Native country : Turkey
History
This elegant cat with the silky white coat was favored by the kings of France.The Angora, which originated in Turkey, bears the name of the capital city of Turkey, formerly called Angora, but now called Ankara. This ancient breed remained true to its original type for many years.In the 17th century, Italian explorer Pietro Della Valle brought several Angoras back to his home country. This cat, with its immaculate, fluffy coat, was consider a gift "fit for a king." The European aristocracy, particularly the court of Louis XV, favored Angoras. In the 18th century, Linné renamed the breed Cattus angorensis to distinguish it from domestic cats and Chartreux cats. Buffon described it as the "solid white, longhaired cat of Angora."In the 19th century, after contributing to the development of the Persian (to which the Turkish Angora transmitted the gene responsible for long hair), the breed almost disappeared as a result of the remarkable popularity of Persians. After the Second World War, the breed was on the verge of extinction. Breeders in Europe and the United States imported Angoras from Turkey, where the breed is now protected. The Torio's, American breeders, purchased Yildiz and Hildizcik from the Ankara Zoo. In 1970, the C.F.A. registered the first Turkish Angoras. The breed was officially recognized by the C.F.A. in 1973, and by the F.I.Fe in 1988. Despite its remarkable beauty, this breed is rare.
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