The Turkish Angora is one of the oldest recognised long haired cat breeds and one of Türkiye’s native animals. It takes its name from Ankara, the city where it was documented and where the breed’s conservation programme has been based for decades.

History

Long haired cats from Ankara were recorded in Europe from the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, and the breed contributed to the development of several other long haired breeds. By the early twentieth century numbers had fallen sharply.

A conservation programme at Ankara Zoo, begun in the 1960s, is credited with preserving the breed. Cats from that programme form part of the foundation of the modern population.

Appearance

Medium sized, fine boned and elegant, with a long body and legs and a plumed tail carried high. The coat is single, silky and fine, without the dense undercoat of a Persian, which is why it mats less than its length suggests.

White is the colour most associated with the breed, though Angoras occur in many colours and patterns.

Odd eyes and deafness

Angoras are known for odd eyes, one blue and one amber or green. It is striking, and it comes with something worth knowing.

The gene responsible for a white coat is associated with deafness, because the same cells that produce pigment are involved in the development of the inner ear. In white cats with blue eyes the risk of deafness is significantly increased, and in an odd eyed white cat deafness can affect the ear on the blue eyed side.

A deaf cat can live a perfectly good life, but it should be kept indoors or in a secured area, since it cannot hear traffic or approaching danger. Deaf cats also tend to be louder, because they cannot hear their own voice.

If you have a white Angora, it is worth knowing whether it hears. A simple check at home is to make a sound out of its line of sight while it is relaxed, and watch for a reaction.

Temperament

Active, curious, and considerably more sociable than their delicate appearance suggests. They are climbers and they want height. They involve themselves in whatever the household is doing and often follow their owner from room to room.

They do not do well left alone for long periods.

Care

Brush two or three times a week. The single coat mats far less than a Persian’s, but the ruff and the tail need attention.
Provide vertical space: shelves, a tall cat tree, window perches.
Give them things to do. A bored Angora becomes a vocal one.
Keep vaccination and parasite control current.
Check the ears and teeth regularly.

Health

Generally a robust breed. Two things are worth being aware of: the deafness associated with the white coat, and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a heart muscle disease seen across many cat breeds. We can listen for a murmur at routine checks, though the disease can be present without one.