Tweet

Turkish Angora at a Glance

Considered national treasures in their homeland of Turkey for their beauty and sweetness, the Turkish Angora is an affectionate breed that loves to be involved in everything you do. While a white coat and blue eyes are the norm, this breed is available in a variety of colors and patterns. This highly intelligent breed has a sense of humor and they aren’t above playing tricks on their families. Find out more about this breed and if the Turkish Angora is right for you and your family.

• Temperament: Affectionate, Clown-like, Loyal 
• Size: Medium-sized cat weighing 5-10 pounds. Males are typically larger than females and may be heavier. In kittens, there is generally no distinction between size until they mature into adolescence.  
• Colors: The most common Turkish Angora comes in white, however, all traditional colors are accepted and equally as beautiful.
• Life Expectancy: There have been Turkish Angoras known to live into their early 20’s. Life expectancy is dependent upon health, diet, living indoors or outdoors and genetics.  

About the Turkish Angora

Beautiful and elegant, the Turkish Angora can surprise the unsuspecting with their athleticism and intelligence. The outgoing Angora will greet visitors at the door and entertain guests. They are extremely agile and can be found in unexpected high places, like the top of the door. These outgoing affectionate cats are interested in everything you do and want to help. They are extremely clever and can open cabinets, doors and are known to get into things.

This is a sociable breed, best suited in a home that will have another cat or dog to keep them company if someone is not home all day. They are known to follow commands, stay by their owner's side and sleep snuggled in bed. They get along with others including pets and are comfortable with older kids.

Activity Level:

The Turkish Angora is considered the race-car of the cat world, always on the go and willing to play. Don’t let their beauty and sophisticated look fool you, underneath that elegant exterior is a spirited cat with a great sense of humor. They may look slender and delicate but this active, athletic breed has a body of solid muscle under its silky coat.

They keep their kitten-like playfulness well into adulthood and stay fit by romping through the house in pursuit of toys. They are rarely bored as they will always find something to do, whether it’s daydreaming out a window playing hide-and-go-seek with you. They excel in the feline sport of agility due to their incredible intelligence and athleticism and they love to play fetch and learn new tricks.

Care

Grooming:

The Turkish Angora is a semi-longhaired cat with a silky texture that doesn’t matte easily. They are known to have either a thin undercoat or no undercoat at all, which makes grooming easier. Daily upkeep grooming is recommended but not required.

Many Turkish Angoras have an affinity to water which makes bathing either very easy or very entertaining. Due to its hassle-free coat, there is no need to invest time and money in professional groomers. Most breeders train their kittens to accept regular cleaning, so professional grooming is not necessary.

Like any cat, the Turkish Angora needs weekly nail trimming, eye cleaning, and dental care with a vet-approved pet toothpaste for good overall health.

Nutrition:

The Turkish Angora is a very active breed that requires high-quality calories to maintain their energy levels and overall health. Premium foods where the main ingredients are real meats without fillers are recommended. As a result, many breeders feed a raw diet that mimics a cat’s ancestral diet. 

As with all cats, it is important to give your cat fresh, clean water daily so they don’t hesitate to drink. The water bowl should be placed at least three feet away from any food. Cats’ noses are sensitive and an overwhelming smell of food may cause them to drink less.

Health

Turkish Angoras are healthy cats. Some white cats may have full or partial deafness that a BAER test determines. HCM is also a test all breeders should screen for in order to ensure they are breeding the healthiest cats possible. 

History

The Turkish Angora comes from Ankara (historically Angora) where several other animals with delicate silky long coats originate. The earliest written reference occurs in 16th century France and they were well represented in the late 1800s and early 1900s at the dawn of the cat fancy in Europe. They were used in Persian breeding programs in the early 1900s and disappeared as a separate breed. However, Turkey considered the cats a national treasure and established a breeding program at the Ankara Zoo to ensure the preservation of the breed. They concentrated on whites with blue eyes, gold eyes and odd eyes. In the 1950's, American servicemen found the exquisite cats in the Ankara Zoo and carried news of them home. In 1962, the Ankara Zoo allowed Colonel and Mrs. Walter Grant to have an odd-eyed white male named Yildiz and an amber-eyed white female named Yildizcek. These cats became the foundation of a new breeding program in the USA. On the founding of TICA in 1979, the Turkish Angora was one of the original breeds in championship competition.

Similar Breeds:

There is no breed of cat like the Turkish Angora as they are considered unique and rare. 

Opposite Breeds:

Persians and British Shorthairs. While both the Turkish Angora and the Persian both have long hair, they are quite different in body shape, activity level and required grooming. The semi-cobby body of the British Shorthair and reserved temperament and preference to relax on the couch with their owners differ radically from the Turkish Angora. 

Did You Know?

Beloved by the Prophet Mohammad. Legend has it that a Turkish Angora named Muezza was so beloved by the Prophet Mohammad that when the call to prayer was announced, he noticed she was sleeping on the sleeve of his robe and cut off his sleeve so as not to disturb his beloved cat.  

Original Longhaired Cat. It is believed that longhaired cats originated with the Turkish Angora and that the gene for long hair in cats may be a gift from the Turkish Angora’s distant ancestors.

The Turkish Angora is considered a National Treasure in Turkey and they live the Ankara Zoo. Turkish Angora cats are considered a national treasure in their homeland of Turkey where the Ankara Zoo established a breeding program to ensure the preservation of the breed. They concentrated on whites with blue eyes, gold eyes and odd eyes. They kept exact records of the genetically sound breeding program but were reluctant to let their cats go anywhere else.

They are Excellent Swimmers. Turkish Angoras enjoy playing in the water and are considered to be excellent swimmers. Some will even plunge into the bathtub, shower or swimming pool with their families.

The Breed Standard

The ideal Turkish Angora is a perfectly balanced, graceful creature with a fine, silky coat. When you handle it, you are struck by the contrast between the soft flowing coat and the surprisingly firm, long muscular body beneath it. The Angora is a very intelligent, active and inquisitive breed that responds best to firm, but gentle handling. In judging the Turkish Angora, refinement is more important than size. This should especially be taken into consideration when comparing males to females.

Click here to read the full TICA Turkish Angora Breed Standard.

Accepted For Championship in TICA in 1979

• Turkish Angora Breed At A Glance
• Breed Introduction
• Printable Breed Introduction
• Turkish Angora Breeders
• Breed Standards 
• Breed Committee
• Breed Seminar

Photos used courtesy of © Helmi Flick Cat Photography.