Turkish Angora vs Machbagral - Breed Comparison | MyCatBreeds

The Turkish Angora is a very old breed that naturally developed. It is thought that the breed developed in Turkey in the Ankara region formerly known as Angora.

There are records that indicate that the Turkish Angora made an appearance in the UK as early as the 14th century already. Also, the beautiful longhaired cat was also introduced to the United States.

A breeding program was started for these cats in the early 20th century and it was then taken to Canada in 1963 and accepted as a championship breed.

While white was the only acceptable color at first, they now come in many different colors.

This is an experimental cat breed – a wildcat hybrid. It seems as though this cat was also developed in the United States like many of the other hybrid cats.

Also known as Bagral, Tthe Machbagral came about by crossing the wild Fishing cat – also known as the Asian Fishing cat and a Bengal cat or melanistic tabby spotted domestic cat.

Once again, humans wanted a cat that would look like a wild cat but that could be domesticated.

This is a medium-sized, muscular cat that can weigh between 3 and 6kg. It is a long-haired cat and the single coat has no undercoat.

While the Turkish Angora is essentially white, its coat can come in a number of other colors.

The cat’s body if firm and fairly long, the legs are long with the hind legs being longer than the front legs, The tail is long and plumed, the head has large fairly pointed ears that can have tufts of fur. The eyes are large and almond-shaped and slant somewhat upwards. The color of the eyes can be blue, green, gold, amber.

The cat has an alert, intelligent look to him.

Temperament:

This is a very active, athletic cat and he likes nothing more than to leap up on to high perches to survey his surroundings. They are intelligent, affectionate cats and they seem to gravitate towards one special human family member.

The cat is also protective of his human family. If any family member wants to stroke and pet them, they are absolutely delighted, just lapping up the attention.

They are smart enough to learn a few tricks too. They aren’t vocal cats but are sweet and quiet as well as being affectionate, making them perfect companions.

They don’t do well with changes, and a sudden change in his lifestyle can be upsetting for him.

The Machbaral is a medium to large-sized cat and can weigh up to 7kg. It is described as a stocky cat. The head is large with fairly small ears. The fur of the Machbagral will be dense and medium length with a thick fluffy tail. The color is black with lighter tips.

Temperament:

The Machbagral cat is very friendly and intelligent and like so many hybrid cats he loves playing in water. If you have an outside cage for him, it should have a small pool.

He is a cat that loves his human family and behaves much like a dog. You can teach this cat to walk on a leash.

You need to bear in mind that because of the wildness in the Machbagral, there will no doubt be some aggression. They can also be quite solitary by nature and may never adjust to being in a social setting. These cats are also not 100% predictable.

Beautiful to look at, this cat has got all the characteristics that make him a wonderful pet. He is playful well into adulthood and will love an assortment of stimulating toys to be amused by.

He is a sociable breed and doesn’t enjoy being left alone for hours. It would be far better to have another feline friend to keep him company.

Active and entertaining, you’ll be amused by your Turkish Angora and be so glad that you made the decision to bring such a charming creature into your home and heart.

The Machbagral, just like some of the other hybrid cats there are, can be wonderful to own. But sadly these hybrids should be discouraged as pets.

They can make wonderful pets no doubt, but there is always that unpredictable behavior with them.

There are so many cats in shelters today, many of them are hybrids because people had no idea that the wild side of the hybrid such as the Machbagral is always lurking there, ready to come out.

Turkish Angoras are generally healthy, but white cats with blue eyes can be prone to deafness. It is the W gene that is responsible for the white coat and blue eyes. Unfortunately, the presence of a blue eye can indicate deafness in the cat. But there are these cats that have 2 blue eyes and they have normal hearing.

Another problem that has been seen in this beautiful cat breed is Ataxia which is a deadly neuromuscular disorder.

The most common sign of ataxia is an abnormal way of walking and the cat is actually unsteady on his feet. Sometimes the feet can even drag on the ground. Thankfully, screening has reduced the incidence of the disease.

Also, watch out for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a kind of heart disease that causes the heart muscle to enlarge.

Just remember that with a cat, diet can also play a huge role in the health of a cat. Your furry friend needs the right meaty foods with the right balance of nutrients to remain healthy and strong.

You need to know that interbreeding wild cats with domestic cats still has wildness in a cat.

The truth is, there are behavioral complaints from owners of these hybrid cats.

No matter how wonderful the Machbagral seems to be as a pet, at some time or other he will display aggression and also failure to use a litter box.

These hybrids usually mark their territory by urination and spraying and often can’t learn to use a litter box. Unlike with a proper domestic cat, neutering or spaying a hybrid cat won’t really change their behavior of urinating inside your house.

Also, because hybrid cats such as the Machbagral are unnatural breeding, there can be health issues. One of the more common illnesses among hybrid cats include digestive issues, of which IBD is one. This is a bowel disease and it can cause chronic diarrhea with your cat.

Another medical issue is Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. Also, another concern is that while regular cat vaccines protect your regular cat from some deadly cat diseases, they may not be approved for use in hybrid cats, and if they are approved, they may not be effective.

The Turkish Angora has a single coat and the lack of an undercoat makes it easy to brush him and keep the coat soft and silky. Also, the coat is only fully developed when the cat is about 2 years old.

Check the inside of the ears. You may not want to clean them out yourself as you have to be very careful not to damage the ears. The vet and cat groomers can help you with this.

Keep your Turkish Angora’s litter box spotlessly clean. Cats are very particular about the cleanliness of their litter box and the feces will need to be removed every single day.

Most cat owners with basic cat care knowledge will be able to take care of their Machbagral. You could say that there is a little bit more specialized care with these hybrid cats as they will require an outside cage as they are cats with a wild side.

Feline hybrids are larger than domestic cats and can exhibit a wild temperament, so you have to bear in mind they require careful and different handling to a regular cat.

A diet of commercial pet food may not be sufficient for a hybrid such as the Machbagral and your vet may well be able to advise you on the feeding requirments of these hybrids.

Since cats are carnivorous, they will need to be fed food that is high in protein. You need to understand how to read labels on commercially manufactured cat foods and to avoid those that have more carbohydrates in them and less meat. Feeding you cat such a diet will ensure health issues later on.

Provide your pet with all the things needed to make him content as can be. Food and water bowls, paddling pool, toys, sleeping area. You want to surely invest in collar and tag as these cats often try to get away.

You want to make sure you have an outdoor enclosure for your Machbagral. These hybrids are indoor- and outdoor cats. Because they often don’t learn to use a litter box they need to be outside in an enclosure for some of the time. They are certainly not indoor cats.