A National Treasure's Near Extinction
The Turkish Angora is an ancient cat breed from the mountains of central Anatolia. These felines developed their characteristic long, silky, single-layered coat as an adaptation to the region's climate. By the 16th century, they were prized possessions in European courts, becoming one of the first long-haired breeds seen on the continent. Their popularity, however, led to extensive crossbreeding with other cats, particularly Persians, which diluted the pure Angora bloodline and pushed the breed toward extinction.
In response to the dwindling numbers, the Turkish government declared the breed a national treasure. A state-led conservation effort began in 1917 at the Ankara Zoo (Atatürk Orman Çiftliği). The program focused meticulously on preserving the pure white Angora, which was considered the breed's ideal. This selective breeding saved the Turkish Angora but also created a genetic bottleneck, concentrating specific traits—including the gene responsible for both their white coats and a high incidence of deafness. For many years, exporting white Angoras was forbidden to protect the remaining population. American service members stationed in Turkey in the 1950s rediscovered the cats at the zoo, and in 1962, the first breeding pair was permitted to be exported to the United States, forming the foundation of modern American breeding programs.