Sevan cat. Van is a Turkish breed cat

The Van cat is the oldest “aboriginal” breed of domestic cat, naturally formed in the climatic conditions of the high-mountain Lake Van, located on the Armenian Highlands (in the Van province of modern Turkey).
Before the birth of felinology (the study of the anatomy and physiology of domestic cats, as well as their breeds), these cats were known as " vana katu"(Armenian) վանա կատու ) - which translates from Armenian as “cat from Van” or “cat of Lake Van.”

The Van cat lives only in the area of ​​Lake Van and is the only cat that can swim and catch fish. Van cats live longer than their relatives - 20-24 years. This native breed has no genetic diseases. Hunter-fisherman with the habits of a dog, strong, muscular, agile, weighs about 10-12 kg.

The cat is white, its tail is apricot color. She has markings of the same color on her head, near her ears. The eyes are light amber or blue, or of different colors with pink edging - one is honey, the other is blue.

History from ancient times

In the old days, perhaps, the purple markings on cats were perceived by our ancestors as being left by the sun, or as a blessing from a pagan solar deity.

There is also a legend that during the Great Flood, a mouse tried to gnaw a hole in the bottom of Noah's Ark, but the Van cat caught it, preventing the Ark from sinking. God blessed the cat for saving humanity and caressed her, leaving golden markings on her ears and tail.
It is these colored parts that are visible above the surface of the water when the cat swims in Lake Van.

It is believed that the first Van cats were brought to Western Europe by the Crusaders (11th-15th centuries), and from the 16th century by eastern merchants with caravans.
Starting from the 17th century, European travelers who visited Western Armenia (Lake Van; cities: Van, Erzurum, Trebizond, Erzincan) repeatedly mentioned and described these cats.

The Armenian classic writer Raffi (1835-1888) gave a description of the Van cat in his novels Diary of a Cross Thief and Sparks. The famous Armenian writer and playwright, a graduate of the University of Geneva, Vrtanes Papazyan (1866-1920), who was born in Van, where he spent his childhood and youth, wrote a short story “Vana katu”. The famous Armenian writer Axel Bakunts (1899-1938) described the Van cat in the story “In a Dark Gorge.” The image of the Van cat is also found on items of Armenian decorative and applied art, including carpets.

We see the traditional Van cat in the paintings of European artists of those times.

However, in most cases, all long-haired cats in those days were called Angora, regardless of color and body structure.

In Wikipedia articles and others materials Most often, excerpts are quoted from a letter from the French archaeologist, architect and artist Pierre Victor Lottin de Laval (1810-1903), which he wrote on May 11, 1856 to the president of the Imperial Zoological Society of Acclimatization.

In particular, he writes:
“... recently... you shared the opinion that the so-called “Angora” cat does not exist and cannot exist anywhere else except in the vicinity of ancient Ankyra. I hasten to dispel this illusion. I myself met specimens of this beautiful breed of cats on the large Armenian plateau in Erzurum...”

An interesting fact is that in the city of Van, in the house of the Archbishop of the Armenian Apostolic Church, the French traveler Lotten de Laval saw the “best” long-haired cats among those he saw in the houses of residents of the Van province and nearby areas.
In general, at that time no one was engaged in the selection of cats, either in this region or in any other. The world's first cat show took place on July 13, 1871 at the Crystal Palace in London.
And since the cats “walked on their own,” they could be of any color characteristic of a given region - Angora and Van.

After the Armenian genocide in 1915-1922. Kurds settled in the deserted Armenian villages, and the cats, along with all the belongings in the houses, went to new owners.

In the early 80s, during the years of Kurdish uprisings, when entire Kurdish villages were destroyed, the majority (about 200) of Van cats were mercilessly destroyed in Turkey (as German and American newspapers wrote about at one time).
The reason for this was that the Kurds revered Van cats, which caused a particularly negative attitude among the Turks. Thus, the Minister of Culture in the 80s called for the destruction of Van cats as part of Kurdish culture.

Local Turkish residents said that Van cats generally lived in the mountains, and only in the 40s and 50s they began to enter the villages.

