Turkish Van ~ Auburn
Turkish Van ~ Cream
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Turkish Van ~ Auburn
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Turkish Van ~ Cream
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| All white with markings on the head and a lovely colored tail The Turkish Van is a more massive variety of Turkish Angora. It is named for the Lake Van region near Mount Ararat in eastern Turkey. This very old breed was reported as early as the 18th century, but it was not until 1955 that a British breeder named Laura Lushington imported Turkish Vans and truly began breeding them in Europe. The G.C.C.F. and the F.I.Fe. recognized the breed in 1969. By 1982, the Turkish Van arrived in the United States, where the C.F.A. and T.I.C.A. approved it. Nevertheless, this breed is quite uncommon in Europe. |
| Turkish Vans are very intelligent and alert cats, and as such feel more secure, and handle better with all four feet on a solid surface. |
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Head
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Substantially broad wedge, with gentle contours and a medium length nose to harmonize with the large muscular body, ears are not to be included in the wedge. Prominent cheekbones. In profile, the nose has a slight dip below eye level marked by a change in the direction the hair lays. Allowances must be made for jowling in the males. Firm chin in a straight line with the nose and upper lip; rounded muzzle. |
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Eyes
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Moderately large, a rounded aperture slightly drawn out at the corners, set at a slant, equidistant from the outside base of the ear to the tip of the nose. Eyes should be clear, alert and expressive. |
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Ears
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Moderately large, in proportion to the body, set fairly high and well apart; the inside edge of the ear is slightly angled to the outside with the outside edge fairly straight but not necessarily in line with the side of the face; wide at the base. Tips are slightly rounded. Insides should be well feathered. |
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Neck
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Short and strong. |
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Body
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Moderately long, sturdy, broad, muscular and deep-chested. Mature males should exhibit marked muscular development in the neck and shoulders. The shoulders should be at least as broad as the head, and flow into the well-rounded ribcage and then into a muscular hip and pelvic area. Turkish Van males are substantially larger than females and exhibit much greater development. |
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Paw
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Moderately long. Hind legs longer than forelegs. Medium-boned, well-muscled. Round paws. Dense tufts of hair between the toes. |
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Tail
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Long, but in proportion to the body, with a brush appearance. Tail hair length is keeping with the semi-long coat length. |
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Coat
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Semi-long with a cashmere-like texture; soft to the roots with no trace of undercoat. Due to the extremes in climate of their native region, the breed carries two distinctive coat lengths and allowances must be made for the seasonal coat. The summer coat is short, conveying the appearance of a shorthair; the winter coat is substantially longer and thicker. There is feathering on the ears, legs, feet and belly. Facial fur is short. A frontal neck ruff and full brush tail become more pronounced with age. The above description is that of an adult, allowances must be made for short coats and tail hair on kittens and young adults. |
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Fault
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More than three colored patches on the body. No blaze on the face. Markings unevenly distributed. Tail color starting too far up the back. |
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Disqualify
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Total absence of color on the head or tail; definite nose break; genetic/skeletal defects such as flattened ribcage, kinked or abnormal tail, incorrect number of toes, crossed eyes. Color in excess of 20% of the entire body. |
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Character
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This particularly hardy, sturdy, very lively cat loves to swim. Although the breed was once reputed to be aggressive, selective breeding has made Turkish Vans friendly, especially toward other cats. Independent, playful, and with a strong character, they are very affectionate and often possessive toward their owner. They are excellent companions and have a moderately loud voice. Turkish Vans can adapt to apartment life, although a large yard with water is better. They grow slowly and take three to five years to reach their full beauty. They require only weekly brushing, except during considerable pre-summer shedding. |
Turkish Van ~ White