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In the history of the Turkish Angora, there are actually two immigrations of these wonderful cats to the USA. During the rennaisance, Turkish Angoras and Persians were imported from Turkey to Western Europe, and became the source of the longhair cats in that area. Later, when colonists and settlers travelled from England and Europe to the USA, the Angoras came too. At this time in history, the concept of keeping a "pure breed" was not well developed. Angoras, Maine Coons, and Persians, attended cat show classes called "longhair". The breeds were intermingled to produce the characteristics that were wanted. Furthermore, spay and neuter were not the common practice in those days. Angoras and their other longhair cousins which were sold as pets, were allowed to haunt the family garden and thus contributed the longhair gene to the population of "street cats" or domestics.   As a result of the interbreeding of the Angora with the other longhairs, the Angora traits were eventually lost. Cat fanciers believed the Angora was "extinct" as a breed for many years. However, in the early 1960's, a military family stationed in Turkey, discovered that there was a breeding colony of the pure Angora being maintained in the national zoo, at Ankara, Turkey. Thus began the second chapter of the breed in the west, as cat fanciers imported representatives of the breed from the Turkish Zoo and re-started the Angora breed, re-naming it "Turkish Angora" to denote its different origins. Their identity as a seperate breed is now carefully protected by those who love them. Today in the USA, it is not uncommon to see domestic longhair cats that resemble these longhair breeds in some ways. One may visit a shelter and find cats with extra rounded faces (Persian influence), wide muzzles and massive muscular bodies (Maine Coon influence) and slender, tall bodies with large ears (Angora influence).  Much of the intake that our rescue does involves cats that LOOK like a Turkish Angora, but which are almost certainly not a pedigreed example of the breed, for one reason or another. When you view our adoption descriptions, we will indicate whether the cat is a "Turkish Angora" (which means it is a pedigreed cat) or an "Angora", which means it LOOKS like (and perhaps behaves like) a Turkish Angora, but is suspected to be a domestic longhair. Angoras make wonderful pets with an elegence and beauty that reflects some long lost ancestor. Adopting these cats gives them a loving home, and adds companionship, devotion, and elegence to your life!  |
