Turkish Angora (Cat)

The ideal Turkish Angora is a balanced, graceful cat with a fine, silky coat that shimmers with every movement, in contrast to the firm, long muscular body beneath it.

GENERAL: the ideal Turkish Angora is a balanced, graceful cat with a fine, silky coat that shimmers with every movement, in contrast to the firm, long muscular body beneath it. HEAD: Size: small to medium, in balance with the length of the body and extremities. Shape: a medium long, smooth wedge. Allowance is to be made for jowls. Profile: two planes formed by a flat top head and the line of the nose meeting at an angle slightly above the eyes. NO BREAK. MUZZLE: a continuation of the smooth lines of the wedge with neither pronounced whisker pad nor pinch. EARS: large, wide at base, pointed and tuffed. Set closely together, high on the head, vertical and erect. EYES: large, almond-shaped, slanting slightly upward with open expression. EYE COLOR: there is no relationship between eye color and coat color, and each eye color description can include much variation within its defined spectrum, especially as cats mature. Acceptable colors include blue, which encompasses shades from sky blue to sapphire; green, which can range from gooseberry to emerald; green-gold, which includes any gold or amber eye that carries a greenish cast or ring; amber, which can range from gold to rich copper but has no green cast or ring, and odd-eyed, with one blue eye and the other green, green-gold or amber. While no points are specifically allocated to eye color, deeper, richer tones are preferred. Odd-eyed cats should have similar depth of color in both eyes. NOSE: medium in length. NECK: slim, graceful and rather long. CHIN: firm, gently rounded. Tip in profile to form perpendicular line with nose. BODY: medium size, however, overall balance, grace and fineness of bone are more important than actual size. Males may be slightly larger than females. Body is long and slender, possessing greater depth than width, oval rather than round (not tubular). Shoulders the same width as hips. Rump slightly higher than shoulders. Finely boned with firm muscularity. LEGS: long. Hind legs longer than front. PAWS: small, round and dainty. Tufts between toes preferable. TAIL: long and tapering from a wide base to a narrow end, with a full brush. COAT: single coated. Length of body coat varies, but tail and ruff should be long, full, finely textured and have a silk-like sheen. "Britches" should be apparent on the hind legs. BALANCE: proportionate in all physical aspects with a graceful, lithe appearance. PENALIZE: obviously oversized, coarse appearance. DISQUALIFY: cobby body type. Kinked or abnormal tail. Crossed eyes. TURKISH ANGORA COLORS WHITE: pure white, no other coloring. Nose leather and paw pads: pink. BLACK: dense coal black, sound from roots to tip of fur. Free from any tinge of rust on tips or smoke undercoat. Nose leather: black. Paw pads: black or brown. BLUE: blue, lighter shade preferred. One level tone from nose to tip of tail. Sound to the roots. A sound darker shade is more acceptable than an unsound lighter shade. Nose leather and paw pads: blue. CREAM: one level shade of buff cream without markings. Sound to the roots. Lighter shades preferred. Nose leather and paw pads: pink. RED: deep, rich, clear, brilliant red; without shading, markings, or ticking. Lips and chin the same color as coat. Nose leather and paw pads: brick red. Note: tabby markings are frequently present on younger smokes and should not be penalized in those under 1 year of age. CLASSIC TABBY PATTERN: markings dense, clearly defined, and broad. Legs evenly barred with bracelets coming up to meet the body markings. Tail evenly ringed. Several unbroken necklaces on neck and upper chest, the more the better. Frown marks on forehead form an intricate letter "M." Unbroken line runs back from outer corner of eye. Swirls on cheeks. Vertical lines over back of head extend to shoulder markings which are in the shape of a butterfly with both upper and lower wings distinctly outlined and marked with dots inside outline. Back markings consist of a vertical line down the spine from butterfly to tail with a vertical stripe paralleling it on each side, the three stripes well separated by stripes of the ground color. Large solid blotch on each side to be encircled by one or more unbroken rings. Side markings should be the same on both sides. Double vertical rows of buttons on chest and