Breed "Turkish Van Cat"

The creator of the “Turkish cat” breed in its modern form is the British Laura Lushington.

In 1955, two English journalists, Laura Lushington and Sona Halliday, traveled around Turkey and, while visiting Van, saw amazingly beautiful cats in the vicinity of the lake. They were so delighted with Vanakatu that they were given two kittens of different sexes, which marked the beginning of the first Van cattery.
Four years later, Laura brought another pair, which gave rise to strong and productive offspring that clearly passed on characteristic traits by inheritance, and she began to breed them seriously.

In 1969, a breed called the "Turkish Cat" received the status of a full purebred cat in the GCCF (English Governing Council of the Cat Fancy).
In 1971, the breed, called the Turkish Van Cat, was recognized by the FIFe. In subsequent years, the breed was recognized by other felinological organizations around the world.

This is how the Van cat became the Turkish Van.


The Animal Lovers Club “Aragil” (“Stork”) operating in Armenia, whose chairman is the President of the Canine Union of Armenia Violetta Gabrielyan, has been demanding since 1994 that the word “Turkish” be removed from the name “Turkish Van cat”, and that the place of origin of the animal be indicated not in Turkey, and “historical Armenia and modern Turkey.”

According to Violetta Gabrielyan, Turks are now crossing purebred Van cats with white Angora cats, as a result of which the offspring lose their characteristic golden markings and the ability to swim. As a result, a completely white cat is obtained, which the Turks call the “Turkish Van cat.”


Indeed, in Turkey, a Van cat is considered a completely white cat with different eye colors, both short-haired and semi-long-haired, which are called “ van kedisi", which translates as "cat from Van".

In the last years of the 20th century, the Van Kedisi Research Center (“House of the Van Kedisi”) was established at the University of Van, in which the breeding and research of all-white odd-eyed van kedisi is carried out.
The demand for the “Van miracle” is unusually high, but it is strictly forbidden to export it outside of Turkey.


According to the Center's description, van kedisi is characterized as a cat with unique features: long white silky hair, elongated body, tiger gait, long fluffy fox tail, odd-eyed, intelligent, dexterous, friendly, loving to its owner; a small cat with a body weight of 2.9 - 3.6 kg.


Unfortunately, deafness occurs in all-white cats, but this genetic defect is not observed in purebred Turkish Vans of the classic color.

The majority of real Van cats are found in Holland, the USA and France. In Armenia their number reaches 100 copies, which is a very small figure. However, experts are confident that this number will grow, as people keeping this breed maintain contact with each other. And of course, it is necessary to create a nursery in Armenia for breeding Van cats, under the auspices of the state.

The purebred Van cat is an endangered breed.
Van cats are listed in the Red Book.

Various stories are associated with them, including mystical ones. They say that the famous Van cat often dreams at night to those who have seen it at least once in their life. And this is fortunate.

What is most striking is the eyes of this amazing creation of nature: they look at you radiantly and make a fantastic impression, literally mesmerizing.

The Van cat is an “intellectual”, loves affection, although it can also be wayward; “One owner cat”, being attached to all family members, especially singles out one person. Van cats are very sociable animals, they clearly express their emotions and quite expressively explain their needs; They love to take part in everything their owners do and follow them, just like dogs do. Owners often say that Vans are more like dogs than cats. In general, Vans have a good relationship with dogs, but Van cats tend to dominate.

They usually play with the streams, wash themselves, and can even stand under a weak stream of water.


But, for sure, the cat itself feels best in nature, in its familiar environment. Experts advise taking a van into your home only if you have access to a garden and a swimming pool.

The coat of Van cats is water-repellent, they love to swim, can dive and catch herring and other fish in warm water in shallow waters along the banks of streams and rivers - an ability that has been observed for them over the many hundreds of years of existence of this natural breed, indigenous to the territory. located around Lake Van.


http://kinologia.am

A distinctive feature is that she loves water. Moreover, when free, in a wild state (on Lake Van, in Turkey), they happily swim and catch fish for food. Accordingly, evolution decreed that the Van cat would have a slightly different body structure, coat, and so on from other cats. This difference can be felt a little with the help of a quote:

When you pick up this miracle, this light white beauty, the feeling is incredible! The fact is that the fur of this cat is completely special. It is homogeneous. Not like most cats - the soft undercoat is hidden under a rather dense coat of fur that is rough to the touch. The Turkish Van cat (in Turkish – Van Kedisi) has a uniformly soft skin. This makes the cat seem even more elegant...

