TUKISH VAN CATS

The Turkish Van Cat has a love for playing in water, so is often referred to as the "Turkish Swimming Cat". It is a very affectionate, loving and lively cat who is also very intelligent.

They are truly wonderful cats with a distinctive personality and beauty that you have to experience to fully appreciate.

Characteristics and Temperament

The Turkish Van is a loyal, loving and very intelligent cat. Its temperament depends greatly on its upbringing, the amount of human contact and handling it receives as a kitten, and the temperament of the mother herself.

The Turkish Van is an active cat who is very smart. He is not a lap cat but a lively companion with a very lovely voice.   

Description

Turkish Vans are semi-longhaired cats with soft, silky hair that thickens in the winter. The only colour seen in this breed is white. The pattern you will see is called van. This is when only the head and tail have colouring.

The unique Van Pattern-mostly white with coloured markings on the head and tail-is a characteristic of this cat.

The Van Pattern is a variation in some other breeds, meaning only some cats have this pattern. However, with the Turkish Van, this pattern isn't a variation, but a requirement. The Turkish Van's patches are usually red or tortie, although they're sometimes black, cream, blue, or tabby. These cats have blue or amber eyes, or odd eyes (one blue, one amber).

Turkish Vans are large and heavy, but slow to mature. A kitten may take three to five years to reach its full size. These cats have broad chests and heavy bones. However, despite their large bodies, they're very graceful, which breeders say is part of their charm.