'Cat row' deepens Cyprus-Turkey dispute [de]

A row over cats has erupted between Cyprus and Turkey, adding a surprising new flavour to a long-standing stalemate between the communities of the divided island and its difficult relationship with Turkey, the divided EU country's biggest neighbour.

The Cypriot Feline Society is fighting for the recognition of two separate breeds of Cypriot cats, but groups from Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus are also trying to lay claim to the island's feline legacy, the Cyprus Mail reports.

"This cat belongs to its country," said Rania Razorenova, president of the Association of Cyprus Purebred Cats. "There is a real danger that foreigners – and particularly groups from Turkey – will try to officially register a Cypriot breed of cat outside Cyprus," she said.

In co-operation with scientists from Davis University, California, the Cyprus Feline Society has identified two separate breeds of Cypriot cats, named St. Helena and Aphrodite. According to the society, the Cypriot cat evolved from the Van breed, originating from Lake Van in Turkey.

The Aphrodite breed is larger than the St. Helena: strong, with slightly taller hind legs and a silky coat. St. Helena is smaller in size, with larger eyes but a smaller face.

Efforts to register these cats as a Cypriot pedigree began last year, but in the meantime cat breeders in the north, Turkey and even Germany have tried to lay claim to the breed.

Groups in Turkey have tried to cross the Cypriot cat with Turkish a breed, and then register the offspring of the two breeds in the North, presenting it as a Cypriot cat.

To prevent any unpleasant surprises, the Cyprus Feline Society has taken DNA samples from the best Cypriot cats that took part in last weekend's annual cat show at Governor's Beach.

The DNA samples will be sent to laboratories at Davis University in California for analysis, as a first step to registering the Cypriot cat as a pedigree breed.

Meanwhile, officials in Cyprus, including Environment Commissioner Charalambos Theopemptou, Green Party MP George Perdikes, the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce (KEBE) and even Archbishop Chrysostomos II have expressed their support for the Cyprus Feline Society's efforts.

"It goes without saying that as these breeds belong to the history and tradition of our country, the Church will support in any way the effort being made," said Archimandrite Neofytos on behalf of the Archbishop.

"Registration and copyrights do not concern only products and services, but also the animals and plants of our country," said Manthos Mavromatis, president of the Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KEVE).

Cypriots were the first civilisation worldwide to have a cat as a pet. A human and a cat were found buried in the same 9,500 year-old site, Shillourokambos (which means 'field of dogs' in Cypriot dialect), by French archaeologists in 2001.

Until that discovery, ancient Egyptians were considered the earliest civilisation to keep domesticated cats. The buried cat was a wildcat, larger than today's domesticated felines and about eight months old.