Anatolian cat: history of the breed and features of the content

2024 Author: Arianna Cook | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-12 17:55

The origin of the breed and its recognition, the standard of the Anatolian cat and its temperament, the health of the rules for caring for a pet at home, the price of a pedigree kitten. Anatolian cat, Turkish shorthaired cat or Anatoli is not just a beautiful animal, according to many scientific and historical information, it is cats of this breed that are considered one of the most ancient on the planet.

When studying this breed, into the familiar fact that the domestication of cats began to be practiced in Ancient Egypt, scientists specializing in the feline world sowed many doubts. Rumor has it and even strenuously prove that the first cats as pets began to appear in Turkey, and the ancestors of the Anatolian cat were those very "wild domestic cats".

This cat is an amazing creature, in which mother nature managed to combine all the qualities of an ideal pet, she is beautiful, intelligent, and wild habits add not only mystery and uniqueness to her, but also simplify her care, as she knows how to do a lot of things on her own …

The history of the emergence of the Turkish shorthair cat breed

Since the representatives of the breed have a pedigree dating back to ancient times, naturally no one controlled any mating of cats, so one can only guess who were the ancestors of the Anatolian cat. According to some historical facts, such eminent varieties as Angora and Turkish van contributed to the formation of this species, but no one can reliably confirm this information.

It is believed that at first these cats were wild, respectively, their natural habitat was nature. The homeland of this fluffy beauty is the Eastern Anatolia region (territory of Turkey). Until cats of this breed became domestic they quickly spread independently to the lands of neighboring countries. They preferred to live in flat areas, where there were a sufficient number of rodents.

The Anatolian cat is one of those breeds that went wild for the second time in the hard war of 1941-1945. All this was due to the fact that most people in those troubled times, due to repression, hunger and hostilities, were forced to leave their homes, and with them their pets, who, willy-nilly, had to, and fortunately they succeeded. For the second time, they started talking about Turkish short-haired cats many years after the end of the war, namely, in 1995, three osmobians of this breed were shown at a small exhibition in the German town of Castrop-Rauxel. After such a small exhibition, these representatives of the cat world were in for a great success.

Almost immediately after such a furor, the German cattery Vom Glasbach, led by the German breeder Beate Gets and the Dutch Anke Baks, set to work aimed at making these amazing cats recognized as an individual breed. At the exhibition, they were presented as a subspecies of the Turkish Van breed.

The best "minds" of the cattery carefully studied all the historical materials on this breed and began to mate a cat of the Van "Kedisi" breed and the very cat that was shown at the exhibition. Later, the fame of the breeding of this breed reached the American cat lovers, and they decided to help the Europeans.

Such intercontinental work and enthusiasm could not remain unrewarded, thus already on August 6, 2000, the World Cat Federation (WCF) officially confirmed the existence of the "Turkish Shorthaired cat" or "Anatoli" breed. At that time, the population of Turkish shorthaired cats was only a little over a hundred individuals.

Description of the appearance of the Anatolian cat breed

At first glance, inexperienced people in the cat business can conclude that they are proudly shown the most ordinary yard cat, because the peculiarity of the Turkish cat breed is their more unusual inner world. If you do not get to know him better, then in the most ordinary color, medium size of a strong, stocky, but at the same time graceful body, you can hardly see the true "diamond" of the feline kingdom. The Anatolian cat is appreciated precisely for its primitive wild habits, high intelligence and a certain charisma inherent only in it. However, the World Cat Federation has established a uniform and unshakable standard for the Anatolian cat breed.