The Turkish Van, otherwise the Turkish Van cat, is a breed of semi-long-haired domestic cats, created on the basis of the population of Van cats (Turkish Van Kedisi - “van kedisi”, Kurdish. Pişika Wanê - “pishika vane”, Armenian վանա կատու - “van katu”) , randomly bred cats that originate from the area around Lake Van, located on the Armenian Highlands in the Van region of modern Turkey.

Among the numerous breeds of domestic cats, the Van cat has become of particular interest in recent years. Armenians consider this breed to be Armenian, since the history of its appearance in the territories of the Armenian Highlands located around Lake Van is lost in the centuries, which indicates that this breed arose long before representatives of other ethnic groups appeared in this region. Accordingly, the Turks consider the Van cat “one of their own” - because these cats now live in Turkey. There is a contradiction :)

It is believed that the first Van cats were brought with them by the crusaders returning home. European travelers who visited eastern Turkey and Western Armenia, starting from the 17th century, repeatedly mentioned and described these cats. However, in most cases, all long-haired cats in those days were called Angora, regardless of color and body structure.

The Van cat is perhaps the oldest breed of domestic cat, although it is considered to have naturally evolved in the climatic conditions of the high-mountain Lake Van (with alkaline water reaction).

It should be remembered that the mountainous terrain creates a huge variety of climatic conditions and closed communities of plants and animals living in small areas, which leads to a wealth of endemic species, subspecies and even varieties of plants and animal breeds: wheat, grapes, apricots, sheep, goats, leopards, fish, wild cats, as well as domestic cat breeds.

The population of Van district calls the cat “pishik”. The Van breed cat is kept by the local population not only as an ornament or as a rodent and insect hunter, it is considered a friend and family member. They say that Van cats used to spend the summer months in the mountains and the winter months at home.

All cats are naturally bouncy. But Vanskaya - especially. She has well-developed coordination of movements, as well as the ability to hover in the air for a short moment during a jump - like flying squirrels or lemurs. Sitting on the ground, she can easily jump onto the tallest refrigerator. Curiosity and the desire to taste everything are her innate qualities. So hide treats and valuables away.

All Turkish Vans have certain external features. The Turkish Van is a fairly large cat. The body is elongated, muscular, with a well-developed swimmer's chest, the back is rectangular in shape, slightly tapering towards the tail, the legs are of medium length and well developed, the front legs are slightly longer than the hind legs, the paws are round, the paw pads are pink, and there are tufts of hair between the toes. Adult cats weigh on average from 6 to 9 kilograms, females - from 4.5 to 6 kilograms. The length from the nose to the tip of the tail is from 90 to 120 cm, the height at the shoulders is 35-40 cm.

The color of the Van markings on the cat depicted in this picture exactly resembles the color of the dawn (sunset) on Lake Van, which is traditionally called the sea in Armenian literature. In a small excerpt from the ancient Armenian pagan epic that has survived to this day (created long before 301), the “sea” is described, the color of which, when translated into Russian, is usually conveyed by the words “crimson”, “fiery”. In the original language, the sea is defined by the word “tsirani”. The word "tsiran" (apricot) is derived from the same root as the word "tsirani". Those. The color of the classic Van cat's markings is exactly the same color as the color of a ripe apricot or the sunrise and sunset on Lake Van. The markings on the skin of a Van cat are located in those places that rise above the water level when the cat swims. Most likely, the crimson markings on cats were perceived by our distant ancestors as being left by the sun or as a blessing from a pagan solar deity.