stomach. MACKEREL TABBY PATTERN: markings dense, clearly defined, and all narrow pencillings. Legs evenly barred with narrow bracelets coming up to meet the body markings. Tail barred. Necklaces on neck and chest distinct, like so many chains. Head barred with an "M" on the forehead. Unbroken lines running back from the eyes. Lines running down the head to meet the shoulders. Spine lines run together to form a narrow saddle. Narrow pencillings run around body. SPOTTED TABBY PATTERN: markings on the body to be spotted. May vary in size and shape with preference given to round, evenly distributed spots. Spots should not run together in a broken mackerel pattern. A dorsal stripe runs the length of the body to the tip of the tail. The stripe is ideally composed of spots. The markings on the face and forehead shall be characteristic tabby markings. Lips and chin the same shade as the rings around the eyes. The belly should have "vest buttons". Legs and tail are barred. PATCHED TABBY PATTERN: a patched tabby (torbie) is an established silver, blue-silver, brown or blue tabby with patches of red or cream. SILVER TABBY (classic, mackerel, spotted): ground color pale clear silver. Markings dense black. Lips and chin the same shade as the rings around the eyes. Nose leather: brick red. Paw pads: black. RED TABBY (classic, mackerel, spotted): ground color red. Markings deep rich red. Lips and chin the same shade as the rings around the eyes. Nose leather and paw pads: brick red. BROWN TABBY (classic, mackerel, spotted): ground color brilliant coppery brown. Markings dense black. Lips and chin the same shade as the rings around the eyes. Back of leg black from paw to heel. Nose leather: brick red. Paw pads: black or brown. BLUE TABBY (classic, mackerel, spotted): ground color pale bluish ivory. Markings a very deep blue affording a good contrast with ground color. Lips and chin the same shade as the rings around the eyes. Warm fawn overtones or patina over the whole. Nose leather: old rose. Paw pads: rose. CREAM TABBY (classic, mackerel, spotted): ground color very pale cream. Markings of buff or cream sufficiently darker than the ground color to afford good contrast but remaining within the dilute color range. Lips and chin the same shade as the rings around the eyes. Nose leather and paw pads: pink. CAMEO TABBY (classic, mackerel, spotted): ground color off-white. Markings red. Lips and chin the same shade as the rings around the eyes. Nose leather and paw pads: rose desirable. CREAM CAMEO TABBY (Cream Silver) (classic, mackerel, spotted): ground color off-white. Markings cream. Lips and chin the same shade as the rings around the eyes. Nose leather and paw pads: pink. BLUE-SILVER TABBY (classic, mackerel, spotted): ground color pale, bluish silver. Markings a deep blue affording a good contrast with ground color. Lips and chin the same shade as the rings around the eyes. Nose leather: old rose desirable. Paw pads: rose desirable. BLUE SILVER PATCHED TABBY (classic, mackerel, spotted): ground color pale bluish silver. Markings sound blue. Patches of cream tabby or softly intermingled areas of cream tabby on both body and extremities. Lips and chin the same shade as the rings around the eyes. Nose leather: blue or old rose trimmed with blue and/or pink. Paw pads: blue or old rose and/or pink. TABBY AND WHITE (classic, mackerel, spotted and patched, where applicable): color as defined for tabby with or without white on the face. Must have white on bib, belly and all four paws. White on at least one-third of body and white blaze on face is desirable. Tabby colors accepted are brown, silver, blue, blue-silver, red, cream, cameo and cream-cameo. TORTOISESHELL: black with patches of red or softly intermingled areas of red on both body and extremities. Presence of several shades of red acceptable. Nose leather and paw pads: black and/or brick red. CALICO: white with distinct patches of black and red. Tabby markings are allowed in the red patches. White predominant on underparts. DILUTE CALICO: white with distinct patches of blue and cream. Tabby markings are allowed in the cream patches. White predominant on underparts. BLUE-CREAM: blue with patches of cream or softly intermingled areas of cream on both body and extremities. Lighter shades preferred. Nose leather and paw pads: blue and/or pink. BLACK SMOKE: white basecoat, deeply tipped with black. Cat in repose appears black. In motion, the white basecoat is clearly