Turkish Angora A National Treasure

Coming off the heels of an exclusive feature on the cats of Turkey in the previous issue, we're narrowing in on the Angora, the exquisite white breed

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Considered one of the first, if not the first, long-haired cat breeds in Europe, the Turkish Angora has been much sought-after since the 1520s. Today, it is still a domestic cat that is adored and prized for its sweet temperament and striking appearance. And to think it might not even have existed today!

The Turkish Angora may well have been lost to history if not for the efforts of the Turkish officials to maintain this breed in spaces like zoos. It is said that till date, the cat is kept in the Ankara Zoo and this has helped preserve their lineage. A breed that is fascinating to behold and considered regal was once pushed to the brink of extinction when it was used in crossbreeding endeavours to increase the Persian population, a breed that surpassed the Angora in popularity in Turkey in the 20th century. However, in the early 20th century, Atatürk Forest Farm and Zoo began a breeding programme to protect pure white Angoras. One fine day, as the story goes, a North American couple who visited the zoo, in the 1960s, brought the Angora back with them from where the breed grew gradually. It went on to be accepted by the