What kind of cat is a Turkish Van?
The Turkish Van cat is a rugged, large-bodied cat that originated in the Middle East. The Turkish Van is all-white with colored markings on the face and tail only. This type of color pattern is so distinctive that when it appears in other cat breeds it’s often called a “van” pattern.
Is there such a thing as a white Turkish Van?
Not all registries recognise all of these colour variations. While a few registries recognise all-white specimens as Turkish Vans, most do not.
Where did the name Turkish Van come from?
It is unclear why the name “Turkish Van” was chosen, or why one of the original 1955 kittens was named “Van Iskenderun Guzelli”, given their provenance. Of the founding 1955 pair, Lushington wrote, in 1977:
When did the Turkish Van come to America?
Neither city is anywhere near Van Province. Turkish Vans were first brought to the United States in 1982 and accepted into championship for showing in the Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA) in 1994. Since then, CFA has registered approximately 100 Vans born each year in the US, making them one of the rarest cat breeds.
What are the physical characteristics of a Turkish Van?
Physical Characteristics. The Turkish Van is a large, muscular, well-built cat with a moderately long body and tail. It has strong, broad shoulders and a short neck; the jock of the cat world. The body of a Van should neither be stocky, or thin.
Why does my Turkish Van cat have white spots?
He is, in fact, a colored cat with very large patches of white, a pattern caused by the piebald white spotting gene. The result is a cat whose body is mostly white, with colored markings on the head and tail. He may also have random spots of color on the body and legs.
What makes a Turkish Van have white fur?
There’s a special gene that’s responsible for this coat pattern. A special gene causes the Turkish Van’s unique mix of white fur with patches of color on the head and tail. This gene is called the piebald gene, after the black and white magpie that bears the name.
