To date, kittens of the breed Turkish Angora are included in the list of the most popular. Which is not surprising - many lovers of fluffy pets like their elegance, playfulness, beauty and unpretentiousness. This domestic predator will surely fall in love with adults and children. But, of course, before you start it, you need to learn more about it.
Description of appearance
The first thing that catches your eye at the sight of such cats is soft, like fluff, wool. Not too long, but pleasant to the touch, it makes the Angora even more popular and loved. The color is most often monophonic, but tortoiseshell and ashen are also found. The most common is pure white. But sometimes you can see the black kitten of the Turkish Angora. The breed has a surprisingly soft coat due to the lack of undercoat. It grows most densely in the neck and hind legs, due to which a peculiar "brush" and "panties" are formed, which make the breed especially recognizable.
They are simply beautifully stacked - real athletes. The hind legs are slightly longer than the front ones, very muscular, which allows them to jump onto a high refrigerator, or even a cabinet, from the spot. But the paws are very elegant, rounded and small. Wool often grows between the fingers.
The tail is the pride of a true Angora. Fluffy, graceful, it gradually tapers towards the tip, giving the owner a special charm.
Emphasizes the beauty of the cat and not too large, elegant head - slightly narrowed to the nose, which gives it a wedge-shaped shape. The ears are large, set high and close. Quite often, their ends are decorated with bizarre crests.
Complement the image of the eye. Expressive, slightly slanted and almond-shaped, they give cats a mystery. The color scheme of the eyes is surprisingly rich. There are green, blue, amber and even golden colors. Often there is a pronounced heterochromia - the eyes have different colors. But the size of the Angora is not too large. Adults usually weigh no more than 4 kilograms.
History
According to some reports, the first attempts to breed a new breed of cats were made in Ancient Anatolia, which later became part of Turkey - after the total destruction of Armenians in the early twentieth century. For a long time, angora was very popular among Europeans - visiting Turkey at the beginning of the last century, many tried to take home an unusual cat with white hair and blue eyes. It is not surprising that European breeders put a lot of work to consolidate the characteristics they liked. Initially, only one standard was recognized - snow-white. But gradually the list of colors was expanded, and included those listed above.
But in the USA, the cat was received more coolly. Although the breed got there in the 50s of the twentieth century, it took its supporters almost 20 years to obtain the right to register it. By the way, some large North American associations of cat breeders still have not recognized Angora as an independent breed.
However, this does not stop the owners from loving their furry pets and spoiling them in every way.
Cat character
Many breeders will agree that a Turkish Angora kitten is savvy. And adults can hit with quick wits. They easily open doors - pushing or tugging at themselves, turn on the light, and some are even able to learn the simplest commands, for example, to bring an abandoned ball of paper or a candy wrapper.
At the same time, cats are quite “talkative” - they like to meow very much. They meow when they feel good, when something disturbs them and simply even when they want to share their "opinion" with the owners. However, such talkativeness is not always found - it can be called a sign of a cat’s happiness, that it is loved in the family and feels it.
In general, Turkish Angora kittens (photo attached to the article) like to be in the spotlight. They cannot stand loneliness - they always try to be closer to the owners. During dinner, they will necessarily curl up under the table on the feet of a beloved family member, and if they are allowed to, then on their knees.
Socialization
Owners acknowledge that Angora are curious and active, making them great companions for young children. But it is worth remembering: they, like any other cats, are not alien to the concept of personal space. Therefore, the child should not be too annoying and even more so hurt them - they may well answer.
Many animal lovers are pleased with the fact that Angora is getting used to other animals quite well. Other cats, dogs, even rats and guinea pigs may well become friends for them. But here early socialization is very important. For example, a Turkish Angora kitten at 2 months old will easily get used to a parrot or rat, perceiving them as playmates. But at two years old he would no longer be able to perceive them otherwise than as a running or flying lunch.
Suitable nutrition
Like representatives of all other breeds, Angora is very important to ensure proper nutrition. Only in this case they will be cheerful, cheerful and healthy. Usually, a Turkish Angora kitten is taken away from the mother cat in 1.5 months and brought to a new place of residence. And proper nutrition must be provided to him from the very first days.
In general, at the age of 6 weeks, kittens can already consume the same food as adult cats. True, you need to feed a little, but often - up to seven times a day. So, how to make a diet and what to include in it?
Cats are predators, so be sure to include meat, poultry or fish in the menu. And best of all, little by little. It is advisable to cook them until fully cooked - such a product is easier to digest, and the risk of contracting parasites is eliminated. However, it is useful for adult cats to sometimes give raw foods that they eat with pleasure.
But cats cannot be fed meat alone, and quite expensive. They also need carbohydrates. The best source is various cereals - buckwheat, rice, barley. Of these, you can cook porridge, which is diluted with broth (or boiled on it) and is eaten with pleasure by a domestic predator.
It is necessary to add fermented milk products to the diet - ordinary fermented baked milk and kefir. This is especially important for older cats with bowel problems.
You can also give raw eggs. But if it’s chicken, then the yolk needs to be separated from the protein - the latter negatively affects the condition of the liver. But quail can be given as a whole.
Finally, once or twice a week, the diet should be enriched with the liver - beef or chicken. It is advisable to boil it, since it is in it that the eggs of dangerous parasites are most often found.
As you can see, everything is pretty simple here. If a white Turkish Angora kitten appears in your house (or a black one, it doesn’t matter), you can easily arrange suitable food for it without spending any extra money. Still, homemade food is much tastier, healthier, and cheaper than the various prepared feeds sold in stores.
Hair care
Quite commonplace is the myth that the Angora shed very much, covering everything around with a carpet of white wool. In fact, representatives of this breed molt in the same way as other cats. Just a long white coat is more striking.
In addition, the problem is easily solved. It is enough to comb the cat once a week (during molting, usually in spring, twice). This should be done carefully so as not to hurt the pet, to which he can react very sharply - and the claws of cats are very sharp. Each week, a large ball of wool is combed from the cat, making it much cleaner at home, and your clothes will not be covered with white hairs, which are very difficult to get rid of. And the pet will look much better - with clean, smooth, evenly lying hair.
Cleaning the eyes, ears and mouth
It is very important to monitor the cleanliness of not only the coat, but also of all the senses. Allocate one day a week (for example, Sunday evening) and spend half an hour caring for the cat. She needs to brush her ears, eyes and teeth.
Starting with teeth is the least enjoyable procedure, but you should not neglect it unless you want your pet to suffer from periodontal disease and other problems with the oral cavity. The algorithm of actions is quite simple - moisten a cotton ball with hydrogen peroxide and thoroughly rub your teeth, removing the remnants of food. Be careful - many cats do not like this procedure.
After you can go to the ears. Everything is pretty simple here. Take a stick for cleaning the ears (preferably plastic, not wooden - it does not break and bends easily, so delicate ears will not be damaged) and soak it in warm water. Now bend the auricles so that the tips fit against the top of the head. Inspect the ears and remove all the sulfur accumulated over the week. If the procedure is carried out regularly, then the work takes a couple of minutes on the strength.
Finally, eye care is the easiest part. Take a damp cloth and wipe your eyes gently - from the outer edges to the inside. The procedure is very easy, it takes a few seconds. But it avoids the appearance of pus, with which you can get a lot of unnecessary problems. For each eye, it is advisable to use a separate napkin, so as not to infect.
Average life
It’s simply impossible to say how long a cat will live. It depends on heredity, nutrition, diseases, care. But in general, if a white kitten of the Turkish Angora appeared in your house, the photos of which you saw in the article, you can be sure that with good care it will easily live 10-12 years. And some centenarians reach 20.
Are they deaf?
You can often hear that Angora are almost completely deaf. This is actually not the case. Experts know that a large part of white cats with blue eyes are really deaf. It just so happened that the lion's share of the representatives of the breed we are considering is white. And many blue-eyed. Of course, some of them suffer from congenital deafness.
Therefore, this ailment is not inherent in a particular breed, but simply manifests itself in Angora especially brightly.
Conclusion
On this our article comes to an end. Now you know more about Turkish Angora cats, their appearance and features. And also dealt with the intricacies of care and nutrition.