Head Anatoli has a wedge-shaped configuration, slightly rounded. It is impossible not to notice her high, well-defined cheekbones, her cheeks seem to be slightly plump, but not drooping. The nose is flat, without dents and humps, of the correct proportional size. The bite is correct, the chin is well defined, strong.
Eyes larger than average, wide open, notable for their almond-shaped shape, in some individuals they can be oval - this is permissible. They are set at a medium distance, at a slight angle, which gives the cat's muzzle a special charm and cuteness.
Auricles rather large, wide, with a slightly rounded tip, set high. Ears are deprived of turns and angles of inclination, so we can say that these cats are always "on the alert".
Limbs can not be called long, they are quite thin, but have good strength, muscularity and stability. The front legs are set relatively wide, due to this feature, the gait of the Anatolian cat differs from other cats, it rather resembles a lion's. The paw is rounded, the nails are closed.
Tail long, tends to taper towards the tip. Located relatively low. Well pubescent.
Torso Turkish Shorthair cat of medium or large size. Body weight ranges from 4.5 to 7 kg. Although the cat can be quite massive, the fullness is never seen on it. Usually, individuals of this breed look strong, fit, as if carefully watching their figure. The neck is broad but rather short. The chest is also wide and strong in these seals.
Wool short, but very thick, and also water-repellent. There is no additional undercoat under it, therefore, the main coat is very dense, but soft and pleasant to the touch.
Color wool can be combined, but there are some rules. The main color tone of the Turkish cat is always white and it is most of all on the body. According to the approved breed standard, there may be some markings on the forehead and ears on the main background. These spots should be separated by a white line. The tail can be painted. The color of these elements can be different, the only exception is the lilac shade. Most often, the adornments on the body of the Anatolian cat are presented in black, brown and bluish colors.

The color of the eyes of these seals is usually in harmony with the color scheme on the body of the animal. Heterochromia is often observed.

Color-point and fawn Anatolian cats do not fall under the official breed standard, however, despite this, fierce cat lovers are willing to pay twice the price for these unique specimens.

The nature of cats of the Anatolian breed

Turkish Shorthaired cat are by their nature very intelligent and quick-witted, they can memorize words and intonations very soon. So they know exactly when they are being addressed, they can discern when they are praised or scolded. Usually in a house a cat is tied to someone alone, it is to this person that he will tell something, follow him in the footsteps when he wants to eat or go out. The rest of the Anatoli family members are treated with love and respect, but loyalty to one master will not allow them to love someone more.

These pets, especially at a young age, are too energetic and mobile, they can require a lot of attention to their person, and everything is inclined only to the desire to play. If no one cares about them, they themselves can have fun. With age, everything changes with them, adult Turkish short-haired cats already behave more restrained and majestic, but if they are invited to play, they will not deny.

They behave calmly with children if they do not hurt them, and this cannot be done, since the "predatory" instincts can creep out and the cat can give back with its strong claws.

As for other animals, they can get along and even be friends with dogs and other cats, but they should not be kept with parrots and rodents, due to the fact that Anatoli will not miss the opportunity to demonstrate their hunting abilities.

Anatolian cat health

Representatives of this breed are distinguished by good health and very reliable body defenses, which were developed in the process of evolution. But do not think that nothing can happen to them, nothing feline is alien to them. Like all cats, they have parasitic and infectious diseases, difficult labor and kidney problems. Therefore, your pet should be regularly shown to the doctor, as well as timely vaccinations and courses of therapy aimed at preventing helminthiasis.

Grooming Turkish Shorthair Cat

Due to the fact that the representatives of this breed have lived in the wild for centuries, or even millennia, and completely dispensed with human help, then, accordingly, at home, this cat can take care of itself as much as possible on its own.

