The Turkish Angora is popular for their luscious appearance and affectionate attitude. In fact, these cats are so affectionate, they’re sometimes accused of being “clingy” by some owners. That said, the typical Turkish Angora gets along well with everyone, including kids, which makes them a great family pet option. But what really sets them apart from other household kitties is their long, luxurious coats, which can come in a variety of colors and patterns. Check out 15 beautiful Turkish Angora colors here!
The 15 Turkish Angora Colors & Patterns
1. White
The most common coat color that Turkish Angoras can have is solid white. The breed standard originally only included white cats, with either green or blue eye colors. But since so many other coat types have become popular, the breed standard today includes many of them. White still dominates when it comes to desirability, though. One thing potential owners should keep in mind is that white cats are more susceptible to sunburn than cats with darker coat colors. There is also a risk of genetic deafness in white Turkish Angoras that have one or two blue eyes.
2. Black
While black Turkish Angoras exist, they are among the least popular compared to all the other coat types. Perhaps it is because black cats are associated with things like witches and bad luck, or maybe the other coat options are simply more appealing to most people. Do note that absolutely none of the tales and negative beliefs about black cats are founded in truth.
3. Red
Red Turkish Angoras are sometimes also referred to as orange or ginger because the red tones are so muted. The coloring is caused by the ginger gene, located on the X chromosome. Females must receive the gene from both parents, while males must only inherit it from their mothers. Therefore, about 80% of ginger Turkish Angora cats (or any other kind of cat, for that matter) are male.
4. Cream
A cream-colored coat is just a more diluted version of the red coat, as the red coloring is mixed in with white coloring. So, males and females alike can have this coat. However, this color in general is rare and unusual compared to the other coat colors.
5. Blue
While this coat color might be referred to as blue, it displays as ash or gray. It simply looks like it’s tinted blue in certain lighting. Regardless, this is an impressive coat color that is in high demand, so blue Turkish Angoras can be hard to find and more expensive than kitties with other coat colors.
6. Blue Smoke
A smoke coat has a base of white hair with deeply tinted smoke tips. The term “smoke” does not refer to the color, but rather to the design of the hair colors. In the case of a blue smoke coat, the tips are tinted “blue,” or gray. A blue smoke Turkish Angora’s coat looks evenly colored when the cat is resting. However, the lighter hair in the coat is easily seen when the kitty is moving around.
7. Red Smoke
This coat color is just like the blue smoke coat, except the tips of the hairs are deeply tinted with red or ginger coloring. These cats usually look much lighter than blue smoke Turkish Angoras do.
8. Silver
Silver Turkish Angoras tend to have tabby patterning, which makes them extremely popular among pet owners and feline enthusiasts alike. The body is typically covered in muted tones of silver, and striping is distinctive on the chest and around the face. The long, lush hair on a Turkish Angora makes the silver coat look elegant.
9. Calico
Any breed of cat, including the Turkish Angora, can have a calico coat. Calico cats have a tricolor coat, and the three colors can come in any variation. The Turkish Angora usually has a tricolor coat made up of brown, black, and white. However, this is not a fixed rule.
10. Dilute Calico
A dilute calico coat is made up of a muted, softer coloring than the average calico. This type of coat usually has gold and/or pastel coloring that is not nearly as dark and distinctive as the colors in the calico coat. The dilute calico cat is also rarer and harder to find.
11. Tabby
Turkish Angora Tabbies are extremely common, but that doesn’t take away from their overall beauty and uniqueness. A tabby Turkish Angora has striped markings that contrast between dark and light, giving the cat a bit of a “wild” look. Since this cat’s hair is so long, the stripes might not be as dark and distinctive as those on a shorthair tabby.
12. Spotted Tabby
Spotted tabby Turkish Angoras have spotted markings along their sides in addition to their striping, but otherwise, they look like classic tabby cats. These spotted markings may be small or large and may be few or many.
13. Tortoiseshell
Sometimes referred to as “torties” by loving owners, the Tortoiseshell Turkish Angora has a coat featuring white and two other colors that mix to create patches around the body. The white is scarce, though, and the two darker colors dominate the coat. Almost all tortoiseshell cats are female because two X chromosomes are required to create the trademark pattern.
14. Shaded Blue Cream
Shaded blue cream is a dilute coloring of the tortoiseshell pattern. A study done at the University of California discovered that tortoiseshell cats tend to challenge their owners more than cats with other coat types. They are more likely to hiss, bite, chase, and swipe their paw while interacting with their human companions. That said, every cat has their own personality, and it’s quite likely that a Turkish Angora with a tortoiseshell pattern or one of its variants will be as sweet as pie.
15. Cameo
The base color of a cameo Turkish Angora is off-white or cream colored. The outer parts of the hair shafts are usually red or silver, though they could come in blue too. No matter the color or darkness of the outer hair shafts, the off-white or cream base makes the cameo Turkish Angora look light in color overall.
Conclusion
The Turkish Angora is a beautiful cat, and the many different coat colors and patterns that they may display make them even more memorable. Some coat types are more popular than others, but every coat type has features that lend to the Turkish Angora’s affectionate and outgoing personality.
Featured Image Credit: Helen Bloom, Shutterstock
