of a cat rarely exceeds 3 kg.
- Limbs rather long, but harmonious in relation to the overall size of the body. Very slender, strong and resilient. The hind legs are slightly longer than the front ones. The pads are rounded in shape.
- Tail Turkish Angoras of very impressive length, from a narrow, slightly rounded tip, smoothly increases in diameter to a wider base. The hair covering the tail process is longer than on the rest of the body, which gives the cat some special charm, many compare the organ of balance with a fan.
- Head Angora cat in configuration resembles a slightly modified wedge. All the outlines of the face are very precise and straight, it may seem that all the lines are even a little harsh, but this does not spoil the appearance of Turkish Angora in any way. All protruding parts of the skull are very well visualized: high, pointed cheekbones, a narrow and powerful chin, an even profile without a single flaw and hump. The head is small in size, especially if we consider it in relation to the general parameters of the body.
- Auricles rather large, wide at the base, very close to each other. From the outer ear of the Turkish Angora, thick tufts of hair can be seen sticking out.
- Eyes - this is perhaps the main feature of the Turkish Angora cat breed. They are large in size, and even very large. They resemble almonds in shape. As for the shades of the iris, the official standard practically does not put forward any restrictions. Often these purrs have very unusual shades, sapphire, emerald in its various variations, amber, golden and many others. Heterochromia is a phenomenon that is by no means alien to this type of cat, while animals with eyes of different colors are valued much more than ordinary cats with the same visual organs. It is worth noting that although it does not really matter what color the kitten's eyes are, the main thing is that the shade is deep, clean and saturated.
- Wool, covering the graceful body of the Turkish Angora, is thin in texture, but rather thick. These cats are classified as long-haired. They also do not have an additional undercoat, in some places, the coat is much longer and thicker, for example, around the neck, in the abdomen and on the hind legs. In this regard, it seems that the pet will dress up in a chic scarf and harem pants.
As for the color of the Angora cat, then the opinions of scientists differ significantly. Some argue that purebred, thoroughbred kittens should be dressed exclusively in a snow-white fur coat, that such cats were in those ancient times. But science and selection does not stand still, and today many different color options have been registered. The most common are marbled, tortoiseshell, black and cream. You cannot call a Turkish Angora cat one whose coat is painted in purple, chocolate or Himalayan.
Features of the character of the cat Turkish Angora
As for the temperament of these amazing animals, then we can say with absolute certainty that nature has awarded them with an excellent set of qualities. The main unspoken credo of Turkish Angora cats' life is moderation. Due to their elegance and majesty, these pets can lie on a sofa or windowsill for a long time, carefully examining the space in front of them, but this does not mean at all that they cannot be cheerful and groovy. They can, as much as they can, as soon as you beckon the cat with a toy, or a ball, or even a crumpled sheet of paper, it jumps and rushes, playing at breakneck speed. Active play is very important for the Turkish Angora, as it needs to maintain its physical health.
Also, such a pet has some psychological talents, the cat can accurately feel what mood its owner is, when it is necessary to come up and purr, when it is possible to invite to play, and when it is better to take a neutral position. Thanks to this sensitivity, these purrs quickly move from the "pets" category to the "best friends" category. At the same time, the cat never singles out anyone, he loves all family members equally and the pet always craves attention from everyone, but he will never ask him.
In the event that you do not have enough time to play with your fluffy Angora cat every day, experts recommend getting him a companion. It can be either another cat or even a dog. They will quickly find a common language and have fun. You should not settle rodents and parrots next to the Turkish Angora, such a friendship will not last long, exactly until the moment when the cat dines with a hamster or a poor bird. Even if these small pets have reliable cells, believe me, due to his intellect, this furry will be able to find access to them.
As for relationships with young children, there is nothing to be afraid of, but you still need to look after such cats. They rarely use force against small children, but it is also impossible to say that Turkish Angora forgives petty pranks. Usually, in the event of a violation of the cat's comfort, the Angora cat will simply turn around and proudly leave the "scene of the incident", but each child has his own pranks and how the cat will react to them - only he already knows.
Turkish Angora cat health
In principle, these animals belong not only to very strong and healthy animals, but also to the category of centenarians. With official care, a pet lives on average 12-16 years, but often this is not the limit.
