An ancient , of course occurring breed , Turkish vanguard are appreciate in their home country and renowned for their large , unassailable body as well as their propensity to swim .
The Turkish van is a naturally occurring cat breed that originated in the lot of Turkey . Not to be confused with Turkey’sothercat export , theTurkish Angora(more on that afterward ) , the Turkish van is beloved by owners for his sturdy build , playful and active nature , and for being one of the comparatively rare breeds of cat that hasan phylogenetic relation for water system .
Appearance
Whileall - white Turkish vansdo exist , they are not considered show quality and are therefore actively bred against . What gives the Turkish avant-garde his name is the " caravan shape " of coloration : an all - white body , with different colored spots on their heads , and a usually square - colored tail of the same shade , according to the stock banner .
Interestingly , while it can be comfortable to look at the Turkish van and take on he ’s a white Caterpillar with splashes of color , genetically speaking , the exact opposite is truthful . A solvent of thepiebald cistron , the Turkish van ’s colouration is really that of a red , cream , opprobrious , blue , or tabby cat with turgid spots of white covering their bodies . While this factor usually manifests in spotting or blotching of color ( think inglorious and white spotted horse or cattle ) , in the Turkish van , the white manifests in a single , big " spot " that handle their torsos .
In addition to his distinct colour , the Turkish van ’s pelage is average - recollective and unmarried coated , relieve oneself it cashmere - soft and leisurely to maintain , according to theCat Fanciers ' Association . It lie close to their bodies , giving the Turkish van a satin appearance , and their coat are surprisingly weewee - resistant , making them easy to dry off when they get wet , butdifficult to bathe .
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Underneath that coat , the Turkish van is an absoluteunit . Male cats reaching 20 pounds are not uncommon , and the cats have been know to measure 3 invertebrate foot from olfactory organ to tag pourboire . They are well - muscled cats , making them fantastically athletic , particularly when it come to jumping .
Their heads are slightly wedge - shaped , ear are of medium size and position just to the outside of the eye ’s centerlines , and the eyes themselves are mostly round and come in amber , blue , or a heterochromatic compounding of both .
Temperament
Turkish van areincredibly intelligent , easily trainable cats , articulate Marilyn Krieger , certified cat behavior consultantin San Francisco . They can be discipline todo conjuration like fetch toysfairly well .
" Clicker trainingis a wonderful matter to do with them , as it is with all cats , " Krieger says . " It also mentally stimulates them and it ’s fun , and it really helps them bond with their people . … You just need to roll in the hay what really rock their socks , what kinds of delicacy they adore . A treat does not have to be a food goody ; a treat can be being pet or affection . "
Remember when we said that the Turkish van was acrobatic ? Yeah , please do not confuse that with cerebration they are graceful . piece of furniture wobbles and rock and roll when he jumps , things will get knock off ledgesas he give-up the ghost by , and each time he have his manner back down to the base , you willdefinitelyknow it .
While Turkish van are warm to their syndicate member ( Krieger allege " they ’re definitely hoi polloi cats " ) , these are not normally lap cats . They may lie in next to you and will happily allow themselves to be petted , but this is not a strain that tolerates being picked up and often wants to benearyou , notonyou .
in the end , depending on individual disposition , Turkish van have a reputation for being eager natator and water enthusiasts . Owners report finding their vans play in sewer , turning on water faucets so they can drink and splosh , and even going for poor swimming in pools or lake .
Living Needs
Turkish vans do well in a single - favorite household . When put in a home with other cat , they are fairly quick to accept the company . Dogs can be no job , too , as long as they areintroduced decent and patiently .
When it comes to families , Turkish vans arehappy to play with children , but care must be take to make indisputable small I are reminded how to interact with pets and topay aid to the kitty ’s organic structure speech .
" They do n’t need to be picked up and held as a general rule , " Krieger says . " That ’s kind of a Turkish van matter ; they show their affection in other ways . So if they ’re with nestling , it ’s something important for kids to know . "
Turkish vans are a social and smart strain , and they ’re not a hombre you may leave alone all twenty-four hour period long . If you have to give them alone , you need to verify they won’tget breakup anxiety .
" You ask to have stuff for them , likeinteractive toys that they like , " Krieger says . " You ask to verify you have that vertical territory [ like cat trees ] and scratcher and all those type of things for them . You might evenwant to have a pet cameraso you may interact with them . "
Care
Turkish vans areseasonal spiller , as their coat gets thicker over the winter month and thins out in the warm calendar month . But aside from seasonal changes , they are passably easy cats to maintain , thanks to their want of an undercoat .
Brushing them with a slicker brushonce a week should be plenty to keep them looking lustrous and sharp . Baths should n’t necessitate to be a common occurrent , but when they are necessary , acknowledge that the Turkish van ’s naturally water - repellent coat can make it difficult to get them properly sporty .
As with all cats , verify totrim your Turkish van ’s nail , keep hislitter box fair , andbrush his tooth at home .
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Health
As an super honest-to-goodness , of course occurring stock , the Turkish vanguard is largely free of genetic issues and stock - specific health defects . Unlike the Turkish Angora , the Turkish van does n’t have issuance with hearing loss .
keep on an eye on coarse feline issue as they age is a secure bet , and older cats may have to have their diets adjust to keep them from fall intothe trap of fleshiness .
Additionally , due to the Turkish van ’s great size , you may desire to talk to your vet about delay anyspay or altering procedure , as an early adjustment to their hormone levels can affect how their castanets and muscles grow .
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" Sometimes these larger breeds are being spayed at four or five months of age because that ’s been the veterinary average , " says Carol Margolis , DVM , DACT , of theGold Coast Center for Veterinary Careon Long Island , N.Y. " But I ’m a reproductive specialist , so I ’m a swelled fan of generative hormones . I ’ll let my larger breeds of cats go closer to 1 year of age [ before spay or fixing ] if we can . "
History
The Turkish van has been around for century , naturally roaming the mountains in their mother country of modern - day Turkey . Specific breed origins are always hard to track , but archeologists have found artwork and jewelry date back at least 5,000 year that bears prototype of cats with remarkably standardized body human body and mark to the Turkish new wave , according to the Turkish Van Cat Club(TVCC ) .
The breed is genetically unlike from the Turkish Angora in a number of ways , the most detectable of which is coating color . While Turkish Angoras are solid lily-white computed axial tomography , the Turkish new wave is actually a darker - colored cat with large lily-white spot that treat almost their entire bodies .
The Turkish van begin to win notice outside of their aboriginal area when two British traveling writers , Laura Lushington and Sonia Halliday , were given a yoke of van cats as talent while touring the rural area in 1954 , accord to the ( TVCC ) . Surprised by how hardily the pair of cats handled the rigors of railway car travel and delighted by their preference for swimming , Lushington and Halliday decided to play the CAT back home with them and began engender the pair shortly thereafter .
earlier call the Turkish cat , the name was changed to Turkish vanguard after receiving recognition by theGoverning Council of the Cat Fancy(GCCF ) in 1969 , to aid speciate the strain from the Turkish Angora . Vans were bring to the United States in 1982 and bear by theCat Fanciers ' Associationin 1994 .
