Turkish Angora

It is hard to believe that the magnificent Turkish Angora was once thought to be extinct.

The elegant beautiful silky coated Angora is loved by many, not just now but over a century ago Louis XV as well as Louis XV1 and Marie Antoinette were thought to be great lovers of the majestic breed. There were many paintings of them throughout the 18th century and that period.

The Turkish Angora is thought to be the original long haired cat from Ankara which is the capital of Turkey. There are still Turkish Angora cats roaming Turkey virtually unchanged through the centuries.

Interestingly the Turkish Angora is probably the oldest breed in the world. It can be traced farther back in history than any other, further back than the middle ages.

The Angora is associated with some myths and legends. It is believed for example, that the land father of Turkey, Kemal Ataturk one day will rise again as a white odd eyed deaf Angora male.

A great number of people think that the glamorous Angora is priceless. In the breed’s early days, 1890 to be exact, a lucky Angora owner turned down $5000 for her cat at a show in London.

As I mentioned earlier Turkish Angoras were thought to be extinct and by the 1900s they had practically disappeared. This seemed to be because long haired cats such as Persians, Russian longhairs as well as the Angora, were bred together losing the pure breeds and therefore gaining crossbreeds for their wonderful coat. Also pure breeds stopped appearing in shows. It was then that the Angora was no longer recognized as a separate breed in the United Kingdom. The Angora was sadly forgotten for a number of years leaving the only accepted long haired breed which was the Persian.

It was only about 40 years ago that the Angoras were introduced into the USA where they worked hard to get them recognized as a pure breed. They were then accepted, however only the white Angoras. Of course there are now many recognized colors such as black, tortoiseshell, red etc.

The Turkish Angora has the most unique qualities and characteristics. I often think that they are rather like children, young children that want to be involved in just about anything you are doing. They are extremely affectionate and friendly to anyone, and will quite happily stroll over to a stranger as if they have known them for years.

Angoras are unbelievably intelligent, they will often approach you carrying a scrap of paper or a toy in their mouth and drop it at your feet wanting you to play, once you have thrown they will speedily return the favor and bring it straight back to you!

I believe Turkish Angoras are fairly talkative cats. They will gracefully glide into a room and chirrup as if to say hello I am here!

They can also be somewhat pushy and make sure they do everything they can to get want they want, like the juicy looking bit of fish sitting nicely on your plate.

They also pull several different facial expressions. They have a sulky face, a happy face, a mischievous face and many more. They truly have a jam- packed personality. I think that Turkish Angoras are simply wonderful.

I interviewed Barbara Azan who belongs to several cat clubs as well as being secretary of the Turkish Angora Breeders Union and a member of the Cat Fanciers Association.

How long have you been involved with Turkish Angoras?

37 years.

Have you ever judged them in a cat show?

I had an option to but I did not.

Have you ever owned one of your own?

Yes, I have 6 girls, 3 males and 1 kitten.

What do you think are the main characteristics of the breed?

They are affectionate, friendly, intelligent. They are also extremely good mothers. They have every good quality you could ever want.

What do you think makes them so special?

Everything! They are the most wonderful thing in the world! They follow like a child. They are sweet and loveable. They make your life full. They are everything you could ever want in a pet.

Are there any people Angoras are good pets for and any people that an Angora would not suit so much?

They are good pets for everyone although they are not particularly good for people who want a sparkling clean home! They are great for the elderly and people who are alone.

Is it best to have one or a group of Angoras as pets?

They can be great pets alone or in groups. If in a group they can all play together.

Lastly have you got any interesting or funny stories about your experiences with them?

Last week , I was sitting at the computer singing, probably off key and one of my cats jumped on the table in front of me and lightly, (claws in) smacked me round the face, with an expression as if to say what are you doing!