The Aegean cat is a naturally occurring breed of cat originating from the Cycladic Islands of Greece . Development of this breed started in the early 1990s by breeders in the fledgling Greek Cat Fancy . It is considered to be the only native Greek breed of cat.
It is placed as a breed in the Semi-longhaired, light European/Continental type.
Aegean Cat Origins
Aegean is a natural breed of cats. It is the only feline breed native to Greece. Aegean cat is said to have originated from Greek Cycladic Islands located in the Aegean Sea.
The Cyclades are a Greek island group in the Aegean Sea, south-east of the mainland of Greece; and an administrative prefecture of Greece. They are one of the island groups which constitute the Aegean archipelago. The name refers to the islands around the sacred island of Delos. The Cyclades is where the native Greek breed of cat (the Aegean cat) first came from.
The Cyclades comprise about 220 islands, the major ones being Amorgos, Anafi, ndros, Antiparos, Delos, Eschati, Ios, Kea, Kimolos, Kythnos, Milos, Mykonos, Naxos, Pros, Folegandros, Serifos, Sifnos, Sikinos, Siros, Tinos, and Santorini. Most of the smaller islands are uninhabited.
Formal development was initiated in the last decade of twentieth century by Cat Fancy breeders of Greece. As such it is one of the newer cat breeds and often mistakenly thought by some to be somewhat rare, even as the Aegean Cat itself is widespread throughout Greece.
Aegean Cat Characteristics
The coat of an Aegean Cat is semi-longhaired, without down hair, with a moderate ruff and a rich tail. The Aegean Cat's coat provides good protection during the harsh winter weather and sheds out short for the summer. The coat is bicolor or tricolor; one of the colors is always white, without signs of yellowing and takes up between 1/3 to 2/3 of the body. Other colors can be black, red, blue, cream, with or without stripes. The Aegean Cat is a medium-size breed, with a sturdy and muscular build, without signs of obesity. The body is long, with strong, medium-size feet and round-shaped paws. The tail is moderately long, straight, without kinks. The head is medium-size, wide but not round. The ears have a wide base and rounded tips and are covered by hairs. The eyes have an oriental shape and their color can be any shade of green.
Temperament of the Aegean Cat
The Aegean Cat is intelligent and is very capable predators. Due to this they are mostly used as pest controllers in the rural areas. Although the Aegean Cat has only very recently begun to be bred systematically, has been domesticated for many centuries and thus has become adapted very well to humans.
Loves fish much as it was naturally the main food for Aegean cats. Some 'wild' cats were known to develop close friendship with fisherman and often seen to be waiting for the fisherman on the beach. Consequently, Aegean cats are not afraid of water due to their islandic origin.
It is a social pet that tolerates living in an apartment rather well. It is intelligent, active and lively. Aegean Cats as pets share a very good relationship with humans. They are very social and communicate well with others. Due to their lively nature they can easily draw the attention of others.
