Turkish Angoras are balanced, graceful cats with a fine, silky coat that shimmers with every movement. Their body is medium sized, but overall poise and fineness of boning are more important than size. Their head is small to medium in balance with length of the body. The ears are large, pointed, wide at base and set closely together, high on their head. The almond-shaped eyes are slant slightly upward with open expression. The eye colour can be any shade of green, gold, green-gold, copper, blue, or odd-eyed. Their tail is long and tapering from a wide base to a narrow end.

Angoras are good-natured, but determined. They bond with their owners completely. 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. Turkish Angoras are known for their swimming

prowess, and will even plunge in for an occasional swim. Not every Turkish Angora enjoys water, but many do.

Coat colour

Any colour or pattern except those showing mixture of colours like chocolate, lavender or these combinations with white.

Temperament

Angoras are smart, friendly cats. They have a great need to play. They can be mischievous when they are in the mood. When in movement, Angoras seem to flow with the grace of dancers.

Lifespan

They live for about 10-12 years in average.

Pet grooming

Their long coat does not mat badly, due to the lack of undercoat. Daily brushing is recommended.

Country of origin

Turkey: No one is really sure where or how the Turkish Angora originated. According to the legend, Mohammed, 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. By the 1900s Angoras had virtually vanished. As traditional Angoras became very scarce in their native Turkey, the Turkish government set up a breeding program at the Ankara Zoo, which expanded worldwide beginning in the 1960’s. The zoo particularly prized the odd-eyed Angoras (cats with eyes of differing colours), 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.