Native of Turkey, the Turkish Angora is a pure and natural breed of cats.
The term "Angora" originates from the ancient name of Turkey's capital city, "Angora", renamed "Ankara" in 1930.
The Turkish Angora was introduced in Europe during the 17th century, first in Italy,brought by a famous italian voyager, Pietro de la Valle, next to France where he was accepted as a French cat.
The Turkish Angora with the winter fur
the Turkish angora with the summer fur
This natural elegant cat was noticed at Louis the XV th Court, and acquired nobility in the fashionable salons during the 18th century. Its striking beauty gained the notice of numerous painters, such as Jacques Bachelier,responsible for its everlasting fame with his noted "Angora cat watching a bird". It is also mentioned in naturalist books by Linné and Buffon, and appears on many century paintings, particularly on the "Painter's Studio" by Courbet (1855) depicting a Turkish Angora at the feet of the artist and his model.
The quality of his shinning silky fur leaves nobody indiffferent. The English created a new breed out of him : the Persian, who mets such success that is replaced the Turkish Angora, this last even being excluded for years from cat shows...
Hence, having provided a top quality breed, this splendid cat was left to oblivion, on the verge of permanent extinction.
Confronted to this problem after the end of World War II, the Turkish authorities set up a program of selection/reproduction of the Angotas. Alas, only the white specimens benefited from these conservative measures at Ankara's Zoo, and their exportation is now strictly prohibited
blue male
brown mackerel tabby female
In France, the Turkish Angora was abandoned in favour of new breeds that he had amply helped to create or to improve. Yet, for the last decade, passionate breeders have led a fight to have the Turkish Angora accepted for what he is worth and preserved as such, excluding hybrids or mixed-breeds unfortunately so frequent in the past.
black female
Turkish Angora standard
the ideal T.Angora is a balanced, graceful cat with a fine, silky coat that shimmers with every movement in contrast to the firm, long muscular body beneatth it.
HEAD : size small to medium, in balance with the length of the body and extremities ; shape : a medium long, smooth wedge
PROFIL : two planes formed by a flat top head and the line of the nose meeting at an angle slightly above the eyes. ; NO BREAK.
MUZZLE : a continuation of the smooth lines of the wedge with neither pronounced whisker pad or pinch
EARS : large, wide at base, pointed and tuffed ; set closely together, high on the head, vertical and erect.
EYES : large, aimond shape, slanting slightly upward with open expression.
COLOR : green, gold, copper, and regarding white cats : blue, odd eyes green or copper or amber eyes.
NOSE : medium in length
BODY : medium size ; males may be slightly larger than females.
LEGS : long ; hind legs longer than front.
PAWS : small, round
TAIL : long and tapering from a wide base to a narrow end with a full brush
COAT : single coat ;
COLORS : all the colors are authorized except : chinchilla, lilac, chocolat colors.
DISQUALIFY : cobby body type , kinked or abnormal tail .crossed eyes. oriental type.
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