Ancient | Laid-back | Chillaxers. Aegean cats are one of the few breeds of kitty to develop naturally without hooman intervention. And, although they’re extremely rare outside their home country, their numbers are plentiful on the serene Greek Isles and are an added draw to the islands for tourists who want a beach holiday with a side of floof. Although they’re not recognised by any of the main cat fanciers associations, you can’t go to the Greek Islands without seeing one of these adorable floofs and we think they deserve their very own cat breed guide. So read on to discover everything there is to know about this Greek national treasure.
AEGEAN CAT BASICS
Average Lifespan: 10 - 20 years
Average Weight: 3 - 4.5 kg
Coat Length: Short
Colouring: All colours and combinations
Shedding: Low
ANCESTRY OF THE AEGEAN CAT
Aegean cats are believed to be one of the most ancient breeds of kitties, with their origins stretching as far back as 10,000 years! Their origins lie in the popular Cycladic islands where the water is crystal clear and the white and blue houses and churches that are dotted around the islands are as iconic as you can get. It’s believed that these kitties share DNA with nearby Turkish and Cypriot cats, likely having boarded sailing and fishing boats in the area to venture to other nations along the Aegean Sea. These kitties aren’t yet recognised by any cat fanciers associations and so are rarely seen outside of the Greek islands.
ANATOMY OF THE AEGEAN CAT
Aegean cats have a medium build that is muscular and athletic. They have a short coat that sheds more heavily in the summer months to accommodate for the scorching temperatures in the Greek Isles. They can come in any colour and combination but white makes up a large proportion of their coat colour helping them to blend into their surroundings whilst they stalk their vermin prey in the shadows!
PURRSONALITY OF THE AEGEAN CAT
Although Aegean cats have developed without human intervention, they have still lived aside hoomans for nearly 10,000 years and have become very fond of their two-legged friends. The origins of the Aegean cat is as a feral cat, and many still live this way in the Greek Isles, scrounging for scraps or hunting small prey and fish. With this, they are excellent hunters and enjoy showing off their skills when playing with their hoomans. When they’re not playing or hunting they’re in full relaxation mode, basking in the sun or chilling out with their other floofy mates under tables or in the shade of an olive tree.
Growing up on the Aegean Sea has given them an interesting affinity for water with some Aegean cats even enjoying a swim in the ocean from time to time! If you have an Aegean cat at home who’s sharing a space with a few fishies or an aquarium, be sure the lid is on securely as these kitties will do anything they can to catch a scrumptious fishy delight.
ARE AEGEAN CATS RARE?
Aegean cats are extremely rare outside of Greece so unfortunately it is very difficult to source one of these kitties. Nevertheless, Greece has one of the highest number of stray cats per capita in the world with a large proportion of these being Aegean cats. This doesn’t mean you can just take one home though! If you’re considering adopting a stray, speak to a local animal shelter or veterinary centre for the necessary advice and ensure they get the necessary health checks, cat vaccinations and microchipping. You will also need to check the UK government's advice on bringing a cat to the UK for all the details on how to import your pet.
AEGEAN CAT FEEDING REQUIREMENTS
Having developed naturally over thousands of years, Aegean cats are exceptionally healthy and have no specific feeding requirements. Like all cats, they need a diet high in quality animal meat. Aegean cats love fish so a salmon cat food or a tuna cat food may be the purrfect choice for one of these little dudes. Ensure the cat food you're feeding them is nutritionally dense and with an FEDIAF-approved balance of vitamins, nutrients and minerals so you can be sure they’re getting all they need from their pet bowl.
WHY IS SCRUMBLES CAT FOOD THE PAWFECT CHOICE FOR AEGEAN CATS?
NATURAL INGREDIENTS - Our ingredients are 100% natural with no artificial preservatives, additives or fillers.
COMPLETE RECIPES - Our wet cat food and dry cat food recipes are formulated to FEDIAF standards and nutritionally complete meaning you can feed your Aegean cat these every single day.
MEATY AND FISHY RECIPES - Our cat food recipes are bursting with up to 77% human-grade fish or poultry. Purrfect to satisfy the carnivore within and keep Aegean cats coming back for more fishy delights.
GUT-FRIENDLY - Many kitties suffer in silence with tummy upsets. So if you’re cat is dropping some smelly farts or has regular runny poops, it might be a sign that their gut health isn’t the best. We use prebiotics or probiotics to improve gut health and digestion, promoting purrfectly pretty poops for an easy clean-up at the kitty litter!
5 STAR REVIEWS - Even fussy feline princes and princesses love Scrumbles, just check out the thousands of rave reviews from British cats that can’t get enough of Scrumbles!
ETHICALLY MINDED + CLIMATE CONSCIOUS - We source our ingredients ethically and use poultry from British farms to cut down on food miles reducing our carbon footprint. We serve our food in 100% recyclable tins and eco-friendly packaging to reduce our impact on the environment making Scrumbles the number 1 choice for pawrents who want the best in nutrition and gut health without adversely impacting the planet!
Whilst you're here, why not read:
British Shorthair Cat Breed Guide
Birman Cat Breed Guide
Ragdoll Cat Breed Guide
