Fun Turkish Angora Facts For Kids

Turkish Angora is a domestic cat breed, originating from Turkey in the 17th century. This ancient, breed of cats originated in the Ankara region of central Turkey and Turkish Angoras are also sometimes called the Ankara cat or simply, Angora.

These longhaired cats are known for their fine bone structure and shiny white coat. They mostly have bright blue eyes, amber eyes, or blue-green eyes. Apart from the blue or blue-green eyes, Turkish Angoras have also been found to have two eyes of different colors, such as one blue eye and one amber eye. Their almond-shaped eyes are beautiful, whether they are completely blue or they have one blue and one amber eye.

Although white Turkish Angoras are the most common color, breeding programs today have resulted in this cat breed now being found in a variety of colors and patterns. The Turkish Angora cat makes a great pet choice for families thanks to their affectionate nature and friendly personality. Turkish Angoras are also extremely energetic and intelligent animals.    

Read on to know more facts about the Turkish Angora breed. For more interesting animal facts, check out our articles on the Balinese cat and the leopard cat too!

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What type of animal is a Turkish Angora?

The Turkish Angora is a domestic cat breed that originated in the Ankara region of central Turkey. Today, they are pedigreed cats that are kept in the home as pets.

What class of animal does a Turkish Angora belong to?

The Turkish Angora breed of cats belongs to the class Mammalia in the animal kingdom. These cats are from the Felidae family and Felis genus. They are referred to by the scientific name Felis catus.

How many Turkish Angoras are there in the world?

There isn't an exact estimation of the Turkish Angora population in the world today. The white Turkish Angora breed was recognized by the Cat Fanciers Association in 1968 while Turkish Angora cats with other coat colors began to be recognized by the Cat Fanciers Association in 1978. The breed is also recognized by The International Cat Association and several other cat registries today.    

Where does a Turkish Angora live?

Though initially from the Ankara region of central Turkey, today, the Turkish Angora lives as a pet in the homes of families across Europe.

What is a Turkish Angora's habitat?

Since the Turkish Angora cat breed is kept as a pet in our home, its habitat is the environment of its home. It is normal for Turkish Angoras to perch on any high ground inside their home. from where they can keep an eye on all that is going on inside the home. This is a basic behavior of cats of many breeds and may have been developed as a protective mechanism to get away from predators in the wild.  

Who do Turkish Angoras live with?

Turkish Angoras typically live with people in the homes they are taken into. The friendly personality of Turkish Angoras makes it easy for these cats to live in homes that have children or other pets. Turkish Angoras even get along well with strangers so if you have guests arriving, you won't have to worry about an Angora cat breed in the house.

How long does a Turkish Angora live?

The Turkish Angora cat breed has an average lifespan of nine to 14 years. Poorly regulated breeding programs, however, may result in an increased number of birth defects, thereby reducing the lifespan of the breed.  

How do they reproduce?

Being mammals, Turkish Angoras reproduce through mating. Female Turkish Angoras, like other cats, can come into heat as early as four months of age. These cats are usually pregnant for anywhere between 63 and 65 days and they give birth to kittens. It is important for newborn kittens to receive lots of nutrition from their mother's milk. Kittens are usually completely weaned off the mother's milk after about eight or 10 weeks. If you're looking for Angoras from breeders, it is important that all guidelines are duly followed if you want a healthy Angora.

What is their conservation status?

Lots of breeders are supplying homes with Angoras as pets and therefore, the conservation status of these pedigreed cats is Least Concern today.

What do Turkish Angoras look like?

The Turkish Angora is a long-haired cat with a fine bone structure, a coat of medium length, and a plumed silky tail. They also have pointed ears and almond-shaped eyes. These are cats with blue, amber, or green eyes and this is also one of the breeds that often show odd eye colors, such as one blue eye and one amber eye. The lack of an undercoat makes grooming the Angora a lot easier than some other cat breeds.  

Their hind legs are longer than their front legs and the hind legs also typically have britches. Although white was the most common coat color observed in the breed, many coat colors and patterns are seen today. There is the white Turkish Angora, black Turkish Angora, calico Turkish Angora, and more, including coat colors of silver, red, and tortoiseshell.

How cute are they?

Turkish Angoras are extremely cute as kittens as well as adults. Their unique characteristics are sure to melt your heart.

How do they communicate?

Angoras, like other cats, communicate vocally by meowing, purring, and hissing as well as through their body language. They rub their scent on things to mark their territory and usually purr when they are happy. An upright tail indicates that your Angora is relaxed while a lashing tail means they're angry. Their tail becomes a lot fluffier when they feel threatened and want to make themselves appear bigger than they are. Even the way their ears are positioned can indicate different moods.  

How big is a Turkish Angora?

Turkish Angoras usually measure between 12-18 in (30-46 cm) in length and between 9-14 in (23-36 cm) in height. They are about the same size as other cats.

How fast can a Turkish Angora run?

Whilst the exact speed of a Turkish Angora is not known, some domestic cats can reach a maximum speed of 30 mph (48 kmph).  

How much does a Turkish Angora weigh?

Turkish Angora males weigh between 12-15 lb (5-7 kg) while females usually weigh between 8-12 lb (3.5-5 kg). Making sure they're at a healthy weight is necessary if you want to avoid health issues later on in life.

What are their male and female names of the species?

As is the case with all cats, a male Angora is called a 'tom' while a female is called a 'queen'.  

What would you call a baby Turkish Angora?

Babies of this species are called Turkish Angora kittens, just like young cats of other species.

What do they eat?

Turkish Angoras require a meat-based diet of high-quality cat food. Owners should make sure that meat is listed on the label among the top two or three ingredients in any food that they buy. Any food that contains less than 40% of protein should be avoided and you should also check for AAFCO certification on the cat food you buy for your Angora. Keeping track of their weight is essential so owners should cut back on the amount of food they are giving if they notice an increase in their cat's weight. Kittens should be given kitten food to aid with their healthy development.

Are they hypoallergenic?

The Turkish Angora breed is not hypoallergenic so if you have severe allergies, you may have an issue with them being around the house. They produce dander and this dander can end up making your allergies worse.

Would they make a good pet?

Turkish Angoras make great pets because of their friendly and affectionate characteristics. They get along well in households that have other pets, kids, and even elderly people. They tend to bond with humans easily and generally choose one person in the family as their favorite and become close companions. They're loyal and will also love to greet guests in the house. They like to perch themselves on top of bookshelves, door tops, refrigerators, and other household furniture too!

They're energetic and playful, so having a variety of toys around the house is a good idea. They're also extremely smart and show good problem-solving skills.  Another big plus point with Angoras is that grooming them is easy due to their single coat. They don't shed a lot and brushing them once or twice a week to take out any debris in their fur and prevent matting is all the grooming they need. Starting the grooming process when they're still kittens will make it enjoyable for them and will also create an opportunity to bond. Regular grooming will also take out any loose fur, so you won't see a lot of fur lying around the house.  

Did you know...

Turkish Angora cats are social animals so they cannot be left alone for too long. For this reason, it is best to only bring an Angora home if there will be someone at home most of the time to provide the love and care this breed deserves.  

Are Turkish Angora cats deaf?

In the 19th century, it was understood that all Turkish Angoras were born deaf. This, however, is just a myth. Not all Turkish Angoras are born deaf, but the chances of cats being deaf is higher in this breed than in other domestic cat breeds. A specific gene present in white Angoras with blue eyes seems to be linked to their hearing issues, so white Angoras with blue eyes have higher chances of being deaf. Odd-eyed Angoras also have a higher chance of being deaf on the side with the blue eye and they can often be identified as Angoras by this odd-eyed characteristic. This isn't the case with all Angoras though.

Are Turkish Angoras smart?

Turkish Angora cats are extremely smart and they show basic problem-solving skills which help them in their daily interactions. Their intelligence even makes it relatively easy for them to be trained as they are fast learners. The downside of these cats being so smart is that they can also pick up bad habits very quickly, so training them in the right way is crucial.  

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other mammals including the Somali cat, or the ringtail cat.

You can even occupy yourself at home by drawing one on our Turkish Angora coloring pages.

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