apparent. Points and mask black with narrow band of white at base of hairs next to skin which may be seen only when fur is parted. Nose leather and paw pads: black. BLUE SMOKE: white basecoat, deeply tipped with blue. Cat in repose appears blue. In motion the white basecoat is clearly apparent. Points and mask blue with narrow band of white at base of hairs next to skin which may be seen only when fur is parted. Nose leather and paw pads: blue. CAMEO SMOKE (red smoke): white basecoat, deeply tipped with red. Cat in repose appears red. In motion, white basecoat is clearly apparent. Points and mask red with narrow band of white at base of hairs next to skin which may be seen only when fur is parted. Nose leather and paw pads: rose desirable. CREAM CAMEO SMOKE (cream smoke): white basecoat, deeply tipped with cream. Cat in repose appears cream. In motion, white basecoat is clearly apparent. Points and mask cream with narrow band of white at base of hairs next to skin which may be seen only when fur is parted. Nose leather and paw pads: pink desirable. BLUE-CREAM SMOKE: white basecoat, deeply tipped with blue and cream. Cat in repose appears blue-cream. In motion, white basecoat is clearly apparent. Points and mask blue-cream with narrow band of white at base of hairs next to skin which may be seen only when fur is parted. Nose leather and paw pads: rose pink or blue, may be patched. TORTOISESHELL SMOKE: white basecoat, deeply tipped with black, red and shades of red. Cat in repose appears tortoiseshell. In motion, white basecoat is clearly apparent. Points and mask tortoiseshell pattern with narrow band of white at base of hairs next to skin which may be seen only when fur is parted. Nose leather and paw pads: rose pink or black, may be patched. SHADED SILVER: undercoat white. Mantle of black shading down the sides, face, and tail, becoming paler on the chin, chest, stomach, and under the tail. Face and legs may have darker shading than the body. Black outlining on rims of eyes, lips and nose desirable. Nose leather: brick red. Paw pads: black. BLUE SHADED SILVER: undercoat white. Mantle of blue shading down the sides, face, and tail, becoming paler on the chin, chest, stomach, and under the tail. Face and legs may have darker shading than the body. Blue outlining on rims of eyes, lips and nose desirable. Nose leather: rose. Paw pads: blue or rose. CAMEO SHADED (red shaded): undercoat white. Mantle of red shading down the sides, face, and tail, becoming paler on the chin, chest, stomach, and under the tail. Face and legs may have darker shading than the body. Nose leather, rims of eyes and paw pads: rose. CREAM CAMEO SHADED (cream shaded): undercoat white. Mantle of cream shading down the sides, face, and tail, becoming paler on the chin, chest, stomach, and under the tail. Face and legs may have darker shading than the body. Nose leather, rims of eyes and paw pads: rose. TORTOISESHELL SHADED: undercoat white. Mantle of black and red shading down the sides, face and tail, becoming paler on the chin, chest, stomach, and under the tail. Face and legs may have darker shading than the body. Nose leather, rims of eyes and paw pads: rose to black, may also be patched. BLUE-CREAM SHADED: undercoat white. Mantle of blue and cream shading down the sides, face and tail, becoming paler on the chin, chest, stomach, and under the tail. Face and legs may have darker shading than the body. Nose leather, rims of eyes and paw pads: rose pink to blue, may also be patched. BI-COLOR: black and white, blue and white, red and white, or cream and white. White feet, legs, undersides, chest, and muzzle. Inverted "V" blaze on face desirable. White under tail and white collar allowable. SMOKE AND WHITE: black smoke & white, blue smoke & white, cameo smoke (red smoke) & white, cream cameo smoke (cream smoke) & white. White with colored portions that conform to the currently established smoke color standards. White predominant on underparts. CALICO SMOKE: white with patches of black and red. The black and red patches have a white undercoat. White predominant on underparts. DILUTE CALICO SMOKE: white with patches of blue and cream. The blue and cream patches have a white undercoat. White predominant on underparts. OTAC (Other Turkish Angora Colors): any other color or pattern with the exception of those showing hybridization resulting in the colors chocolate, lavender, the Himalayan pattern, or these combinations with white. Source: CFA >>>