Turkish Van Cat Breed

Turkish Van Cat Breed: Size

Medium to large, with males weighing 9 to 20 pounds and females weighing 7 to 12 pounds; Coat

Semi-long, fine, cashmere-like; Color

Red, cream, black, blue, red tabby, cream tabby, brown tabby, blue tabby, tortoiseshell, dilute tortoiseshell, brown patched tabby and blue patched tabby

The beautiful Turkish Van is distinguished by her chalk-white body and colored markings on the head and long, plumed tail. This curious feline has powerful hind legs that allow her to jump on otherwise hard-to-reach spaces. The sweet, loving breed likes to be involved in whatever is going on and enjoys curling up on a lap. A slow-maturing breed, the Turkish Van takes three to five years to reach maturity.

Did you know?

The Turkish Van is a rare, ancient breed that developed in central and Southeast Asia, in areas known today as Iran, Iraq, southwest Soviet Union and eastern Turkey.

True Nature of Cats

Interested in learning about your cat's true nature? We studied one of their living ancestors, the African Wild Cat, and turned those insights into an interactive journal.