LONGHAIR/ANGORA/PERSIAN - WHITE

Originally referred to as the "Foreign Longhair", many of the early whites were also known as 'French Cats', as a good number of them were brought to London from Paris. But their true roots were older and more widespread, including a liberal admixture of Angora and Persian imports from the middle and far eastern regions, including what today are known as Turkey, Northern Syria, Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, and India.

Their popularity was unparalleled for many decades, until finally challenged by the rise in popularity of the 'Blue' Persian and the ethereal Chinchilla or (Silver) Longhair. But they continued to be perennial favourites and in succeeding generations and decades would often rise to the very height of success at Championship Cat Shows.

The passion expressed for them by their adoring owners is perhaps best summed up in a quote from 19th century cat judge and author Charles H. Lane who said:

"To my mind, the White is one of the most beautiful of the Long Hairs, and when pure in tint, in full coat, and with the pale blue eyes which should be a sin qua non in this variety, is an ornament fit for the palace of an emperor."

WHITE LONGHAIR HISTORIES

• Ajax, blue-eyed white Persian, 1893
• Ba Ba, blue-eyed white Persian, circa 1881
• * Blue-eyed Wanderer, The, blue-eyed white Persian, 1899
• * Bydie Young, amber-eyed white Persian, c1897
• * Colonel, The, yellow-eyed white Persian, c1884
• * Crystal, blue-eyed white Persian, 1898
• Fulmer Snow Queen, blue-eyed white Persian, 1901
• Jungfrau Bartimeaus, blue-eyed white Persian, 1898
• * Kilravock Don Giovanni, blue-eyed white Persian, 1908
• Ladysmith, blue-eyed white Persian, 1899
• Maid of Avenel, blue-eyed white Persian, 1904
• * Maizee Toodles, blue-eyed white Persian, 1900
• * Miss Whitey, white Persian, 1884
• * Musafer, blue-eyed white Persian, c1898
• * Piquante Pearl, blue-eyed white, 1900
• Puritana, blue-eyed white Persian, 1905
• * Purity, blue-eyed white Persian, 1901
• * Sousa, blue-eyed white Persian, 1902
• Timothy, white Persian, 1884
• * White Friar, blue-eyed white Persian, 1894
• White Friar Jnr, odd-eyed White Persian, 1901
• White Knight (The), blue-eyed white Persian, 1897
• White Lilac, blue-eyed white Persian, 1899
• White Monk, yellow-eyed white Persian, 1903

Registers associated with this article include The Incorporated Cat Fanciers Association of Great Britain (TICFAGB), National Cat Club (NCC), The Cat Club (CCR), Beresford Cat Club (BCC), Feline Federation Francaise (FFF), Siamese Cat Registry (SCR), US Register & Studbook for Cats (USR)including Supplement(USRS), The Studbook of the American Cat Association (ACA), and the Studbook & Register of the Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA).