Description of Angora cats, their features of keeping and feeding

The most common pets are cats. Nowadays, there are many different breeds of these cute creatures. Among all this diversity, the most ancient in origin and the most known to many fans of the Angora cat breed stands out.

Angora cats, like all breeds, originates from wild relatives. The ancestor of these cute creatures is the wild African cat or, as it is also called, the Middle Eastern cat. The first domesticated short-haired descendants of this species were in Turkey (then still eastern Anatolia), from where they were taken to Egypt. Thanks to the repeated mutation, their coat became not only long, but also acquired a recognizable white color for the breed.

The oldest domesticated cats from Eastern Anatolia are the progenitors of the Van cat... In them, like in the Turkish Angora, the mutation of the gene responsible for the length of the coat occurred gradually.... Similar in appearance, these breeds, belonging to the same Mediterranean group, still have some differences from each other at the genetic level.

The Angora cat, created by the efforts of European and American breeders, received official status thanks to the individuals located in Turkey at the Ankara Zoo. They were taken out, and then officially registered in the middle of the twentieth century.

But the breed itself gained fame in Europe much earlier.According to some reports, the first representatives of the breed were brought to European territory in the XIV century, during military campaigns of a religious orientation. According to other sources, the first long-haired white kittens appeared in Europe only in the 16th century, and the independent breed was recognized only at the beginning of the 17th century.

In Turkey, cats of this breed were very valued and cost fabulous money, so only very rich people could buy them. Angora cats also lived in the Sultan's palace. Representatives of this breed had a rather high status: they were allowed to enter the mosque and stay there as long as they pleased. And this is not surprising, because Muslims considered them close to the Prophet Muhammad.

By the end of the 16th century, long-haired white cats were widely spread throughout Europe. They began to be imported to France and Great Britain not only from the territory of Byzantine Ankyra (Ankara), the birthplace of the breed, but also from Persia (modern Iran), Central Asia and even, oddly enough, from Russia. Angora cats were often used to improve the quality of the Persian breed's coat. Thoughtless crossing led to a sharp decline in the number of Angora cats, which almost led to the complete extinction of these individuals.

They began to study the breed only at the beginning of the 20th century. The breeding program, approved by the Turkish government in 1917, aimed not only to preserve the breed, but also to increase the number of individuals. Ankar Zoo was chosen for breedingNS. The Angora breed received its official registration in the organization dealing with the breeding of new breeds of cats (CFA) only in the middle of the twentieth century - in 1973. Until 1978, it was allowed to register only individuals with a white color, but over time the requirements softened, and it became possible to register cats with other colors.

Each cat breed has its own standards of beauty and characteristics, which are also found in Angora animals. Representatives of this breed have a medium-sized and even somewhat dry physique, but their muscles are still perfectly developed. They are flexible, graceful and very elegant. The weight of cats is traditionally slightly less than that of cats. For females, the norm is considered to be in the range of 2.5-3 kg, and for males - in the range of 4-5 kg. The weight of individual representatives may deviate slightly from the norm: for cats - 4 kg, and for cats - 6 kg.

The wedge-shaped head type of Angora cats with a characteristic narrow but strong chin and a well-developed frontal part is one of the distinguishing features of this breed of animals. A long, thin neck with a smoothly outlined muzzle, on which rather large, wide-set, almond-shaped eyes stand out, looks very graceful. The color of slightly slanted eyes varies: there are individuals with both green, yellow, and blue iris colors. Very often, the Turkish variety has heterochromia - multi-colored eyes.

The described breed is characterized by large, closely spaced ears with pointed upper tips. In some representatives, the tips of the ears are decorated with tassels, consisting of hairs that are longer than the fur on the muzzle. The inner part of the auricle is covered with long thick tufts of hair, shaped like a miniature brush.

The limbs of cats of this breed are long, dry, but well-muscled.The length of the hind legs is slightly longer than the front ones. The shape of the legs is predominantly oval; between the toes there are thick tufts of hair characteristic of these cats.

Angora cats have a very beautiful and silky coat with a slightly wavy structure in the abdomen. The flowing effect of the coat is made possible by the absence of an undercoat - it consists only of guard hairs. There are practically no tangles and lumps inherent in long-haired cats and cats in the Angora breed, since the formation of unsightly matted lumps occurs due to the presence of a thick undercoat.

Angora cats are friendly and very cute creatures. They get along well with all household members, but most of all they become attached to whoever feeds them and spends time with them the most. Strangers are treated with caution, but without unnecessary aggression. They will not hiss, but prefer to move away or even hide in a secluded corner. But after some time, they may come up in order to sniff a stranger. If they like the smell, and the person does not show aggression towards them, they may even let themselves be stroked or even jump onto their knees.

