Turkish Angora care: deafness, heart screening and coat

The Turkish Angora is a small to medium-sized longhaired cat from Turkey, and its main inherited health question is tied to coat color rather than to the breed as a whole. The Cat Fanciers' Association breed profile says Turkish Angoras are not known for any specific health problems, but that white cats can be prone to deafness, especially blue-eyed ones. The same profile calls the breed the oldest known longhair and describes a single, silky coat that is not prone to matting.

Deafness in white cats

Congenital deafness in white cats is linked to the dominant white gene, which affects pigment cells in the inner ear as well as in the skin. Kittens with this form of deafness are either born deaf or lose their hearing permanently within the first four to five weeks of life. One ear or both can be affected.

Figures quoted online for white cats often come from older research colonies of mixed-breed cats. Studies of pedigree cats brought in for hearing tests before breeding have found lower rates. In 84 white cats from 10 registered breeds, 20.2% were deaf: 10.7% in both ears and 9.5% in one. Deafness in that group was associated with iris color. A later study of 72 white pedigree cats in Poland found 16.7% deaf, more often in one ear than both, and in that sample blue eyes did not predict deafness. Neither study reports rates for Turkish Angoras specifically, so there is no good breed-level figure. Cats without blue eyes can be deaf too.

Hearing is tested with a brainstem auditory evoked response (BAER) test, which measures the brain's electrical response to clicks through each ear separately. CFA advises breeding white cats to colored cats to reduce the chance of deaf kittens, and notes that some countries require white kittens to be BAER tested. For a buyer, asking for the kitten's BAER result is reasonable. A colored Turkish Angora avoids the question.

A cat deaf in one ear usually copes with little change. A cat deaf in both needs some adjustments:

• Keep it indoors or in a secure enclosure, since it cannot hear traffic, dogs or other hazards.
• Approach where the cat can see you, or let it feel footsteps through the floor first, to avoid startling it awake.
• Use visual signals, such as a hand signal or a light switched on and off, for meals and for calling it.
• Feed at the same times and in the same place each day.

Heart screening

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), a thickening of the heart's main pumping chamber, is the most common heart disease of cats. Cornell's Feline Health Center lists the breeds in which it is more prevalent, among them the Maine Coon, Ragdoll, British Shorthair, Sphynx, Norwegian Forest Cat and Persian. The Turkish Angora is not on that list. That means no raised risk has been shown for the breed, not that its cats cannot develop HCM.

Many cats with HCM look well. Others breathe fast or with effort, breathe with their mouth open, or become lethargic as fluid builds up in or around the lungs. The most serious complication is a blood clot that blocks blood flow to the hind legs, causing sudden pain or paralysis; that is an emergency. HCM is diagnosed with an echocardiogram, and Cornell notes that high blood pressure and an overactive thyroid cause similar thickening and must be ruled out first. A heart murmur or abnormal rhythm heard at a routine check is a common reason to arrange one. For a cat already on heart medication, check any supplement with the vet first.

Inherited ataxia

Some breed descriptions mention an inherited ataxia, a disorder of balance and coordination, in Turkish Angora kittens. We could not find a published veterinary report of it, and CFA describes the breed as free of known specific health problems. A kitten that wobbles, trembles, falls or walks with a wide stance still needs a vet examination, because infections, injuries, toxins and developmental problems of the brain all produce these signs. Cats with mild, stable balance problems manage well with non-slip flooring, a low-sided litter box and low perches.

Coat care

The coat is the easy part. According to CFA, the Turkish Angora has a single coat without the dense undercoat of many longhaired breeds, which makes it one of the easiest longhairs to keep. Combing two or three times a month is usually enough for a young cat. Older cats groom themselves less thoroughly and may need combing more often, especially behind the legs and on the belly. A metal comb suits the fine texture.

A complete diet supplies what a healthy coat needs, and there is no reason to add supplements to it. A coat that becomes greasy, dull, thin or matted in a cat that used to keep itself tidy is a reason for a vet check. Arthritis, dental pain, weight gain and illness all stop cats grooming.

Feeding and weight

The Merck Veterinary Manual starts from the resting energy requirement (RER), 70 times body weight in kilograms to the power 0.75. For adult cats it then uses 1.4 times RER if intact, 1.2 times if neutered and 1.0 times for a cat prone to obesity. For typical adult weights, rounded to the nearest 5 kcal:

These are starting points. Most pet cats are neutered, so the middle column is the usual place to begin, adjusted by monthly weighing. The ribs should be easy to feel under a thin layer of fat, with a visible waist behind them. Choose a food labeled complete and balanced for the cat's life stage; cats need taurine, and a complete commercial food contains it. Wet food adds water to the diet, which is useful for any cat that drinks little.

Teeth

Cats hide mouth pain well, so dental disease is often advanced before anyone notices. Gum inflammation, periodontal disease and tooth resorption, in which the tooth structure is gradually destroyed, are all common in cats. Signs include bad breath, drooling, chewing on one side, dropping food or a sudden preference for soft food.

Daily brushing with a cat toothpaste is the most effective home care, and it is far easier to teach a kitten than an adult. Dental treats and foods with the Veterinary Oral Health Council (VOHC) seal have met that council's standard for reducing plaque or tartar and can add to brushing. The vet should examine the mouth at every annual visit; many dental problems in cats, tooth resorption in particular, can only be fully assessed with dental X-rays under anesthesia.

Play, climbing and water

CFA describes Turkish Angoras as busy, curious, interactive cats, often called doglike, that want to take part in whatever their people are doing. They are also climbers: the breed profile's advice is that a missing Turk is usually on top of the tallest cabinet. Tall cat trees and secure wall shelves give that habit somewhere safe to go. Daily play with wand toys and chase games uses energy that would otherwise go into the kitchen cupboards, and puzzle feeders slow eating and give some mental work at mealtimes.

According to CFA, Turkish Angoras are independent enough to stay home alone during a working day, and many have a strong interest in water, from dripping taps to joining owners in the shower. Offer water in more than one place; Merck notes that several water sources encourage cats to drink.

Sources

1. Turkish Angora breed profile. The Cat Fanciers' Association.
2. Unilateral and bilateral congenital sensorineural deafness in client-owned pure-breed white cats. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine, 2009.
3. Evaluation of the prevalence of congenital sensorineural deafness in a population of 72 client-owned purebred white cats examined from 2007 to 2021. BMC Veterinary Research, 2022.
4. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Cornell Feline Health Center, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine.
5. Nutritional requirements of small animals. Merck Veterinary Manual.