Anatolian cats: description of the breed, features of the content

The cat is arguably the most popular pet, and for good reason. After all, this is an amazingly cozy, affectionate creature. If you are looking for a not too capricious and friendly breed, take a look at the Anatolian cat. It has long been in demand in many countries, including Russia. Perhaps their appearance will seem ordinary to many, especially in comparison with the new original breeds, but their character, love for people is amazing. Otherwise Anatolians are called Turkish cats, they owe this, of course, to their historical homeland.

The Anatolian cat was once a wild cat and led a free life in the east of Antalya. The pride in the origin of this breed is still characteristic of the Turks. At first, the habitat of free cats was Lake Van, then a rather long chain of evolution and change took place, then the cat was domesticated. As a result of these processes, the Turkish breed was formed. In modern Turkey, there are quite a few wild cats of this breed, they fought off people and became feral. Nevertheless, there are still a lot of purebred representatives.

The official recognition of the cat took place in the mid-90s of the XX century, despite the fact that Turkish cats have a very long history. At this show, the breed made a strong impression on many European breeders, after which the Anatolian cat began its victorious march across different countries. The Turkish Shorthair was included in the list of pedigree representatives in 2000.

The external features of this shorthaired cat breed are not too remarkable:

• the size is average, the weight is variable - from 3 to 6 kg, depending on gender, males, of course, are larger;
• the muscles are developed, the skeleton is extremely strong, therefore the appearance of the cat is squat, stocky type;
• even kittens already have a strong constitution, grow very quickly if they are properly looked after and fed;
• outlines of the back of a straight type;
• the pelvis is smaller than the front of the body;
• the neck is quite powerful, the tail and paws of adequate size for the body are medium;
• head like a triangle, medium size;
• the muzzle is distinguished by a pronounced chin and prominent cheekbones;
• the area of ​​the head and ears has original pigmentation, which is separated by light stripes;
• the ears are straight, high, with down inside, they are wide at the base, the ends are rounded;
• eyes of a very unusual almond-ellipsoid shape, slightly squinting;
• the coat is short, elongated on the tail, but not too long; the coat is harsh, thinned, crispy;
• wool perfectly repels water, so they do not need a lot of time to dry;
• the undercoat is not very pronounced;
• a variety of suit is allowed, with a darkening of the tail.

First of all, the owners note such qualities of pets as cheerfulness, active behavior, they are very curious, like to run, play. The character is extremely lively, playful at any age. They love to chat with their owners, so they become very loyal friends of a person and even family members. These cats love water, which makes them stand out from the entire feline tribe, so they swim with pleasure, especially since they dry up at an incredible speed.

It doesn't really matter what size your family is, the Anatolians will perfectly take root in it, but you need to be prepared for the fact that they will choose one master for themselves, whom they will obey... They will spend almost all their time with this person and will clearly give him preference in all situations.

Their chosen one will constantly contemplate how the cat rubs its legs, purrs, hums, jumps to its knees, wags its tail. Anatolian cats know how to frown, if you carefully follow their muzzle, you can notice it. The Anatolians meow in a special way, the sounds are very reminiscent of a bird's cry or chirping, while their voice is not harsh, but soft, melodic, quiet.

Cats can show their owner that they have cause for concern. If your kettle is boiling or you forgot to turn off the tap, the cat will find a way to inform you about it.

According to the standards, the color of the Anatolian cat can vary, the range of acceptable colors is quite wide: gray, white, red and others. At the same time, there is an important feature, without which the cat will not receive a certificate - the correspondence of the color of the body and tail in favor of darkening the latter. The most common colors:

• Gray;
• black;
• White;
• blue;
• ginger;
• tortoiseshell.

The variability of the suits, however, does not allow for Siamese, chocolate or cinnamon colors. In this case, the pigment can be applied in different ways: tabby, tricolor, bicolor. As for the color of the eyes, there is no color that would not be allowed by the standards, white cats most often have a different shade of eyes.

Cats, in principle, are able to keep themselves clean, this is one of the cleanest creatures in the animal world. Anatolians are neat, so they always look great, neat and beautiful. This does not mean that they do not need help with caring. In order for the appearance of the cat to always be spectacular, it is imperative to carry out certain procedures.