Cats of this breed are non-conflicting. The presence of other animals in the house will not affect their life in any way. Basically, animals prefer to keep a short distance from other representatives of the fauna, but they can make friends with them, especially if contact with people is minimized. Trusting relationships often develop with dogs: some representatives may even eat from a dog's bowl and sleep next to them. Relationships with other members of the feline family are fairly neutral. Still, Angora cats prefer the company of the owner rather than communication with other animals.

If the family has small children, then cats can become caring "nannies" for them. They can sit for hours by the crib while the baby is sleeping or play with him for a long time when he is awake. The little friend's tears make the cat very anxious and take a series of proactive actions. She will lick her cheeks, rub and purr until the baby calms down. And if someone raises his voice or swings at the baby, then the cat may bite the offender - representatives of the breed are not cowardly.

They are not only friendly, but also curious and playful. Representatives of this breed, like, indeed, all cats, adore being on high objects. Sitting on a tree, a curtain, a tall cabinet or on a windowsill, they do not just look, but carefully observe all objects that fall into her field of view.

They are also interested in where the owner is at the moment. The Turkish varieties of this breed love to follow every movement of the owner and can chase him for hours all over the house, apartment or garden, demanding increased attention to their person.

Sometimes this behavior becomes even unnecessarily intrusive, because the representatives of the breed are famous for their stubbornness and willfulness. In order to achieve certain actions from the owner, they can not only gently rub against the leg or meow, but even bite slightly. These cute mischievous women use all the methods available to them just to attract the attention of their beloved master. And even with punishment it can be difficult to stop them, although in ordinary times they perfectly understand what a certain act can lead to.

The habits of the Turkish varieties of cats sometimes resemble those of a dog. According to the owners, cats are happy not only to play with various objects, but can also bring them to the owner to continue the game. Carrying various objects in your teeth is one of the favorite pastimes of this breed.

According to the owners, cats have good intelligence. They are quite capable of learning in a short time how to cope with opening and closing doors, understanding how to get to a switch or an electrical appliance and pressing a button, they are able to open simple bag locks. It is easier to train them to perform certain tricks than cats of other breeds. Thanks to their intelligence and natural cleanliness, cats, from an early age and in a short time, get used to a certain location of their litter box.

In addition, they can be quickly taught to scratching, which saves the animal from such a barbaric procedure as removing claws. Their natural ingenuity allows them to quickly adapt to a new habitat.

The cats of the Turkish species are excellent hunters - they do an excellent job not only with rodents living on the ground, but also are able to track down and catch a bird or an insect during flight. Their rather long legs and muscular body allow them to make precise jumps on high surfaces.

Angora cats, unlike other breeds, have practically no fear of water procedures. They are very supportive of sprinkling them with water and even splash with pleasure in small containers. But they need to be accustomed to water from an early age, but it is better if this is done not without the participation of the mother cat.

Another distinctive feature of the breed is their amazing manner of sound reproduction. Of course, they, like other cats, can meow, but their uterine purr without opening their mouths makes an indelible impression. At the same time, representatives of felines are able to convey their mood, different in emotional color, in this way. Cats of this breed with pleasure and for a long time can communicate with the owner in this way, and not the usual "meow".

The lifespan of cats depends on many factors. This indicator is influenced by breed affiliation, genetic characteristics, living conditions and, of course, nutrition. The average life span of cats is 10-14 years. The Turkish species live an average of 12 to 15 years. At first glance, this is very small, but cats have their own rhythm of life, and one year of a cat's life does not at all equal one human year. There is an opinion that the age of cats should be counted 1 to 7, but this is not entirely true. In the first two years of life, growth and development are much more intense than in subsequent years, and therefore the first year is approximately 15 human years. The second year is equal to 24 years of a person's life, and all subsequent years add 4 years to the cats.

Angora cats, living up to 15 years of age by human standards, are, though not decrepit, but old, because they are already about 90 years old. The Turkish variety belongs to the eastern group, and according to veterinarians, it is the representatives of this group that are distinguished by their endurance and good health. Among them, most of all are long-lived individuals. With good living conditions and a balanced diet, Angora cats can live up to 20 years, which is a lot by human standards.

Under this concept it should be understood the standards of coat color adopted for the breed.For monochromatic colors, only one color of the coat is characteristic - the guard hair must be completely uniform without the slightest spots, tan marks and even specks. Two-tone color means the presence of two colors. Tricolor cats are also considered a standard, and the color should be in the form of a certain pattern.