The fact that the Van cat had a colored tail since ancient times is confirmed by some evidence that has survived to this day. For example, large light cats with characteristic ring-shaped tails are depicted on jewelry from the period of Urartu or the Kingdom of Ararat, dating from the 2nd - 1st centuries. V. BC e. or on edged weapons from the time of Roman rule, dating from the 1st - 3rd centuries. V. n. e.

Van cats love to walk with their tail raised high above their heads, resembling a fox's. The shape of the tip of the tail resembles a round artist's brush. The tail is constantly in motion. They have a water-repellent outer coat and a weak undercoat that appears in winter and falls out in summer. In winter, the coat is much thicker and longer than in summer. In addition, there are two types of “fur coat”: the English one - very fluffy, and the Dutch one - less fluffy, while the length of the guard hairs on the tail is allowed to be at least 5 cm. The hair on the hind legs is longer than on the front legs. The ears are large, but somewhat smaller than those of Angoras.

The Van cat checks the temperature of food and milk with its front paw, and if the food is at the right temperature, it eats it. Observations show that the Van breed cat eats melon, watermelon and other fruits.

The character is playful. They prefer to play as equals with their owner. They even get offended when they are asked to play with a ball or a bow hanging on a string. They especially like to bring small objects thrown by the owner in their teeth. Although they are heavier than Angora cats, they also like to chase imaginary prey, albeit “on the lower tiers.” At the same time, they prefer to climb as high as possible: on doors, windows, refrigerators and cabinets. They love outdoor games: games with medium-sized balls.

In Turkey, Van cats are believed to be magical cats. The amazing abilities of the Van cat are used, for example, by local fortune tellers. Popular fortune telling salon in Istanbul. On the sign is the cat Van. Or, professional fortune teller Aisu works in tandem with a Van cat named Makbule. So the article The Magic of Cats Then and Now finds further confirmation.

They love the sound of crumpling paper and immediately run up in anticipation of the game. Well, they like to tear paper themselves for the sake of the noise from the torn paper. But the sound of flowing water, say from a tap, has a particularly mesmerizing effect on them. They love playing with water and love to bathe themselves under running water. Van cats, which have access to shallow ponds and rivers, love to swim in warm water. Excellent fishermen. It is not known whether this is genetically developed in them or whether the kittens are taught to fish by their mother. At home, Van cats can swim in a bathtub or pool of warm water and even join their owner in taking a bath.

The Van cat is easy to train. If you have patience, if you truly hear and feel your cat, then after several lessons the cat will bring you an abandoned stick in its teeth. But don't get carried away! Everything is good in moderation. The cat is a freedom-loving animal and does not tolerate violence. Better admire her, talk to her more often and caress her more often!

Van cats often have a sweet tooth! They especially love chocolate. However, you should not feed your cat a lot of it! Like other animals, a cat’s body is not adapted to such nutrition.

The Van cat is a wonderful and sweet pet!

Based on materials from http://zara-arush.sitecity.ru/stext_0611224722.phtml

The color of the Van markings on the cat depicted in this picture exactly resembles the color of the dawn (sunset) on Lake Van, which is traditionally called the sea in Armenian literature. A small fragment from the ancient Armenian pagan epic (created long before 301) that has survived to this day describes

The Turkish Van is one of the oldest domesticated cat breeds.. In Europe, Van cats have been known since the era of the Crusades and the capture of Constantinople. Mentions of the Vanir are often found in the notes of medieval travelers. For many hundreds of years, the breed developed naturally in the vicinity of Lake Van in eastern Turkey, which is how it got its name.

The Turkish Van cat is easily recognizable due to its external features. Both in the painting “Lady with a Cat” by the artist M. Gerard (1761–1837), and in the photo of the first officially registered in the 50s. gg. XX century Van cat the main characteristics of the breed are clearly visible. Turkish Vans are quite large cats with a characteristic color: a combination of a red-chestnut tail and ears and a snow-white color throughout the body.

History of the breed

Turkish Vans came to Europe in the 50s of the last century thanks to a British journalist. While traveling around Turkey, she often came across impressive-looking cats that she had never seen before. Surprise and delight intensified even more when she saw Van's kittens calmly splashing in the lake. As a true animal lover, the journalist could not miss such a “chance” and took a couple of kittens with her to England.

