Slanted eyes, unblinking gaze full of mystery and mysticism combined with luxurious coats and graceful grace make cats perfect creatures. They are loved and proud of them, and some breeds are the business cards of entire countries. Turkish angora, a snow-white beauty, became a state symbol for Turkey. It is almost impossible to take a purebred kitten out of the country now, as selling angoras to foreigners is equated to a state crime. Turkey introduced such severe measures in the 18th century, when as a result of frequent cross-breeding, angora almost disappeared as a purebred species.
History of the breed
The first cats with remarkably white hair appeared in the mid-16th century. Suleiman the Magnificent brought a kitten from the battle campaign to his beloved wife Hürrem the Sultan. The Russian beauty was enchanted by the beauty of angora, and even the deafness of the latter did not diminish her love. The angora lived in the personal chambers of the lord’s wife and was served almost as well as Hürrem Sultan herself.
Angora cat is not a large size, its weight usually does not exceed 4.5 kg. Many people associate angora with the white color. However, the breed has a wide range of colors: black, cream, tebby, and smoky. Mauve shades, combination with chocolate tone or Himalayan colors are unacceptable.
The peculiarity of angora cat in its hair: long, thin, silky. It necessarily has charming pant legs and an impressive collar. This breed has no undercoat, which is due to the climatic characteristics of its homeland. Large eyes, usually of different colors, which is not a defect by the standards. But there is a peculiarity: the mismatched angora is most often deaf.
Peculiarities of keeping a Turkish Angora
Turkish angora refers to cheerful, naughty cats. Affectionate, gentle, and sophisticated, the angora is easy to adopt, even as an adult. Having unusually expressive eyes, even in case of total deafness, the owner will always understand his pet. Usually, there is no need to call her, since a deaf angora will not leave her owner. Surprisingly, she never gets in the way. The aristocratic pet will be next to you in case you want to call her. Cats with normal hearing are almost as attached to the owner, more fond of women, often choosing them as their favorite mistress. If anyone thinks that angora is clingy, he will be mistaken: it is almost impossible to hold her in your arms. The beauty is absolutely not inclined to constant squeezing. The angora prefers to sit at a small distance and, if there is a mood and time for your beloved owner, come and sit nearby. You will have to get used to your pet’s abnormal speed, especially if she has knocked something over or broken something. Try to get anything out of sight that is broken or dear to you and could get hurt. Especially from toddlers: these brigands can party all day long. If you value peace and quiet, an Angora is unlikely to suit you.
With age the Turkish angora becomes more mature and calm. But its willfulness and inquisitiveness only increase. If you hide something or close a door from her, she will “bear her soul”, but she will get and open the door. Cheerful, playful, she is easily accustomed to the basic rules of conduct in the house. But do not try to over-straighten your pet, you’ll lose anyway: the angora will follow you for hours until she gets what she wants.
Care and feeding
The little Turkish Angora needs a balanced and frequent diet. Since kittens are very frisky and agile, they need constant reconditioning. Do not try to limit the baby in food. But you should make sure that he chews the food or chews it well, otherwise during the start from the bowl, all the contents may be out of his stomach. It is advisable to restrain the Angora a little, not to chew it after meals and before bedtime. The breed is already too mobile, or else you’ll have to take the baby off the ledge or chandelier in the middle of the night. Some people prefer to feed regular food, but if you decide to do that, you’ll need to make a table. In this table you will need to accurately calculate the amount of all carbohydrates and proteins, while adding micronutrients and vitamins that your pet needs for health.
Homemade food takes a lot of time. Therefore, it is easier to feed her specialized food: Royal-Kanin, for example. He is excellent because his line is presented for all ages. It is important just not to feed the cat food of inferior quality. Such foods include: Kitiket, Wiskas, Darling. The price difference is not so great to risk the life of an Angora beauty. In general, it is a healthy breed, without any special hereditary diseases. But you need to take care of the pet from the cold, because it does not know how to keep warm and freezes quickly.
A special care will require its hair, which needs to be combed out. The texture of the coat is unique, it does not curl into tangles in a healthy animal. It is the wool and its shine is an indicator of health of the Turkish Angora. She usually takes bathing calmly, if accustomed to the procedure. It is important to accustom her to visit the veterinarian, otherwise this stubborn animal simply will not allow itself to be vaccinated in the future.