The classic color variation of this breed is, of course, white. It should be uniform, without the slightest specks of a different shade, while the skin of the pads and nose should be pink.

Each country has specific color requirements. For the UK, only individuals with a pure white shade are considered the standard, and in the USA smooth-haired cats with a different color are allowed for registration. But lilac and chocolate colors are unacceptable in any country. In the United States, individuals with a white color and blue eyes are not allowed to register, since the transfer of such signs to offspring is fraught with the birth of deaf kittens.

By accepted standards, cats with black coat and skin should have the same or brown paw pads. Blue or gray with a silvery sheen should match the color of the skin of the nose and pads, and if the coat is creamy, then the nose and pads should be pink. For a red coat, the skin of the nose and pads should have a slightly lighter tone than the coat.

The colors black and blue smoke imply the presence of two shades well combined with each other. In both cases, either black or gray with a silvery sheen is considered the main color, and white is considered additional in both cases.

The color of cats with a certain pattern on the coat has different names. Depending on the location of the stripes and the patterns they form, marble tabby and tabby mackerel are distinguished.

Tabby with a marble pattern is characterized by a certain arrangement of stripes. On the head, darker stripes in comparison with the main tone form a pattern that visually resembles the letter "M". In the eye area, on each side of the outer edge, there are clearly outlined, almost even lines ending in the occiput area.

From the place where the shoulder joint is located, three stripes run along the entire back. On every barrel of the cat there are stains and circles. In the neck area, the lines have a slight bend in the form of a crescent, and from the chest to the abdomen there are small specks lined up in two rows parallel to each other. The tail and legs are outlined in circular lines.

The tabby mackerel pattern is slightly similar in the arrangement of the strokes on the head, chest and limbs to the marble one. A cat with this color has the same “M” on its head, and the outer corner of the eye and the back of the head are also connected by a line. In the neck area there are clearly outlined lines in the form of a crescent, and on the legs and tail - "bracelets". But there are also differences: a thin solid line runs along the spine, originating from the lowest point on the back of the head and ending at the base of the tail. On both sides, there are thin solid stripes located perpendicular to the line of the spine.

Depending on the flowers present in the color, there are several varieties of the tabby (classic mackerel) species. The basic tone can be blue (gray with a silvery sheen), cream (light beige), brownish copper (dark red), silver and red.

For a silver tabby, the complementary tone is black. The lines of the pattern and the paw pads are painted in it. The skin of the nose has a brick red hue.

The red tabby species is a rather bright color. In this case, the darker strokes and lines of the drawing are very clearly marked in comparison with the base.... The skin on the chin and lips is the same color as the pattern.

The type of cream tabby has a rather delicate color. The darker pattern stands out nicely against the light background. The skin of the nose and pads is pale pink, and the chin and lips are the same tone as the base.

View of a brown tabby. It differs from others in its bright copper-brown base, against the background of which not only the pattern lines, but also the back region of the limbs are indicated in black. The skin on the pads can be either black or brown.

Gray with a silvery sheen, blue tabby wool looks very impressive. At the chin and lips, the skin color matches the base, while the pattern lines have a slightly darker shade, while the skin of the pads and nose is pink.

The patchwork tabby has a very interesting color. The main background can be either brown, blue or silver. The patchwork pattern, reminiscent of scraps of cloth in outline, is painted either cream or red.

In a tortie-colored cat, spots of red and cream color palette are evenly distributed over the entire surface, and tan marks are present on the muzzle with a similar shade. The main background color is black.

Chintz color (calico) and bleached chintz. Both colors are characterized by a more dense arrangement of spots in the upper areas of the body and head. The background in both the first and second colors is white, but only in calico the spots are red and black, and in the clarified calico they are blue and cream.

The blue-cream color is characterized by cream, well-defined spots with a uniform distribution over the entire surface. The main background has a blue tint.

Bi-color is a combination of two colors. The main background can be black, red, cream or blue, and the complementary color is always white.

Very often the Angora cat is confused with the Anatolian breed (Turkish Shorthair), and this is not surprising, because both breeds belong to the same Mediterranean group. And in that, and in the other, there is a white version of the color and multi-colored eyes. They have visual similarities, but there are also significant differences. For example, the guard hair of the Anatolian cat is not only short, but also coarser. In a shorter tail, compared to the Angora breed, the shape of the tip resembles a brush.

The Turkish Angora variety is not a particularly pretentious breed and, as a rule, does not require the creation of any exceptional conditions for it. But still, it is worth adhering to certain rules to make your pet feel comfortable. The content should be understood as recommendations for carrying out hygiene procedures and organizing leisure activities for the Angora cat.