After the brought kittens grew up and gave birth to offspring with characteristic breed characteristics, selection and breeding of Van cats began on the European continent. Already in 1969, the Turkish Van breed was officially recognized as one of the leading felinological organizations. Subsequently, Van cats were recognized by most of the leading cat fancier associations.

Appearance and characteristics of the breed

The Turkish Van is a large domestic cat with a long, athletic body. The length of an adult from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail can reach 120–130 cm. Males are much larger than females, reach a weight of up to 9 kg with a height of 40 cm, have a powerful skeleton and thicker hair.

Description of the Turkish Van breed:

• The body of Van cats has a well-developed chest and a massive neck. This is due to the centuries-old habit of representatives of this breed to water procedures. The back has the shape of a rectangle tapering towards the tail. The tail is well furred and usually of medium length.
• The paws are strong and developed, of medium length, with the front ones slightly longer than the hind ones. They have a round shape with pink pads and tufts of hair between the toes.
• The head of the Vanir is wedge-shaped, tapering to a strong chin. The profile is inexpressive, almost completely smoothed out.
• The nose is medium, with a short transition to the forehead.
• The ears are wide at the base, small in size, with small tufts of hair inside.
• The eyes are usually oval, large, and their tips may be slightly rounded. The most common colors: blue, amber, copper shades. It is not uncommon among the Vanir to have cats with eyes of different colors.
• These cats have medium coat length. There is no clearly defined undercoat. The coat is noticeably shorter on the shoulders, but longer on the tail and back of the body.

The main coat color of this breed is considered to be the so-called Van color. The red-chestnut color of the tail with several brighter rings and spots of the same color at the base of the ears and on the muzzle contrast sharply with the snow-white color of most of the body.

This coloration is considered classic and is recognized by all cat fancier associations. Also recently recognized are cream, blue, black and tortoiseshell colors.

Character

The Turkish Van is a cat breed of eastern origin, which leaves a characteristic “stormy” imprint on its temperament. These are active and cheerful cats. They will not “waste” precious time sleeping or being depressed. Activity, curiosity and games are the basis of their daily routine.

In their “research” they can easily turn the whole house over, so it’s worth providing them with some kind of play corner and a lot of different toys.

Van cats are among the so-called “one-owner cats.” Even in numerous families, with equal good treatment for all family members, the Turkish Van will still choose one single person with whom he will be especially close. These cats very sensitively understand the emotional state of the owner and easily adapt to the person’s mood. They get along very well with children and love playing with them.

They also easily find a common language with other animals, for example, dogs. Of course, the Van cat is always ready to enter into battle if the situation requires it. In this, it is more similar to dogs than to other cat breeds.

Turkish Vans are very smart and easily tamed to a harness and organized walks at any time of the year. They love to jump high and race with their owner. These cats do not have hydrophobia, and happily swim both in the shallow waters of natural reservoirs and in ordinary baths and pools.

Van cats are quite demanding in communication. They express their emotions vividly and firmly state their demands.

Their excited appearance and well-developed facial expressions will eloquently indicate that the cat’s interests are not taken into account: the owner forgot about a walk, an important game, or even worse - breakfast or lunch was missed. In general, Van cats love to “talk” loudly and for a long time with their owners.

Health

The Turkish Van is a “natural”, indigenous breed of cat. Its representatives do not have genetic diseases and enjoy good health. The attention of Vanir owners should be drawn to the following subtleties:

• Try not to catch your pet's cold through frequent bathing. Bathing in warm water is recommended.
• You need to constantly monitor your pet’s weight, its activity during the day, the balance of its diet and avoid signs of obesity. Excess weight can lead to arthritis, diabetes, and other unnecessary problems.
• Frequent brushing of your pet's teeth is necessary. Inflammation of the gums and oral cavity is a common occurrence in Van cats.
• Timely vaccinations. They prevent the possibility of contracting bacterial infections and viruses.
• Sterilization, castration. Reduces the likelihood of developing cancer. Eliminates cat “concerts”.