Hair care. Turkish Shorthair cats are very neat and clean, so they themselves make sure to look 100%, but sometimes difficulties also happen. For example, they cannot tidy fur in hard-to-reach areas, behind the ears and on the back, so your pet will need help. You need to comb it at least once a week; a soft brush is good for this. So your cat's "fur coat" will look neat and there will be a minimum of hair in the house, or even none at all.
Eye care. In order to prevent various eye diseases, it is necessary to periodically wipe the eyes of an Anatolian cat, this procedure disinfects the mucous membrane and helps the cat get rid of secretions. To carry out this procedure, you need to prepare two cotton pads, but in no case use a common one for two eyes, since each has its own microflora, a particle of which from one eye can serve as a causative agent of the disease in the second. You also need a solution with which you will rinse the cat's eyes. It can be either simple boiled water, at room temperature, or a decoction of herbs (chamomile, calendula), tea leaves, or a weak solution of potassium permanganate. You need to wipe the eyes gently, in the direction from the outer corner of the eye to the inner one.
Ear care. Anatoli also accumulates wax in the auricles, but, alas, he does not know how to use ear sticks, so you will have to clean your ears with the purr. How often this should be done is an individual question. Periodically inspect the ears of your furry and carry out hygiene procedures as the secretions accumulate.
Bathing. As for such a procedure as bathing, we can say that this is a completely separate topic. Anatolian cats are distinguished by their extraordinary love for water, they not only do not experience the usual feline horror from the sight of water, on the contrary, they will gladly crawl into the shower, play with a stream of water and humbly wait until they are washed. You need to bathe cats as needed, ideally once a month, but if you have a desire to do it more often, believe me, your pet will be jubilant.
Claws. This breed of cats has claws that are not only hard and strong, but also fast-growing, so their Anatoli needs to be put somewhere. If you and the little kitten did not bring a scratching post into the house, be prepared for the cat to use the upholstery of your sofa as it. In early childhood, a kitten is easy to accustom to this adaptation, but in adulthood, an already respectable cat may resist accepting such new rules.
Dental care. Dental hygiene is a very important part of your pet's good health. Therefore, it will be good to regularly brush the cat's teeth with a soft brush. If the pet is very resisting, then you can brush his teeth with food. To do this, veterinary pharmacies sell food for cleaning teeth. Boiled chicken necks perform this function from natural products. Normally, cats should not have an unpleasant odor from the oral cavity, and the gums should be pink without inflammation, redness and swelling.
Toilet. It is necessary to train an Anatolian cat to the tray carefully, without raising his voice, and even more so without using force, otherwise the cat may "play against you." It is best to buy a special spray, which usually acts unconditionally from the 1st or 2nd time. It is important to keep the litter box clean, no matter how smart and decent your pet is, and it will not go to a dirty toilet with an unpleasant odor. Most likely, the cat will choose another, more pleasantly smelling place for this.
Nutrition. Since these cats have preserved some instincts from the days of living in the wild, then the issue of nutrition must be taken quite seriously. First, remember that Anatoli are very big food lovers and rarely complain about lack of appetite, especially kittens. Therefore, it is not advisable to limit their diet to six months of age. Later, you can moderate the amount of food, but eating according to the schedule will not work. It is best to always have a little food in the cat's plate, but you should not overfeed your purr, the extra weight will not harm him, but the entrance to the exhibition will be closed with him. You can feed the Turkish Shorthair cat both with high quality industrial food and natural products. She will not put forward special requirements for food. Food is so food, meat is so meat. If you opt for homemade food, then it is important to know that it is better to give preference to lean meats, which must be thermally processed before serving. It is good to give cottage cheese, vegetables, cereals, as well as offal, with the exception of the liver. You cannot feed freshwater raw fish, and cooked fish is also not advised. Vitamins are an important part of the health of your Anatoli, so their food should be added regularly, especially during molting. In addition to food, fresh, clean water should be freely available.
Leisure. By their nature, these Anatolian cats are very active and playful, they love to be played with and just pay attention to them. They love to walk down the street, they quickly get used to the leash. They can also be taught some commands, for example, how to bring toys. Show once to the cat what you want from him and soon you will be surprised. This pet is very inquisitive, he is used to poking his nose almost everywhere, so if a cat sees an empty bag or cardboard box somewhere, you can be sure that he will be busy for a long time.
Sleeping place. It is good that a kitten has its own place to sleep and rest from early childhood. This can be either a purchased bed for a cat or a do-it-yourself bed. And if there is also a roof, then he will immediately go to settle down there. But nobody canceled the rest in the master's bed in the morning, so from time to time he will make his way to you even if he has his own "bedroom". This is how he shows his love and trust.