How Rare is a Turkish Van Cat? Strange Facts
How rare is a Turkish Van cat ?This primarily white cat is one of the rarest in the world due to its distinctive wisp of color on its head and tail, both painted to match.
The Turkish van is a breed that has been around for centuries and originated naturally. They are highly prized in their home country, where they are known for their massive, robust bodies and ability to swim. People sometimes mistake the Van for his cousin, the Turkish Angora. However, the two are very different in size, coat, and other ways. The Van is a big cat. Females weigh between 7 and 12 pounds, and males weigh between 10 and 20 pounds.
The Turkish Van Cat’s History
The Turkish van is an antiquated breed that is rare even in its homeland, and it naturally evolved in the area of central and southwest Asia. The cats’ original name was “van cats,” and the breed name is derived from the names of a nearby lake and city, both named Van.
In 1955, the country’s first Turkish van arrived in England. First called the Turkish cat, later on, changed the name to Turkish van to avoid confusion with the Turkish angora.
In 1982, the Turkish van finally came to the United States. In addition to the Cat Fanciers’ Association and the International Cat Association, the breed is officially recognized.
Appearance
Turkish vans with all-white bodies exist but are actively bred away because they aren’t considered show quality. According to the breed standard, the Turkish van has an all-white body, colored spots on its head, and a solid-colored tail.
When looking at the Turkish van, one might assume it is a white cat with spots of color, but this isn’t the case genetically. Due to the piebald gene, Turkish vans are red, cream, black, blue, or tabby cats with white spots. In the Turkish van, the white manifests in a single, large “spot” that covers their torsos.
The Turkish van has a medium-long, single-coated coat that is cashmere-soft and easy to maintain. It lies close to their bodies, giving the Turkish van a satin look, and their coats are water-resistant, making them easy to dry off but difficult to bathe.
They’re athletic and well-muscled, especially when jumping.
Strange Fact about Turkish Vans
People call the small mark between the shoulder blades of many Turkish Vans “the thumbprint of God.” People think it will bring them luck.
Turkish Van cat personality
The best way to describe a Turkish Van cat’s personality is as active, playful, and fun-loving. She needs a lot of attention from her owners, therefore she’s best suited to individuals who have a lot of time and love to spare. Cat behavior consultants say Turkish Vans are highly intelligent and easy to train. They can easily be taught to perform simple tasks like fetching a toy.
As with all cats, clicker training benefits them; it’s fun, mentally stimulating, and helps them bond with others. You need to learn what treats they love and what makes them happy. A treat can be petting or affection, not just food.
Turkish vans are affectionate to their families but do not lap cats. While they’ll happily allow you to pet them, this isn’t a breed that likes to be picked up and often prefers to be near you than on you.
Lastly, Turkish vans have a reputation for being good swimmers and water lovers, but this depends on the person. The Turkish Van is known as the “swimming cat” because of his fondness for the water. It is not at all uncommon to find him playing in ponds, pools, or any other body of water.
Common Health Issues
The Turkish van is a big cat. To achieve their adult weight of up to 20 pounds, the breed takes an average of three to five years to mature. The breed’s health and longevity are excellent in general. These
solid white van cats are vulnerable to deafness and are known as Turkish vankedisi. Since they are not thought to be of show quality, professional breeders hesitate to breed them.
Care of Turkish Van Cat
Turkish vans shed their coat seasonally, as it thickens in the winter and thins out in the summer. Aside from seasonal fluctuations, they are relatively simple to maintain due to their absence of an undercoat.
Once a week, brushing with a slicker brush should suffice to keep them looking glossy and clean. Turkish vans shouldn’t need baths very often, but when they do, keep in mind that their coats naturally repel water, making it hard to clean them.
As with any cat, you should trim your Turkish van’s nails, clean his litter box, and brush his teeth at home.
Nutrition and Diet
It’s crucial not to overfeed the Turkish van because it’s already a big cat. Maintaining a healthy weight is essential for avoiding health problems.
Despite the fact that they are a breed of natural cat, they don’t necessarily require a raw food diet.
High-quality commercial cat food often works quite well for this breed.
Because this breed is so active, it can sometimes handle free feeding, leaving food out all day without gaining weight. 1 Consult your veterinarian or a breeder to determine the right food for your Turkish van cat.
Turkish Van Cat Prices
Given this breed’s rare, it’s hard to find a kitten, and there are only a few catteries in North America. Breeders who keep Turkish Vans on their farms won’t release or sell kittens without doing a background check on interested buyers and may refuse to sell if they don’t satisfy the qualifications.
The price of a Turkish Van cat is between $400 and $1,100. Oodles Marketplace has purebred and mixed Turkish Vans, so read the listings carefully.
It’s possible to find breeders in other countries and arrange for the cat to be shipped once it’s old enough to travel. This option costs more because the buyer pays for shipping.
Turkish Van Cat for Adoption
Since this breed is so rare, you should try to adopt it if you see one. In this way You can save a lot of money and give a Turkish Van cat a permanent home and a loving family for the rest of its life.
Thousands of shelters across the U.S. have Turkish Van mixes available for adoption. In some cases, it’s hard to tell they’re not purebred.
Siamese, American Shorthair, and Tabby are common mixes with Turkish
Some Facts about Turkish Vans
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