Aegean cats ( el, γάτα του Αιγαίου ''gáta tou Aigaíou'') are a naturally occurring

landrace A landrace is a domesticated, locally adapted, often traditional variety of a species of animal or plant that has developed over time, through adaptation to its natural and cultural environment of agriculture and pastoralism, and due to isolation ...

domestic cat The cat (''Felis catus'') is a domestic species of small carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species in the family Felidae and is commonly referred to as the domestic cat or house cat to distinguish it from the wild members o ...

originating from the

Cycladic Islands The Cyclades (; el, Κυκλάδες, ) are an island group in the Aegean Sea, southeast of mainland Greece and a former administrative prefecture of Greece. They are one of the island groups which constitute the Aegean archipelago. The name ...

Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with ...

and western

Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a list of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolia, Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with ...

. It is considered a natural cat, developing without human interference. Development of the Aegean cat as a formal breed began in the early 1990s by breeders in the fledgling Greek

cat fancy The cat (''Felis catus'') is a domestic species of small carnivorous mammal. It is the only domesticated species in the family Felidae and is commonly referred to as the domestic cat or house cat to distinguish it from the wild members of ...

, but the variety has yet to be recognized by any major fancier and breeder organization. It is considered to be the only

native Native may refer to: People * Jus soli, citizenship by right of birth * Indigenous peoples, peoples with a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory ** Native Americans (disambiguation) In arts and entert ...

Greek variety of cat.

History

The Aegean cat, as its name suggests, originates from the

in the

Aegean Sea The Aegean Sea ; tr, Ege Denizi (Greek language, Greek: Αιγαίο Πέλαγος: "Egéo Pélagos", Turkish language, Turkish: "Ege Denizi" or "Adalar Denizi") is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea between Europe and Asia. It ...

, where they occur as a natural landrace. Aegeans are considered one of the oldest domesticated cat breeds, cats having been introduced to the islands during the

Bronze Age The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization. The Bronze Age is the second pri ...

. They are common as

feral cat A feral cat or a stray cat is an unowned domestic cat (''Felis catus'') that lives outdoors and avoids human contact: it does not allow itself to be handled or touched, and usually remains hidden from humans. Feral cats may breed over dozens ...

s in Greece and Turkey, where they are found amongst fishing ports asking for food offerings. In Greece, Aegean cats are considered a

national treasure The idea of national treasure, like national epics and national anthems, is part of the language of romantic nationalism, which arose in the late 18th century and 19th centuries. Nationalism is an ideology that supports the nation as the fundame ...

. Feral Aegean cats are notable predators of Aegean wall lizards in the Cyclades.

Aegean cats as pets

Although the Aegean has only very recently begun to be bred systematically, it has been domesticated for many centuries and thus has become adapted very well to humans. It is a social pet that tolerates living in an apartment rather well. It is intelligent, active, lively and also communicative, not hesitating to draw a person's attention.

Aegean cat characteristics

Aegean cats are a medium-sized, muscular, semi-longhaired cat. The coat is bicolour or tricolour with one of the colours being almost always white. White usually takes up between 1/4 to 9/10 of the body. The colour of their coat might include many other colours and patterns. Their paws are medium in size and have a round shape. Their tail can be long and "hooked". The ears have a wide base and rounded tips and are covered by hair. The eyes have an almond shape and their color can be any shade of green, blue and yellow. Aegean cats are noted for their affinity for water and fishing. Because the breed was allowed to develop through natural selection, rather than selective breeding, Aegean cats are free from most feline genetic diseases.

References

External links

Short profile of the Aegean cat
(Greek language)
Cat Breeds with Pictures Directory: Aegean Cat Breed
{{Domestic cat Cat landraces Cat breeds originating in Greece Cyclades Cat breeds