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TURKISH VAN / Van Kedi
The Turkish Van is one of the larger cat breeds. The males can reach 20 lb (9 kg) and the females weigh about half of that. They have massive paws and rippling hard muscle structure which allows them to be very strong jumpers. Vans can easily hit the top of a refrigerator from a cold start on the floor. Their strength along with their long body, also makes them great swimmers. The coat on a Van is considered semi-longhaired. While many cats have three distinct hair types in their coat, guard hairs , awn hairs and down hairs , the Turkish Van only has one. This makes their coat feel like cashmere or rabbit fur, and the coat dries quickly when wet. Lake Van is a region of temperature extremes and the cats have evolved a coat that grows thick in the winter with a large ruff and
bottlebrush tail for the harsh winters and then sheds out short in the body for the warm summers. The full tail is kept year round. What might be the most interesting trait of the breed is its unusual fascination with water (cats, generally, dislike being immersed in water). The unusual trait may be due to the breed's proximity to Lake Van in their native country; it may have acquired this trait due to the very hot summers and have extremely waterproof coats that make bathing them a challenge. As such, Vans have been nicknamed the "Swimming Cats" for this most unusual trait. Most Vans in the US are indoor cats and do not have access to large bodies of water, but their love and curiosity of water stays with them. Instead of swimming they stir their water bowls and invent fishing games in the toilet . Turkish Vans are very intelligent, and will easily take over their home and owners. Vans are people cats that want to be with people wherever they go. They like to play and jump and explore anything in their reach, which is quite large. They are energetic; they play hard and sleep hard. Many Vans are dedicated to fetching their particular object of interest, and many owners describe them as "dogs in a cat suit" because of their unusual personalities.
ORIGIN: The Turkish Van ( Turkish : Van Kedisi) (also known as the Swimming Cat) is a rare, naturally occurring breed of cat originally found in the Lake Van region of eastern Turkey . Turkish Vans have been living in their native Anatolia for thousands of years and various references to "white ringtail" cats through history show this. The classic red tabby and white pattern gives the ringtail appearance and has been found depicted on Hittite jewelry of antiquity. Also, archeologists have found "...relics of an ancient battle during the occupation of Armenia by the Romans included armor and banners displaying an image of a large white cat with rings on its tail." (From The Van Kedi Turkey's Swimming Cat )
Other links: FBRL TICA ACFA WCF CFA
