Ankara is the homeland of three world-renowned pet breeds. There is no second city in the world with such a feature. These breeds are Angora Cat, Angora Goat and Angora Rabbit. In the world, these breeds are known as Angora (angora cat, angora goat, angora rabbit), which is one of the old names of Ankara. In terms of reputation, both these breeds and the word Angora are far ahead of Ankara. Few people know that the angora sweaters that many women love to wear are actually woven from the wool of the Angora Rabbit and that angora is the capital city of Turkey, Ankara.

I decided to write such a series of articles so that we can know, protect and love these races known to the world. The subject of my doctoral thesis is the Angora Cat and as a cat lover, the priority is of course the Angora Cat.

History of the Angora Cat: In my research covering the Ottoman and Republican periods in our country, two articles about the Angora Cat by the same person were found. The author of these articles is Ord.Prof.Dr., the founding member of the Internal Medicine Department of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, A.U., from which I graduated. Samuel Aysoy. In his article, Aysoy says, "This beautiful cat, which originates from Ankara and its surroundings, is world famous for the brightness and beauty of its fur." Although it is mostly white, the Angora Cat also has black, smoke and gray colors. The eyes are orange yellow and blue. The feathers are shiny, long, thin and soft. Especially the neck and tail feathers are very long. The year my teacher, whom I remember fondly, wrote this article was 1954. Despite the 53 years that have passed, it is still not convincing to people, especially my colleagues, that Angora Cats can have other colors. While different colors and patterns are accepted in the Persian Cat, which derives its origin from the Angora Cat, Angora Cats in the same situation are classified as street cats just because they are not white. However, the Angora cat has different fur types in nearly twenty colors and patterns other than white. If this fact were known and promoted, thousands of cats on the streets of Ankara would find owners, and hundreds of dollars would not be given to Persian Cats, which were born with many problems as a result of the Ankara Cat's mutation. In the other article, the reasons why the Angora Cat's fur is thin, soft, shiny and abundant are investigated. As is known, these features in the feathers are also valid for other Angora breeds. It has been mentioned that this hair structure is formed as a result of the ionization of Ankara air and the effect of the electric field on the thyroid gland of cats.

Throughout history, the Angora Cat has attracted the attention of foreigners more than Turks. The most important sources here are the travelogues of travelers who traveled the world for various purposes and also passed through Ankara. The number of travelers mentioning Ankara between the 16th and 19th centuries is determined as eight. Documents about the Angora Cat first appear in foreign sources in the 17th century. The Angora Cat is mentioned in the travelogue of the Italian traveler named Pietro della Valle, in which he wrote his impressions during his journey between 1614 and 1626, which included Anatolia. Here, the length of the Angora Cat's hair around its neck and tail is specifically stated, and its tail is likened to that of a squirrel. Princess Belgiojoso, who visited Ankara in February 1858 and stayed there for fifteen days, describes the Angora Cat as follows in her work titled Asie Mineure et Syrie: Although these cats are not as useful as goats, they are not something to be trifled with for those who love beauty. The two colors of its eyes and the whiteness and length of its fur are the most important features that distinguish it from other cats. These animals are very coy and gentle, they do not know how to hunt, and they spend their time lying lazily inside the house. Some people become deaf. In the 18th century, Angora Cats were taken from our country to France and other European countries. At the beginning of the 19th century, the Angora Cat was brought to the USA. It was also recognized and started to be cultivated.

In my research in the Ankara Atatürk Forest Farm Zoo archives, I could not find sufficient information about exactly when the Angora Cat started to be bred. However, in my interview with Haki Şemsettinoğlu, who was the Director of A.O.Ç. Zoo between 1952 and 1985, we learned that cats started to be bred in 1939.

Although there are many places that breed Angora Cats in many countries around the world, Ankara A.O.Ç. Zoo, where I did my doctoral studies, remains the most important institution breeding Angora Cats in the world. Because every year, dozens of breeders and other zoo officials from abroad come to Ankara just to buy cats.

The Angora Cat is the oldest known long-haired cat. In other words, the ancestor of all long-haired cats is the Angora cat. The breeds known today as the Norwegian Forest Cat and the Maine Coon are completely copies of the Angora Cat. In fact, a breed called British Angora has been registered in England. Since the Angora Cat was not given the necessary attention for years in our country, foreigners adopted this precious treasure of ours. It was again foreigners who adopted and protected the characteristics of the original Angora cat on the international platform, and Angora Cat associations and clubs were established in many countries from the USA to the Republic of South Africa. Last year, for the first time in our country, the Angora Cat Association was established by the author of these lines. I hope this will be an example for other Ankara breeds.

The most striking feature of the Angora Cat is the beauty of its fur. The feathers are medium length on the body and longer on the neck and tail. The neck, underbelly and tail are covered with dense, long and silky hair, and there are curved hairs inside the ears. Today, in addition to the plain white fur color, there are Angora Cat varieties such as black, blue, chocolate, lilac, red, white-black-orange pied, cream, tabby (of all colors), gray and two-colored pied.

Angora cats have a thin and delicate face and wide ears. The eyes are almond-shaped, quite large compared to the face. Eye colors are blue, yellow, honey color and green. In white fur coats, one eye may be blue and the other eye may be yellow, which is called "one eye". Deafness is a common problem in white Angora cats with both blue eyes. Although deafness may seem like a positive feature of a pure breed to the public, it is ultimately a very problematic condition that makes life difficult for cats and their owners.

Angora cats have a long body and a strong and muscular structure. 10 kg. Men can be found above m. They have a long tail and when they are happy, they hold their tails parallel to their bodies towards their heads, which is only seen in Angora Cats.

Angora Cats are very trainable and gentle-tempered cats. Contrary to popular belief, they are very attached and loyal to their owners. In addition to their beauty, Angora Cats attract attention with their closeness to people and their enjoyment of engaging in activities with them.

Ankara Cats, all of whose features we have described, continue to exist in today's Ankara and its surroundings, just as they did centuries ago. This is thanks to their superior genetic characteristics and animal-loving people of Ankara. I am sure that all of our citizens from Ankara have encountered and admired these magnificent cats on the street in their daily lives. My hope is that this treasure will be carried from the streets to the homes and reach the value they deserve, even if it is late.

Dr.S.Tarkan Özçetin

*This study was taken from the author's doctoral thesis at Ankara University, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Animal Breeding, Department of Animal Breeding, USA.