There are no particular difficulties in caring for Van cats.

1. Caring for the coat is easy - for a natural shine, it is enough to brush it once a week. During periods of intense shedding, brushing should be done once a day or two days. You can trim your nails from time to time. It is also important to check your pet's ears weekly for dirt or infection.
2. Also important is cleanliness in the tray and easy, constant access to clean, fresh water.
3. Turkish Vans need periodic walks in the fresh air and frequent active games.

Feeding

Turkish Vans are cats with an innate instinct of hunter and fisherman, so it is very important from childhood to accustom them to a calm, “civilized” diet from dishes intended only for them. If possible, attempts to obtain food independently should be prevented.

The best option for feeding Van cats is to use premium food with a suitable balance of vitamins and microelements necessary for an active and contented life for your pet.

It is worth choosing ready-made food for active cats with additional protein and carbohydrate content. A varied menu will guarantee that the cat will be full after lunch and will not go hunting “on the side.”

From natural food, Van cats should be given, of course, fish. It is better to use well-cooked sea fish, boned and seafood.

Cats should be completely excluded from their diet: sweets, chocolate, salty and smoked foods, citrus fruits.

You should not overfeed your Van cat, which never refuses supplements. She doesn't need obesity or metabolic disorders.

Where to get a Turkish Van kitten

Buying a Turkish Van kitten in Russia is not easy. There are very few nurseries breeding this breed. Alternatively, a kitten can be bought and taken out of Turkey, but this will require a special certificate for export from the country.

How much does a Turkish Van kitten cost? The answer to this question depends on various factors: the external characteristics of the animal, its pedigree, the geographical location of the nursery and the buyer. Even buying second hand without special guarantees on the pedigree will not be cheap. The average cost of a purebred kitten varies from twenty thousand rubles to several thousand euros.

The most reliable way to buy a real Turkish Van is to order from a foreign nursery. The price will be high, but it guarantees the purity of the animal.

A simple and inexpensive option is to buy a kitten secondhand. If there is no need for a pedigree or documents, but the goal is to have a spectacular and playful pet, then buying second hand is the best way to acquire a Van breed kitten.

A Van cat named Vani sleeps in the sink at night. During the day, owners wash their hands frequently and keep the sink moist. This love for the “extraordinary bed” is not surprising, because Vani belongs to the only breed of cats that loves water. Not only do they love to splash, but they also purposefully dive into lakes, rivers and other bodies of water to catch fish.

© Sputnik / Asatur Yesayants

The founder of the Van Cat Association and the Van Cat Protection Fund, Irina Tatevosyan, told Sputnik Armenia about this and other interesting details of the Van Katu breed.

"It's very funny. In the morning we come to the bath to wash our hands, and there the cat is sleeping in the sink. It's a funny sight. Even when I bathe them, Van cats do not allow themselves to be dried, they do it on their own - they run, shake themselves, and in the summer they lie in the sun and dry,” says Irina.

According to legend, the Lord blessed a cat, which was supposed to destroy a mouse created by the devil, which tried to gnaw a hole at the bottom of Noah's Ark in order to sink it.

The cat managed to cope with the task, save Noah, and therefore save all of humanity. As a sign of gratitude to the cat, the Creator blessed and placed His right hand on it. This is how the Van cat and, strictly speaking, the “apricot” Van color appeared.

Unknown facts about the Van cat

Some evidence suggests that the first domestic cats appeared in the Armenian Highlands.

Several years ago, the cat population was about 400 individuals; they live in Armenia, Turkey, Russia, Europe and a number of other countries.

Unlike other breeds, the Van cat was not developed through selective breeding.

Van cats have an Armenian character - they are very friendly, cute, love meat and are very active. The Van cat is one of the largest breeds - the weight of an adult cat can reach up to 10 kg, and females - from 4.5 to 6 kilograms.

This breed is distinguished by the fact that the head and tail area are completely red in color. According to the ancient Armenian work "The Birth of Vahagn", the color of the Van cat's markings is the color of the Armenian apricot or the sunrise and sunset on Lake Van.

