| Turkish Angora | |
|---|---|
| Alternative names | Ankara |
| Origin | Turkey |
| Breed standard | |
| FIFe | standard |
| CFA | standard |
| TICA | standard |
| ACFA/CAA | standard |
| CCA | standard |
| Domestic cat (Felis catus) | |
The Turkish Angora (Turkish: Ankara Kedisi) is a breed of domestic cat. Turkish Angoras are one of the ancient, natural breeds of cat, having originated in central Turkey, in the Ankara region (historically known as Angora). The breed is also sometimes referred to as simply the Angora or Ankara cat, and in some obsolete works as the Angola.[1]
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Turkish Angora cats have a silky tail, medium-long length coat, no undercoat and fine bone structure. There seems to be a connection between Angoras and Persians (see below), and the Turkish Angora is also a distant cousin of the Turkish Van. Although they are known for their shimmery white coat, currently there are more than twenty varieties including black, blue, and reddish fur. They come in tabby and tabby-white, along with smoke varieties, and are in every color other than pointed, lavender, and cinnamon. Eyes may be blue, green, or amber, or even one blue and one amber or green. The W gene responsible for the white coat and blue eye is closely related to the hearing ability, and presence of a blue eye can indicate the cat is deaf to the side the blue eye is located. However, a great many blue and odd-eyed white cats have normal hearing, and even deaf cats lead a very normal life if kept indoors.
Ears are pointed and large, eyes are almond shaped and the head is massive with a two plane profile. Another characteristic is the plumed tail, which is often carried upright, perpendicular to the back.
Like all domestic cats, Turkish Angoras descended from the African wildcat (Felis silvestris lybica). Isolated cats were brought by traders from Egypt and eastern mountainous regions of early Anatolia and through inbreeding and natural selection they developed into longhaired breeds like the Turkish Van and the Turkish Angora.
Longhaired cats were imported to Britain and France from Asia Minor, Persia and Russia as early as the late 16th century, though there are indications that they appeared in Europe as early as the 14th century due to the Crusades. The Turkish Angora was used, almost to the point of extinction, to improve the coat on the Persian. The Turkish Angora was recognized as a distinct breed in Europe by the 17th century.[2]
In the early 20th century, the Turkish government, in conjunction with the Ankara Zoo, began a meticulous breeding program to protect and preserve what they considered a national treasure: pure white Turkish Angoras with blue and amber eyes.[3] The program continues today. The zoo particularly prized odd-eyed Angoras (i.e. Turkish Angoras with one blue eye and one amber eye).[4] The Zoo has its own cat facility which houses the white Turkish Angoras for its breeding program.
The Turkish Angora, which was brought to the United States in 1963, was accepted as a championship pedigreed breed in 1973 by the Cat Fanciers' Association.[4][5] However, until 1978 only white Angoras were recognized. Today, all North American registries accept the Turkish Angora in many colors and patterns. While numbers are still relatively small, the gene pool and base of fanciers are growing.
Some Turkish Angora kittens suffer from ataxia, a rare condition which is thought to be inherited as an autosomal recessive.[6] The kittens affected by ataxia have shaking movements, and do not survive to adulthood.
Another genetic illness that is rare but known to the breed is Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy,[7] which is a cardiac condition usually found between the ages of 2 - 6, with males being affected more commonly and more severely than females.
In the Maine Coon cat, HCM is thought to be an autosomal dominant gene and researchers are working to identify markers for this disease. However, in the Turkish Angora, the disease has not yet been studied at length primarily due to its rarity of occurrence, and is likely to result from a different mutation of genes, with a different gene location than that of the Maine Coon cat. HCM also affects many other breeds, including Ragdolls, Persians and Bengals.