But in order for the Angora cat to always be healthy and cheerful, it needs good care, which includes not only "delicious food, but soft sleep", but also many other aspects. A representative of this breed must be shown to a veterinarian from time to time for general examination and basic tests. Timely vaccination with quality drugs with the correct dosage is also extremely important. Some people are guided by the principle: "If you are destined to get sick, the cat will get sick." And this can be heard, unfortunately, quite often. You need to understand what a vaccine is and what it is for. Maybe it's a secret for someone, but vaccination does not guarantee that your pet will not catch one or another sore. Vaccination is intended to make the lethal consequences of diseases impossible and to alleviate the course of pathology. Therefore, it is important to do vaccines and do them correctly, for this you need to show the Angora cat to the doctor before the procedure, since there are a number of relative contraindications for vaccination. Unvaccinated animals have a high risk of dying from a banal viral infection, and all because of neglect of vaccines.
Also, Turkish Angoras have some problems to which they are genetically predisposed. Among these, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a disease characterized by a gradual thickening of the walls of the heart. Unfortunately, there is no cardinal treatment, but if the pathology is detected at first, then it is quite possible to significantly improve the health of the pet and move the unpleasant consequences far.
Ataxia is a problem of native Turkish Angora cats, this pathology is often associated with intrauterine infection of the nervous system, as well as with panleukopenia of cats and rhinovirus. This is an extremely dangerous disease, which at first can manifest itself as a slight swaying of the cat when walking, and later - paralysis and death, due to paresis of the respiratory muscles. There is no treatment as such, so you need to closely monitor the pregnant cat, find out from the breeder the presence of hereditary pathologies and, again, do all the necessary vaccinations.
Congenital hearing loss is already a disease that affects many white cats, and snow-white Angoras are no exception. This is especially true for individuals with white fur and multi-colored eyes. Acquired deafness is also not alien to the cat, so ear care is very important for the comfortable existence of your pet.
Caring for a turkish angora cat at home
- Cat property. The first thing to think about before bringing a Turkish Angora cat home is where it will live and what it needs. These cats desperately need their own corner - a ready-made house that can be purchased at any pet store, there is a choice, as they say, for every taste and budget. You can make such a place with your own hands, for this a cardboard box may suit you, and some soft elements, it may be a blanket, a small pillow or some other textiles. But this does not mean that the cat will sleep there all the time, most likely, the favorite sleeping place of the Turkish Angora will be next to you, but he needs a personal space where he could lie down and think about his feline problems. The latrine is an equally important part of a pet's life. For such a pet, it is best to buy a tray into which you need to pour the filler; it is not at all difficult to accustom the Turkish Angora to such a structure. Since Angora cats are very smart, it is enough for them to simply explain what's what. But if you are still afraid of misfires, then it is better to use a special spray that is designed to train cats to use the litter box. A scratching post is an attribute that both the cat and you need, since the pet needs to grind its sharp claws, and you need your wallpaper and furniture to be safe and sound. Instead of a scratching post, you can put a small tree for your cat, she will be able to climb on it, which will entertain herself and thus will be useful for the claws. Toys are also important for Turkish Angora cats, because you will not always be around, and sometimes she gets bored, so you need to give your pet 2-3 such items, these can be laces, balls or mice with winding mechanisms. You can also buy a small flashlight with a laser for the cat, the purr will chase after this "firefly" with pleasure, and you do not need to get up from the sofa.
- Hygiene. The wool of the Turkish Angora, although long, does not need special care. Since these cats do not have an undercoat, their fur coat never gets tangled, so you need to comb them about twice a week, and during the molting period it is better to do it every day. As for bathing, in principle, Angora cats do an excellent job with their fur coat, however, experts recommend washing pets with white hair about once every 7-8 months, and with all other colors it is enough once a year. It is especially important to take care of the eyes, they should be wiped 2-3 times a week with cotton pads soaked in a disinfectant. When choosing the latter, it is better to give preference to special substances that are sold in veterinary pharmacies, tea brewing is not an assistant here. Ears and teeth should be cleaned once a week.
- What to feed? It is best to feed Turkish Angora cats with high quality ready-to-eat foods.
Turkish Angora kitten price
The cost of a kitten varies from 5,000 to 25,000 rubles, it all depends on the pedigree, color, eye color and the cattery.