Among the huge variety of cat breeds, the Van is the only one that not only loves to splash in the water, but also deliberately dives into bodies of water to catch fish.

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  Apricot color hair on the head

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  The paw of a Van cat, characterized by the presence of membranes between the toes

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  Van cat resting

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© Sputnik / Asatur Yesayants

They have a swimmer's figure, this is especially noticeable by the wide chest and widely spaced fingers, between which there are membranes that allow them to swim well.

At one time, Armenian families had a kind of cult of the Van cat - in each house a special place was reserved for this “royal person.”

These are antidepressant cats. There is such a thing as feline therapy - treatment with cats. In addition to the fact that they play very cheerfully with people, they can also sit on or next to a person for hours, relaxing him.

Another interesting fact is that they heal people. They feel the sore spot, press against it, begin to warm it or lick it until the person recovers.

Vana Katus are hypoallergenic because they love to swim and bathe.

Female Van breeds are very smart. They teach their babies to bathe, eat and “go to the toilet” correctly from an early age.

Cat constellation

In recent years, experts and simply cat lovers have begun to become interested in the Van breed. Unfortunately, this species is currently on the verge of extinction, but Van cat lovers are doing everything to prevent this from happening.

“I often get calls from people who want to get a Persian, British or other breed, but I discourage them. I think an Armenian should keep a Van cat at home,” Irina said.

Sputnik Armenia’s interlocutor noted that the Van cat, by decision of the Turkish government, is called Turkish, and in general, they want to appropriate the breed, but this does not correspond to Islamic traditions. Keeping a cat at home is haram (sin) for Muslims.

Irina said that these cats bred only on the territory of Lake Van, so now the Turks claim that “since Van is on our territory, then the cats are also ours.”

“There is a Turkish Angora cat - snow-white with blue eyes, which was crossed with Van cats. Sometimes cats bred by breeders are born with congenital deafness. If one of the eyes is blue, then the ear on that side is deaf,” Irina said.

© Sputnik / Asatur Yesayants

Multi-colored eyes, according to her, are not a sign of Van cats, their sign is specifically the color of their coat, white with apricot markings. Different eye colors in Van cats appear very spontaneously. A pair of cats with different eyes may give birth to a kitten with the same color eyes.

They say that if you look into the eyes of a Van cat at least once, you can see your future in them. There is also a belief that if you dream of a cat with eyes of different colors, then it is lucky, because they are friends with angels. Well, if you dream that this cat is also white, with marks on the ears and a characteristic colored tail the color of a ripe apricot, then, according to legend, you are doubly lucky. Although in a dream, you saw the pride of the Armenian Highlands, Van Katu - the Van cat.

The Turkish Van or Van cat is a very rare native breed. Such animals have semi-long hair and original colors. The cat's body is white, and the top of its head and tail are colored. Another feature of this breed is that Van cats have a waterproof coat reminiscent of cashmere.

We will tell you below what other distinctive characteristics of cats of this breed are. You will also see photos of such animals.

Origin of the Turkish Vanir

Van cats are originally from Eastern Anatolia (Türkiye). This breed existed in their homeland back in the Middle Ages, but only in the middle of the last century were they noticed by foreigners and brought to the UK by two tourists. Officially the breed was registered in 1969 and called the “Turkish cat”. Such cats received their current name, Turkish Van, only in 1985, so that representatives of this breed could be distinguished from Turkish Angora cats.

Van cat: photo and description of appearance

You can see what a Turkish van looks like in the attached photo. Cats of this breed differ in their size. For example, women's individuals can weigh about 5 kilograms, and cats - even up to 10 kilograms.

The key characteristics of the appearance of Van cats are:

Animal character

The owners of these cats note the following qualities in them:

1. loyalty;
2. attachment;
3. manifestations of tenderness;
4. activity.

Cats have very strong legs, thanks to which they are able to climb even the tallest cabinets. They like to choose comfortable spots at the top of rooms and watch what's going on from there.