The main hygienic procedure is, of course, combing. The Angora breed has a long coat with a very soft and silky texture, so it requires regular grooming. The combing procedure should be carried out at least twice a week, and even more often when molting occurs in the spring-autumn period. It is better to start the process itself from the head, and then smoothly move to the back, after which you can gently move to the base, and then to the tip of the tail. The belly and paws are combed out last. Use a medium-bristled brush as a tool.

The owners, who first became the owners of the Angora beauty, often have a question about whether it is necessary to wash the cat. There is no unequivocal answer to the question, since everything depends on individual characteristics, the color of the coat and on trips to exhibitions. Cats are very clean creatures and do not need water treatments. Moreover, in most cases, frequent bathing washes away the protective film from the skin, which can lead to a weakening of the animal's immunity and, as a result, to illness.But if the cat often visits exhibitions, and her coat is white, then bathing cannot be avoided. For water procedures, it is better to use a special shampoo for cats, and for animals with a white color that regularly visit exhibitions, you can use a remedy that removes yellowness.

An equally important hygiene procedure is cleaning the cat's eyes and ears. To cleanse the discharge from the eyes, an exclusively clean cotton pad is used, pre-moistened either in boiled water, or in a weak solution of chamomile, or in a special solution for the eyes.

The ears, no less than the eyes, need regular examinations and treatments. Inspection is carried out for the presence of contamination. Cleaning is carried out using special wipes, pre-moistened with a solution intended for cleaning the ears. The use of pieces of cotton wool or sticks for this procedure is undesirable, as there is a high probability of injury to this sensitive organ for the cat. Also, do not use hydrogen peroxide as a solution, since it has a drying, and not a moisturizing effect.

The condition of the teeth should be monitored no less regularly. Deposits that appear on the tooth enamel are cleaned with special products in conjunction with a brush. You can, of course, carry out this procedure yourself, but it is better if a veterinarian does it. You also need to monitor the condition of the claws, or rather, their length. You need to cut them at least once a week, using special nippers for this. But, as a rule, Angora cats do not need this procedure - they cope with this task with great success on their own with the help of a scratching post. It is quite simple to accustom them to such a subject - they perfectly understand what it is for.

Angora cats are by nature excellent hunters and explorers. For this reason, if the owner has the opportunity, it is better to periodically let them out for a walk - fresh air and sun have a beneficial effect on the pet's health. For walks in the yard, animals must be fixed with a leash specially designed for cats, and in a fenced area, you can do without it.

It is better to train Angora cats to the litter box from an early age. Usually breeders give kittens already toilet trained, but sometimes the owner has to take on this mission. The digestive system of cats is designed in such a way that almost immediately after eating, they tend to defecate, so after a meal they must be taken to the tray and wait for the kitten to go to the toilet. As a rule, full addiction occurs in 2-4 weeks.

The correct food, balanced in all the necessary components, is a guarantee of good health and longevity of the cat.

Cats belong to the carnivorous group of animals, so their digestive system is designed to digest uncooked meat and raw eggs. But the natural type of food is almost always not balanced in terms of the percentage of the necessary components. Although such food is rich in protein that saturates the cat's body with the necessary amino acids, it does not have the correct ratio between such vital trace elements as phosphorus and calcium. The latter is usually lacking, which inevitably leads to thinning of bones, teeth and claws. In addition, this type of food does not contain all the vitamins necessary for a cat, which will undoubtedly affect the work of internal organs, and cooking such food takes too much time and effort.

The argument in favor of choosing industrial feeds is not only their balance in all vitamins and microelements, but also the variety of tastes presented. It is known that Angora cats do not tolerate monotonous food and very often, according to reviews of many owners, refuse once favorite food. Solving the problem with industrial food is quite simple - you just need to change one taste for another or offer the cat food from another manufacturer.

An important argument in defense of industrial feed can be the fact that the snow-white fur of a cat from the regular use of thermally unprocessed offal can acquire a slightly yellowish tint, which, of course, does not add aesthetic appeal to the animal, especially if the animal is often taken to exhibitions.

When choosing industrial food, one should, of course, take into account the taste preferences of the pet. Also, do not forget about the quality of the product offered to the cat. Preference should be given to premium-class feeds, since they do not contain flavor enhancers and dyes. In addition, the proportion of meat in them is slightly higher than in feeds of a low price category, and in terms of vitamins and microelements, such feed is almost perfectly balanced, therefore, with rare exceptions, pets do not need to be fed with additives.

