Welcome to the wonderful world of Turkish Vans! I got hooked on these cats when I started reading about them in books about the different cat breeds. They were so striking and flashy with color only on the head and tail. Never did I think I would come to be owned by one, and now many! 

The Turkish Van is a natural breed from Eastern Turkey. They survived for thousands of years on their own before two English photographers brought them to the Western world on a fateful trip to Turkey in 1955. Sonya Halliday and Laura Lushington were visiting Turkey and when they arrived in the area of Lake Van, they saw auburn (what we call red tabby) and white cats with color on the head and tail swimming in Lake Van. Thus, the term Swimming Cat was born! They were able to take two of these cats back to England, and when they bred true, meaning all their offspring were auburn and white with color on the head and tail, a new bred of cat was discovered. 

The Turkish Van is a healthy and robust cat. Males can grow to be quite large, topping the scales at 18-20 pounds! Females are usually half their size, ranging anywhere from 9-12 pounds. It also takes them five years to reach full maturity. They have a semi-longhaired coat that has no undercoat. You don’t get the shedding problem that is associated with other breeds, but don’t let anyone fool you, they do shed! You will see a lot more hair when they get their summer coats in, usually around January, and then in August they bulk back up again for the winter months. These coat changes become less apparent with age. A good combing once a week will reduce the amount of hair on your furniture and in your house.

There are no health problems or genetic defects associated with this breed. Turkish Vans regularly live anywhere from 15-20 years. This is also aided by the fact that we have a very diverse gene pool, and are allowed to bring van-patterned cats back from Turkey. Vankkadia Cattery has a very diverse gene pool of our own that we are working with thanks to the help of other experienced Turkish Van breeders that have helped me along the way:

• Linda Gorsuch, Desert Jewel
• Deb Hayes, Pairodocs
• Karen Hooker, Pairodocs
• Windy Johnston, Vansylvania
• Tracy Alexander, Alacatzam
• Brigitte Reiser, Van’s Fantezi (Germany)
• Kerry Evans, Firecrystal (Australia)
• Virpi Nordman, Semiramisin (Finland)
• Bob Cooper, Bruvankedi (U.K.)
• HJ Bredewold, Yapy Kredy (Holland)

Turkish Vans come in a myriad of colors, but always in the “van pattern”, meaning color on the head and tail. The term van pattern was named after these cats to honor them. Any breed of cat can have this color pattern, but the Turkish Van was the original! There are several other breeds of Turkish cats (such as the Turkish Angora which can come in all colors, and the Anatolian which comes in both long and shorthair), but true Turkish Vans are always semi-longhaired and van patterned. Not all Turkish Vans have what we call a “perfect van pattern”, meaning symmetrical markings on the head and a full colored tail. The gene that governs their color (the white spotting gene) is totally random. Sometimes we can get kittens that have no color on the head and only on the tail (disqualifiable show trait), to one that has only one head spot, to one that we would call “overmarked”, or having too much color on the body to pass for a van pattern. While it may mean some of these kitties will never be shown, it doesn’t mean they aren’t unique unto themselves, and don’t have the same lovable personalities as a show marked cat.

Brown patched tabby and white with amber eyes

The Colors

Males can come in:

• Red or red tabby and white (auburn)
• Cream or cream tabby and white (the dilute of red)
• Black or brown tabby and white
• Blue or blue tabby and white (the dilute of black)

All colors can have amber, blue, or odd eyes, meaning one of each. Unfortunately there is no gene for eye color, so we can’t predict if there are going to be blue or odd eyed kittens in a litter. We just have to sit back and wait! Of course, the ideal is to have eye color that is strong, whichever color it may be. Don’t be alarmed if the amber eyed specimens have eye color that looks green. The color can fade with age.

Turkish Vans have a personality like no other cat! They are true to their Turkish heritage and are fiercely loyal companions. They will bond to “their” person in the house, and that bond will be for life. Yes, they do get moody sometimes (but don’t we all!), and they will let you know about it, too! But don’t worry, they always come back for a cuddle! Because of their size, not all Vans are lap cats, but some are. Don’t feel discouraged if your Van sits beside you and not on you. Remember, at 18 pounds, you may be happy they aren’t on your lap. The ones that really like to cuddle, though, like to be up high, on your shoulders or head. Some even sleep draped across your pillow and hair! 

They are very active cats, and that activity level does not stop at kitten hood. It takes five years for this breed to mature, and they are active well beyond that. Since they are large cats, they aren’t exactly the most graceful cats around. If you have a lot of breakable objects, I would invest in a real sturdy china cabinet! I find our cats love tall cat trees, especially by a window. They also like to scratch on sisal posts, and it helps reduce scratching on unwanted surfaces, such as your furniture. All of our kittens are raised on using cats trees and sisal, and we have not found a problem in having them around our furniture. As long as you don’t have wicker and sisal furniture, you should be safe. If you do find them being destructive, it is usually a cry for attention. Spending time with them, and being active with them is their favorite way to spend the day. It’s good to invest in cat teasers with feathers, fur, or mice on the end and play with them each night. It gets them ready for bed and gives them a chance to be active with you. Some also like to play fetch, and crumpled up pieces of paper are the best. I don’t know if it’s the noise of the paper or the texture, but most will go crazy over it. I found our Vans attune themselves to our schedules, and sleep while we are at work so they are ready to play when we get home. 

Please take the time to look at some of the different Turkish Vans that have been part of our breeding program, and still are. Don’t forget to stop at the Kittens page to see our new kittens and some of our retired adults. Because of their long life span, older companions can be just as rewarding as owning a kitten!

A note to visitors interested in Turkish Vans: if this breed captivates you so much that you cannot live without one, please be aware that not all Turkish Vans are purebred! Only those Turkish Vans that have a CFA registration number, meaning they only have true Turkish Vans (white cats with color on the head and tail) within the pedigree. These are the cats that have not been hybridized with solid white Turkish Angoras, solid or bi colored shorthair Anatolian Cats, or cats from shelters. If you love the distinct look of Turkish Vans and love the personality that only comes from the Turkish Van, please, please ask for a CFA registration number. If you are not concerned with having the same type or temperament of the Turkish Van, but want a cat with the same pattern, I suggest visiting your local animal shelter and saving the life of a kitty that really needs a home before spending money with a breeder that will essentially sell you the same thing. If you want to find out more about The International Turkish Van Cat Club, and what we stand for, please visit www.vancats.be.