Turkish Angora

The breed's written history goes back to the 1600s, when Angoras were brought to Europe from the Middle East ^[1]. They were popular in France and are believed to have been among Marie Antoinette's pets ^[1]. As the cat fancy grew in England, they were crossed so heavily with Persians that the breed nearly vanished ^[1]. In the 1930s the Turkish government set up preservation programmes in zoos, where only white cats were considered authentic ^[1]. The first Turkish Angoras reached the US in 1954 ^[1].

• Body: small to medium, long-bodied with matching long legs and a richly plumed tail ^[1].
• Head: a medium-long wedge; extra-large, upright ears set high give a "bunny rabbit" look ^[1].
• Eyes: almond-shaped, in blue, green, amber or copper; odd eyes are common and prized ^[1].
• Coat: single, very soft and silky ^[1].
• Colours: almost any, except chocolate, lilac and pointed ^[1].

Intelligence varies widely, from "Einsteins" to cats who forget where the food bowl is ^[1]. Either way, Turks are among the most interactive and affectionate breeds ^[1]. They want to be your constant companion and enthusiastic assistant ^[1]. They're independent enough to stay home while you're out, then meet you at the door to tell you all about their day ^[1]. Loving and tolerant of handling, they're wonderful with young children ^[1]. They love heights and will try to chase a laser dot up the wall ^[1].

• Coat: the single coat rarely mats; comb two or three times a month for younger cats, more often for seniors ^[1].
• Bathing: usually well tolerated, since Turks like water ^[1].
• White cats: consider a hearing check, especially for blue-eyed cats ^[1][3].

• Breed-specific issues: CFA says none are known ^[1].
• Deafness in white cats: white cats, especially blue-eyed ones, can be prone to deafness ^[1]. International Cat Care says white cats with two blue eyes are 3–5 times more likely to be congenitally deaf than white cats without blue eyes, and those with one blue eye about twice as likely ^[3].
• BAER testing: a non-invasive hearing test that accurately shows whether a cat is deaf ^[3]. Breeders should pair white cats with coloured cats ^[1].
• Lifespan: we found no reliable breed-specific data.

If you're worried about a white cat's hearing, talk to your vet.

Don't confuse with…

• White Persian: stocky, with a round head and short nose ^[4].
• Turkish Van: larger and more robust, white with colour mainly on head and tail ^[5].
• Khao Manee: white but shorthaired, from Thailand ^[6].

• "If you can't find your Turk, look up!" ^[1]
• Marie Antoinette is believed to have kept Angoras ^[1].
• Many are fascinated by dripping taps ^[1].