Very often, the owners are faced with the question of which food is better to give: dry or wet. The choice of one or another species depends not so much on the preferences of the animal as on the owner himself. Dry food is very salty, which means that the animal should always have clean water in the bowl. Moreover, Angora cats drink a lot and often.

Dry food is completely contraindicated for castrated cats, since, according to most veterinarians, it is one of the main causes of urolithiasis. With a natural diet of feeding castrated cats, you should not indulge in fish either, as it also contributes to the development of urolithiasis.

The amount and frequency of feeding depends on the age and condition of the animal. Usually, manufacturers always indicate on packages with industrial feed both a single dose, depending on weight and age, and the frequency of feedings per day.

The daily feed rate for a healthy adult animal ranges from 200-250 g. If the pet's diet consists mainly of raw meat, then it is necessary to add some vegetables to it, since the percentage of proteins and carbohydrates in a healthy cat food should be 3 to 1. In industrial feed, the percentage of these components is as close to the norm as possible. For adults and healthy individuals, the frequency of feeding is reduced to three times a day. The diet of kittens and weakened animals includes, as a rule, supplements with necessary microelements and vitamins. Cats with a natural diet also need supplements. For the selection of the necessary supplement, it is better to consult your veterinarian.

Regardless of the type of food chosen, and Turkish cats are no exception, animals need to consume special herb. With its help, cats get rid of accidentally swallowed hairballs. They usually eat this herb with pleasure. The main thing is to choose the option you like. You can buy such weed at any pet store, but it is better to grow it yourself using grains of oats, barley or wheat.

Angora cats have a fairly good immunity and for this reason are not particularly prone to various diseases. But they are still living beings, and therefore there is always the possibility of this or that disease. Diseases that can appear in cats are usually divided into three groups: infectious (viral, bacterial, fungal), invasive (parasitic) and non-infectious (congenital or acquired defects of organs and tissues).

Individuals of the Angora breed are prone to some congenital diseases. One of the most common is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (abnormal thickening of the walls of the muscle tissue of the heart).

The disease can pass both asymptomatic and with the manifestation of symptoms characteristic of the disease. Moderate clinical manifestations include:

• labored breathing,
• low degree of endurance,
• rapid fatigue,
• complete loss of consciousness.

Such animals are usually phlegmatic, passive and very rarely show their physical activity. The diagnosis is made on the basis of echocardiography data, and the treatment is prescribed by the veterinarian and, as a rule, the drugs for treatment are selected individually. Disease prevention is its early detection, constant observation and preventive examination at least once a year.

Another congenital disease is ataxia or cerebellar ataxia. This disease is neurological in nature and manifests itself in the form of impaired coordination of movement. The cerebellum, which is responsible for the coordination of movements, is affected even in the womb, so clinical symptoms appear as soon as the kitten begins to actively move. Clinical symptoms include abnormal gait, wide-spread paws, sudden falls, and unnatural head shaking..

The condition is diagnosed using MRI, but an experienced veterinarian is able to make the correct diagnosis even after a simple visual examination. There is no cure for this disease, but animals with such a diagnosis can lead a completely normal life, because they do not experience physical pain, and their mental abilities are at a very high level.

Another disease that Angora cats are prone to is deafness. Individuals with a pure white coat and eyes with a blue iris are prone to this disease. Angora cats, in which only one eye has a blue iris, usually do not suffer from deafness, but are carriers of this gene. Sometimes among such individuals there are still cats with one-sided deafness. In order to confirm or deny this disease, it is necessary to conduct a special test, which can currently be done in almost any veterinary clinic.

Infectious diseases are no less terrible for cats. The most dangerous are such varieties as rhinotracheitis, infectious peritonitis, calcivirosis, panleukopenia (plague), leukemia and trichophytosis. Timely vaccination saves from most diseases. Most cats are vaccinated annually, starting at 10-12 weeks of age. Most modern vaccines allow you to develop immunity against several diseases at the same time.

The most dangerous diseases of an invasive (parasitic) nature are toxoplasmosis and otodectosis.To prevent a cat from toxoplasmosis, regular and thorough cleaning of the litter box should be carried out, timely deworming should be carried out, and you should refuse to feed raw meat, giving preference to industrial feed. It is also necessary to make sure, if possible, that the cat does not eat the caught rodents, since they are to a greater extent the source of infection. And, of course, you need to regularly visit your veterinarian for a preventive examination.

Special anti-mite drugs, which are prescribed by a veterinarian, are saved from otodectosis. Drops are buried only after processing the auricle.

In the next video, you will find the features of the Turkish Angora breed.