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Stray cats of the old imperial capital are probably mix of breeds from many parts of the Ottoman Empire once stretched over Asia, Africa, and Europe. Beautiful hybrids of Istanbul appear to be dominated by Turkish breeds Angora and Van. It would be more appropriate to call these strays "neighborhood cats" as they are loved and cared by people in many neighborhoods of the city.
In the opinion of the author/photographer, cats should be seen as one of the symbols of Istanbul.
TURKISH PURE BREEDS
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Cat breeders worldwide recognize two Turkish breeds: Angora and Van. Both Angora and Van cats are free spirits with strong personalities. In generall, they are not suitable pets for people seeking lap cats or plush toys. However, the personalities of hybrids may vary greatly. They are briefly described here and links to breeder sites are provided below for detailed profiles.
TURKISH ANGORA
Turkish Angora is a graceful cat with a silky coat and a long, muscular body. Large ears, full brush tail, and "britches" on the hind legs are typical. Colors can very from pure white, blue, smoke, cream ... to tabby and calico. Eye colors range from blue, green, amber, gold to gold/amber with greenish cast or ring. They are intelligent, opinionated cats known to have a "sense of humor." They were believed to be domesticated by Tartars before migrating to Anatolia and brought to Europe first by the crusaders returning from the Holy Wars. French royals kept them as can be seen in 18th century paintings
TURKISH VAN
Turkish Van is a firm-built cat with a broad chest. Coat and tail hair are semi-long. It has a chalk-white body with colored markings on the head and tail. Eyes are blue, amber, or both (see the odd-eyed in photo). They are energetic cats with strong personality. They are said to follow their owners like dogs. Contrary to most cats, they like water.
DISCLAIMER
The author uses her knowledge and experience in good faith but makes no warranties about completeness, or accuracy of the information presented here and will not be liable for any losses or damages in connection with the use of this web site.
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