Turkish Vans are a rare and ancient breed that developed in central and southwest Asia, which today encompasses the countries of Iran, Iraq, southwest Soviet Union and eastern Turkey. "Van" is a common term in the region given to a number of towns, villages and the famous lake - Lake Van. The modern and History of the Van began in 1955 when they were introduced in England. English breeder Lydia Russell was instrumental in popularizing the breed in England and Europe and in helping new breeders obtain Turkish breeding stock. The breed was introduced in America in 1970s. In 1985 TICA granted the Turkish Van Championship status. The CFA accepted the breed for registration in 1988, and in May 1993 CFA gave provisional status to Van.nt, and affectionate, you can't go wrong with an Abyssinian kitten.

In recent years one of the cats attracting people's attention in Turkey or in the world is a Van cat. Inquisitive and social, the Turkish Van is a excellent pure breed available to satisfy any cat lover. However, as required care has not been shown so far, they face loss of the species. The number of them has been decreasing day by day and the original breeds have been lost, while they were often seen in the region and almost each house had one in the past. Van cats are not only seen as a pet or hunter of rats and insects but also a friend and member of the family.

"They are highly energetic, agile and intelligent. Like Turkish Angora they are famous for their swimming prowess. They are very talkative and demand attention. They are very attached to their humans."

The Turkish Van is a semi-longhaired cat distinguished by its unusual pattern: the cat is white except for a colored tail and color on the head. (This is called the "Van" pattern, and is seen in other breeds as well). Show cats should not have color on more than 20+ACU- of their bodies. The most sought-after markings for show are restricted to the head and tail alone. Some small body spots are tolerated, but not most desirable. They can be found with blue, gold, or odd-eyes. (Odd-eyed means one gold eye and one blue eye).

The cats ears sit quite high on their heads, and their bodies are long and broad - often reaching three feet in length. Turkish Van cats are considered on of the largest of the domestic breeds and are quite massive at maturity - the only cat that cannot follow its head through a fence due to the breadth of the chest. me Aside from the large chest and shoulders they have broad muscular hips. The width of the pectoral and pelvic girdles give the Turks quite a distinctive swaggering gate. Fully mature males weigh anything from 9 - 12 kg's. Females are substantially smaller.

The most amazing characteristic of the Turkish Van cat is her affinity to water. She not only likes water but also actually enjoys a swim. The likely explanation for the Van's interest in swimming lies in the extreme temperatures in her native region. Since summer temperatures reach well above 1000F (37.80C), the cats may have learned to swim to survive.

They are loyal, loving and very intelligent cats. Their temperament depends greatly on their upbringing, the amount of human contact and handling they received as a kitten, and the temperament of the mother herself. If they do not have relation with human beings or have a little relationship, they start to become wild.

The Van cats like to be involved in everything their owners do and follow them around like a dog. In fact some people have said that Turkish Vans are more like dogs than cats. They meow loudly when they see their owners in the morning in order to show their happiness. But when they are hungry, they go to the kitchen door and meows to indicate that they are hungry.

Of course, as with all things in life there are a few downsides. Turkish Van have been known to wreak havoc, such as shredding curtains, knocking ornaments and plants off shelves, mantelpieces and kitchen surfaces etc., sometimes this is quite deliberate! Also they have the ability to open doors, especially cupboards etc. and don't think twice about knocking the contents onto the floor.

Interesting fact: Many Turkish Vans are fond of water and swimming. In their native Turkey near Lake Van, they can often be found swimming in warm, shallow pools. Owners of Turkish Vans must be careful about allowing unsupervised access to water, including baths and toilets! Even Vans who don't enjoy swimming are nonetheless fascinated by water, well known for 'bathing' toys in water dishes and playing in dripping faucets. Some even learn to turn on faucets for more playtime fun.

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