Van kittens are distinguished by their playfulness, although such spontaneity and activity are characteristic of older representatives of this breed. They like to grab on the fly objects and toys, tumble on the floor and run a lot. Turkish Vans also love water and can swim for a long time. They are also excellent hunters by nature.

Turkish Van

These animals are very curious and love communication, including with other pets. However, Turkish Vans like to realize in such cases its superiority, and in every possible way will focus the attention of the owners on their person. He will be constantly in front of your eyes.

Cats not only love to be active and play, they also have a penchant for more intellectual entertainment. For example, they are ready to learn more serious things. For example, they can bring slippers and other items to the owner when needed. Van cats are distinguished by loyalty, perseverance and intelligence.

In terms of communication with their owners, they are quite demanding. The Vanir want to be communicated with long and loudly, as with an equal. Also, if they are strongly attached to one owner, then it will be extremely difficult for them to get used to a new one.

Features of caring for Turkish Vans and their health

On average, a Van cat lives about fifteen years. In general, representatives of this breed are distinguished by good health. However, in some cases, different diseases occur. In particular, cardiac hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Many cat breeds suffer from this disease because it is passed on to them by inheritance. However, this rarely applies to Turkish Vans.

The Van cat is very active, so if you notice that the animal is lethargic and tired, it is advisable to show it to a specialist. And you need to keep your bath in good shape through a healthy and nutritious diet, which includes carbohydrates and proteins.

The coat of the Turkish Van is such that it is very easy to care for. Representatives of this breed have no undercoat, so They need to be brushed once a week maximum.. Cats also do not need regular and frequent bathing, unless they just want to take a bath or swim in a pond. The animal's ears are cleaned as they become dirty.

Turkish baths are susceptible to periodontal disease; to prevent it, you need to brush the animal’s teeth. This should be done once a week, or at least once a month. If the owners cannot do this, the animal is taken to the veterinarian for this procedure.

The long hair of the Van cat will not get dirty if you carefully monitor the cleanliness of its litter box.

In general, caring for Vans is very simple, given the fact that these cats are in excellent health. They lack genetic diseases that affect many other breeds, then you need to regularly visit the doctor and give the animal the necessary vaccinations.

Watch your pet carefully and do not remain indifferent to it.

Color features of Van cats

The Turkish Van can be unmistakably recognized by the colored markings on its white coat. Moreover, these marks can have any classic color or pattern, in particular, tabby. The markings that are located on the tips of the tail may have white dots.

The colored part of the fur can cover the cat's tail and head, but not more than 20 percent of it. If there is a tabby pattern, then the tail is ringed with stripes, where the color on top will be brighter. In some cases There are also animal prints on the animal’s left shoulder.. In Turkish legend it is said about him that this is God’s mark, which blessed the cat to fight the mice that made holes in Noah’s Ark with the help of evil spirits.

The marks most often have the following shades:

• cream;
• cake;
• ginger;
• blue;
• black.

The peculiarities of the breed are such that completely white fur is allowed on the Turkish Van; this is called “van kedisi” when there is not a single mark or pattern of a different shade on the animal’s body.

The paw pads and nose of all representatives of the breed are usually pink.

Average price of a Van cat

Since the Turkish Van is a fairly rare breed of cat, the price will not be low. In rubles, the price starts from 7 thousand rubles and will be higher depending on the following factors:

• gender;
• external features of the cat;
• documents for the animal.

How to buy a Van cat?

However, even if you have the money to purchase a Turkish van, buying one while in Russia, Ukraine or Belarus will not be so easy. For example, in Russia there is only one nursery in Moscow, where you can find representatives of this breed. But in Ukraine and Belarus there are none, but the desired cat can be bought through private advertisements. In such cases, you need to carefully double-check the information about the seller so that he does not turn out to be a scammer.

You can also buy an animal in its historical homeland in Turkey, but in this case you may encounter problems during export; for this you will need to obtain a special permit.

Today, there are more and more fans of Van cats all over the world. These animals are very attractive, easy to care for and have a wonderful character. Of course, the purchase will be expensive both in terms of finances and other red tape, but in return you will receive your long-awaited furry pet.