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Origin |
| The Turkish Van is named after Lake Van in Eastern Turkey. Also known as the 'Turkish Swimming Cat', there are records of this swimming cat that date back to the early eighteenth century. In 1955, the British breeder Laura Lushington began importing them and began a breeding programmea; in 1969, the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy and the Fédération Internationale Féline recognised the breed. |
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Lifespan |
| 9-15 years |
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Size |
| Medium to large |
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Weight |
| 3-8.5kg (7-19lbs) |
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Coat |
| Long, silky coat without a woolly undercoat. In the Summer a Turkish Van may appear almost shorthaired except for its tail. |
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Build |
| The Turkish Van is strong and robust with well-developed muscles; it is long with a rounded ribcage. |
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Characteristics |
| Lively and hardy, friendly but rather independent. Enjoys playing in water. |
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Colour |
Turkish Vans are white with a coloured tail and a patch of colour each side of the face between eye and ear. Some cats may show other small coloured patches on the body.
They are usually cream and auburn in this breed but Turkish Vans with black, blue, tortie and tabby markings are also bred. |
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