• Brushing. Although the wool is of a short type, it is still necessary to comb it out weekly, especially during the period of dumping the wool. Use a special tool - a soft type brush with fine teeth.When the animal sheds, the amount of brushing should be increased.
• Water procedures. Cats are bathed when the need arises, there is no strict regulation, but not more often than once a month. Since Turkish cats love water and often ask to bathe, you need to proceed from your capabilities, you can bathe more often if you have time. There are Anatolian cats who are constantly ready to sit in the bathroom and jump to those who are about to take a shower.
• Ear cleaning. This procedure is best done every 2 weeks or more often with cotton wool discs, sticks and "Chlorhexidine". Movements should be neat, thoughtful.
• Eye cleaning. Daily eye care is a must. You need to clean with a cotton wool disc, which is pre-soaked in warm water, tea infusion, herbal infusion, broth, eye care liquid - your choice.
• Claws. You need to cut the claws about once or twice a month, you cannot start this process, since the Anatolians have very hard and fast-growing claws. The procedure is performed with nail clippers. Also, make sure your cat has somewhere to sharpen its claws. If this is not done, interior items will be used: a sofa, carpets, armchairs, table or chair legs
• Teeth. After about a day or two, you need to brush your pet's teeth with a special paste and a brush. It does not require rinsing and is available from pet stores or veterinary pharmacies.

The only recommendation is to buy paper or wood-based filler for little Anatolians so that the accidentally eaten granule does not harm the kitten. The main thing is to regularly change the filler, otherwise the animal will start looking for other places.

Cats of this breed can and should be walked, as they are very freedom-loving by nature. Ideally, it is better to have such a cat for the owners of private houses, so that the pet can regularly walk in the fenced-in area. If you live in an apartment, you should take care of a special leash.

One of the most pleasant character traits of the Anatolian cat is unpretentiousness in food, which was formed during the time of their free life and independent prey. This cat is a predator by nature and knows how to get food, despite the fact that he has become a domesticated one, these traits are ineradicable. If desired, cats can be fed with regular food or special dry and other types of food. If you prefer a natural menu, you should include foods such as:

• beef, turkey, boiled veal;
• boiled chicken;
• rabbit meat;
• cheese, cottage cheese;
• by-products of various types;
• fish scalded with boiling water;
• boiled eggs;
• fermented milk products;
• porridge;
• boiled vegetables;
• occasionally raw meat.

Feline digestive tract perfectly digests natural foods, while cats quite calmly get used to different types of food. You can not boil the meat, freeze it, and then pour boiling water over it. It is very important to water the animal on time, fresh water must be available around the clock, it must be changed every day, not allowing it to stagnate. It is better to organize feeding in this way - for kittens 5 meals a day, for adult cats two meals a day.

Appetite, as a rule, in healthy cats is very good, but they are not prone to obesity - they move a lot and are very active by nature. They are not in danger of overfeeding since they finish eating after they are full. If it is important for you to be guided by the numbers, then on average 30 grams of feed should fall on 1 kg of animal weight. Protein food should be 4/5 of the total diet. At the same time, cats need carbohydrates and fats.It is more convenient for both the animal and the owners if the cat is accustomed to a certain feeding time. Give him food at the same time, what is not eaten must be removed immediately.

What should be completely excluded from the diet:

• sweets, such as candy or cookies, rolls, chocolates;
• salty food, as well as flavored with seasonings;
• Fatty meats such as pork
• fried food.

Thanks to the genes of their ancestors, Anatolian cats are very strong and have excellent health, their immunity copes well with parasites, viruses and infections. These troubles do not happen often to them. And serious illnesses all the more rarely affect representatives of this breed. With proper care, your cat can live with you for more than 15 years.

If your plans do not include breeding the breed, it is better to castrate or sterilize the pet. Sterilized after the animal is 8 months old, and preferably up to a year. The maximum age for this procedure is 2 years, after this milestone health problems may arise. Castration is carried out in the period from 10 months to 2 years. It is important to carry out these manipulations before the cat is mature and his habits are formed. In addition, the younger the cat, the faster it will get back on its feet. Early surgery is also not recommended, otherwise it will cause developmental delay.

After the operation is done, you need to provide the pet with full-fledged care in order to prevent possible complications. Trust your little friend only to a trusted doctor, and after the operation, follow these rules:

• the cat needs peace, save the animal from the noise;
• there is a danger that the pet will lick the seams too actively, and they will disperse, so provide him with a special blanket belt;
• food can only be given after 12 hours;
• check the condition of the seams daily, treat them with "Chlorhexidine" or peroxide;
• stay close, do not move too actively;
• pain reliever can be given if the veterinarian has given the go-ahead and indicated the dosage.

For the purchase of an Anatolian cat, you need to contact only trusted breeders, catteries. Anatolians are bred in Greece, Germany, Holland, Ukraine, Belarus, Russia. There are no nurseries in our country, but there are quite a few breeders specializing in this breed.

More information about the intellectual abilities of Turkish cats can be found in the video below.