Turkish Van

The Turkish Van is a large semi-longhaired cat breed developed in the United Kingdom during the 1950s.

British travelers Laura Lushington and Sonia Halliday received two unrelated kittens while exploring Lake Van in 1955. Breeding the pair produced identical piebald patterns, prompting further imports to fix type and color. The Governing Council of the Cat Fancy granted full recognition in 1969. The International Cat Association registered the breed in 1979, and the Cat Fanciers Association granted championship competition in 1994. The ancestral cats trace back to ancient domestic populations living across Eastern Anatolia.

Mature males reach 5 to 9 kg (11 to 20 lb) and require three to five years to attain full muscular broadness. The semi-long coat has a cashmere texture lacking an undercoat, which repels water and sheds seasonal dirt efficiently. Distinct reddish or colored patches sit upon the head and tail, setting off a chalk-white torso. Standards describe the cat as an alert, curious, and active jumper that enjoys investigating water and participating in family activities.

Weekly combing with a fine steel comb easily removes loose fur because the silky guard hairs resist matting. Seasonal coat blowing occurs in springtime, requiring more frequent brushing during shed cycles. Due to strong swimming instincts, toilet lids and open pools require supervision indoors. The broad genetic foundation produces robust animals, though known medical concerns include hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, hereditary deafness in predominantly white specimens, and dental tartar accumulation.