闲趣

Cat fanciers are enjoying a resurgence of a delightful breed once thought to be extinct — the Turkish Angora. In recent years, due to new importation from Turkey, the breed's country of origin, the Turkish Angora has again taken its place in the roster of the pedigreed cats of the world.

Many people have used the term Angora to signify any longhaired cat. However, the only pedigreed cats that carry the name "Angora" are the Turkish Angora. In the early part of this century, the Angora was used indiscriminately in breedings with Persians, finally disappearing from the scene as it became incorporated with that breed, known for a time simply as ‘Longhairs.'

The Turkish Angora is a pure, natural breed of cat, originating probably from the Manul cat domesticated by the Tartars. They migrated eventually to Turkey, where they are regarded today with great reverence, as one of their national treasures. In 1962, the Angora was rediscovered by American servicemen in the Ankara Zoo in Ankara, Turkey, in a controlled breeding program dating back forty-five years. CFA only accepts for registration those Turkish Angoras whose ancestry can be traced back to Turkey

Although the Abyssinian is one of the oldest known breeds, there continues to be speculation and controversy concerning its history. In appearance, Abyssinians resemble the paintings and sculptures of ancient Egyptian cats which portray an elegant feline with a muscular body, beautiful arched neck, large ears and almond shaped eyes. Abys today still retain the jungle look of felis lybica, the African wildcat ancestor of all domestic cats.

The source of the name is not because Ethiopia, formerly Abyssinia, is thought to be the original home of these cats, but because the first "Abyssinians" exhibited in shows in England were reported to have been imported from that country. The first mention is in the Harper's Weekly (January 27, 1872 issue) where the 3rd prize in the December, 1871 Crystal Palace show was taken by the Abyssinian Cat ("captured in the late Abyssinian War"). This article is accompanied by an illustration of the Abyssinian Cat. In the British book, by Gordon Stables, Cats, Their Points, and Characteristics... published in 1874, there is also mention of an Abyssinian. The book shows a colored lithograph of a cat with a ticked coat and absence of tabby markings on the paws, face and neck. The description reads: "Zula, the property of Mrs. Captain Barrett-Lennard. This cat was brought from Abyssinia at the conclusion of the war..." British troops left Abyssinia in May 1868, so that may have been the time when cats with ticked coats first entered England. Unfortunately, there are no written records tracing the early Abyssinians to those imported cats, and many British breeders are of the opinion that the breed was actually created through the crossing of the various existing silver and brown tabbies with native British "Bunny" ticked cats.

这里收录了美国常见的41种猫猫的图片，鼠标滑过图片就会显示出那种猫咪的名字。看看你养的猫猫是哪一种：）近一步的资料还在收集中。