The Van cat (Turkish : Van Kedisi , Armenian transliteration : Van'a Gadou), is a distinctive breed of domestic cat that is found mainly in the Lake Van region of Turkey.

Van Kedisi Cat Origin

The Van Cat has been reported living in the vicinity of the city of Van for centuries, and medieval sources mention white cats as being one of the exports of the Van region. In Turkey the all-white Van Kedisi has always been the most highly prized, even more so than the more familiar van pattern, with its coloured patches on the head and tail. Sadly, there are not a lot of Van cats remaining. Their export from Turkey is prohibited, thus there are few abroad, and even within Turkey their numbers seem to be dwindling.

Due to the severe restrictions placed on the export of these highly prized cats very few ever left Turkey. However, in the early 1990s, Lois Miles succeeded in obtaining written permission from the Turkish authorities to bring a white, odd-eyed female to the U.K. The most sought-after is an odd-eyed white cat, but blue-eyed cats are also seen as special. The variety was given recognition by the GCCF in 2006 and by TICA in 2007.

In Britain most matings are between an all-white cat and an auburn/white. These matings will produce roughly 50% all - white and 50% auburn/white with an occasional cream/white kitten. The eye colours of the kittens will be a mixture of the three variations.

During the late 1990s the Van Cat emerged as an informal municipal symbol of the city of Van – an enormous statue of a Van Cat and kitten now stands at the entrance to the city, and the cat appears in a local comic strip, and in the logos of bus companies, shopping centres, various businesses, etc. Ironically, this paralleled a serious decline in Van Cat numbers.

In the mid-1990s the "Van Cat House", a Van Cat breeding and research center, was established within the campus of Van University (Van Yüzüncü Yil Universitesi / Van Hundredth Year University ). However, reports have revealed that the living conditions for the cats held there leaves much to be desired, and the breeding program seems to be ineffective in reversing the Van Cats' declining numbers. The center currently (2006) houses about 100 adult, young cats, and kittens, and is open to the public for a nominal entrance fee (currently 1 lira).

At the end of the 19th century, Sultan Abdul Hamid II is said to have owned a Van Cat, and owning a Van Cat is still seen as a status symbol: a Prime Minister of Turkey received one as a gift, and an ambassador from Greece put himself on a waiting list to get one. Kittens for the breeding center could be purchased for $30 in 2006, but their export from Turkey is theoretically outlawed (with a reported fine of $50,000).

To increase the population of the Van Kedisi, the local government of Van instituted a program which would pay residents the equivalent of $200.00 per month to keep one. This program was discontinued by a later government.

Van Kedisi Cat Appearence

They have long, white, silky fur, a long body, and a long and fluffy tail. They have heavy, muscular paws, and a very energetic nature.

Their most notable genetic characteristic is their almond-shaped eyes that often are mismatched colors . The most valued and valuable members of the breed generally have one amber-green eye and one blue eye. They also reportedly have a genetic tendency to deafness.

A particular characteristic of Van cats is their eye colour. The majority of Van cats have either blue eyes or amber eyes, but a large proportion has one blue-coloured eye and one amber-coloured eye. The blue colour is almost always a light turquoise-blue, but the amber comes in varying shades.

When they are born, Van cat kittens all have grey-coloured eyes, and their individual eye colours only begin to become apparent after about 25 days. When born, there are often one or two smudges of black-coloured fur on the heads of the kittens, between their ears. These black spots are lost after about 2 months. It is said that most Van cat kittens with two spots of black colouring will develop single-colour eyes.

Van Kedisi Cat Colors and Coats

Van Kedisi, unlike Turkish Van, is an all-white cat with long, silky fur.

The Van Kedisi Temperament

They are reported to like water more than most cats, and have been seen swimming in Lake Van . They are described as being "terrible house pets". They are reported to be friendly and intelligent, but also to howl more than meow, take pleasure in breaking things, and are very jealous of other animals in the house. Also, given the scarcity of the breed, few veterinarians will spay or neuter them.