 In today's video, we are going to talk about some interesting facts and myths about the Turkish Van cat. Turkish Van is a type of semi-long-haired domestic cat that is native to the Lake Van area in Turkey. This is an ancient, natural breed that originates from mountainous and rugged areas. Turkish Van has been introduced to Europe in 1955 into the USA in 1982, where this rare breed is mostly kept as a house pet and a show cat today. If you hear someone bragging about their Turkish Van, you'd be forgiven for thinking they were talking about an imported car. However, the Turkish Van is not a car but a rare breed of cat. And today we have some fun interesting facts about this very cool cat. This beautifully unique cat breed has many qualities that make them special in the cat world. The Turkish Van comes from the country of Turkey, which isn't too much of a surprise given the breed name. Besides their beauty and love of water, what else do you think you know about the Turkish Van cat breed? Here are some interesting facts and myths about the Turkish Van cat. 1. The Turkish Van is most likely an old breed. Like many cat breeds, no one quite knows the Turkish Van's true origins. According to famous legend, ancestors of the Turkish Van sailed aboard Noah's Ark. Once the boat reached Mount Ararat, a volcanic mountain in eastern Turkey that serves as the biblical vessel's mythical landing place, the cats hopped off and swam for dry land. God bless them, and his divine touch caused their white coats to develop their signature coloration. These cats became the progenitors of the Turkish Van breed. In reality, the Turkish Van breed probably developed in Central and Southwest Asia. It's believed that the furry cat has lived in Turkey's isolated lake in the Van region, which is a mountainous area that's home to the country's largest lakes. For the past generations, thanks to local legends, traditional folk songs, and ancient artifacts that reference the cat and its unusual markings, people now have a clue of the cat's true origins. The Turkish Van has been reportedly spotted in neighboring countries including Iran, Iraq, and parts of the former Soviet Union. 2. The cat was recently recognized solely in America. The Turkish Van eventually migrated from Turkey to Central Europe, possibly thanks to merchants, explorers, military troops, or returning crusaders, who brought the cat home with them during the late 13th century. But according to most sources, the cat didn't make its mark on the world until the mid-1950s, when two British women named Laura Lushington and Sonia Halliday were photographing Lake Van for the Turkish tourist board. When they had finished their project, the tourist board thanked them with a pair of unrelated dark red and white felines. Lushington took them back to England, began breeding the kitties, and imported more cats from Turkey to further improve the blood line. Eventually, the foreign breed was registered with the governing council of the cat Fancy or GCCF. Originally called Turkish Cats, their name was later changed to the Turkish Van to avoid confusion with the Turkish Angora breed. Over the years, the Turkish Van has also been known by a handful of other names. In 1969, the GCCF officially granted the Van full championship status. No one knows quite how or when Turkish Vans made their way to America, but in the early 1980s, two breeders named Barbara and Jack Riyark imported two of the cats from France, helping to pave the way for the Van's acceptance as a new breed. By 1985, the International Cat Association or Tika for short, also recognized the Van, and the Cat Fancyers Association CFA followed the trend in 1994. The Turkish Van is still relatively rare in America, so if you want to purchase one you might have to search long and hard for a breeder who sells the silky kitties. In 2013, CFA registration statistics showed that the Turkish Van ranked 41st in popularity out of the 43 breeds the organization accepts for championship status, probably because so few of them exist in the U.S. 3. The Turkish Van is protected in its native land. Even though the Turkish Van is beloved in the Republic of Turkey, one 1992 survey revealed that only 92 of the purebred felines remained in the country's Lake Van region. To expand the cat's bloodline, the Turkish government officially recognized the Van and launched measures to protect it, while a local university developed breeding programs. Today, very few Turkish Vans are exported to other countries, and most of America's breeding stock comes from Europe. Hello. This video is sponsored by Beemix Pets. Are you looking for high quality cat collars at an affordable cost? Check out BeemixPets.com. Use coupon code KittenLife to get 20% off. 4. The term Van markings was coined to describe the Turkish Van's coat. If you're a cat aficionado, you've likely heard the term Van markings, which describes a mostly white feline with colored markings that are restricted to its head and tail. This phrase was originally coined to describe the Turkish Van's unique coloration. The Van's markings can come in multiple shades, including red, cream, black and blue, and patterns like tabby and tortoise shell. Cat registries have rules about how many colored markings can cover the white portion of the Van's body before it's considered a bi-color cat instead of a Turkish Van. The CFA, in particular, only allows for 15% of the Van's entire body, excluding the head and tail, to be colored. You'll also find solid white Turkish Vans, and Vans that have been blessed with a color patch between their shoulder blades. Cat fanciers refer to this as the Markavala. Aside from its markings, the Van is known for its beautiful fur. It has a plume tail and a silky, semi-long coat that's water repellent. The coat is thick and dense in the winter, sheds to a shorter length in the summer, and has no under coat, so it's tangle-free and easy to groom. This fur covers a broad-chested, muscular body, which according to some accounts, can weigh anywhere from 7 to 20 pounds. 5. Turkish Van Cats Sometimes Have Odd Colored Eyes Turkish Van kittens are initially born with pale blue eyes, which change to a deeper blue or amber as they grow older. Occasionally, you'll also see a van with one amber eye and one blue eye, or two blue eyes of different hues. This unusual trait stems from the cat's piebald white spotting gene, which sometimes prevents melanin or pigment from imbuing one eye's iris with color. 6. Turkish Van Cats Are Said To Love Water Turkish Vans are often called the swimming cats, because they're said to love water. Fans of the fluffy feline claim they've seen the kitty jump into showers, pounce a dripping faucets, and splash through puddles, kitty pools, and thunderstorms. It's unknown why Vans like water, but it's likely that the breed developed its love for swimming, and its water repellent coat, to hunt for the fish that live in Lake Van. Still, these claims are speculative, so unless your Turkish Van has proven its love for all things liquid, don't try giving it a bath without clipping its claws first. 7. The Turkish Van Is A Lively Cat If you're looking for a quiet, cuddly lap cat, the Turkish Van is not the pet for you. But if you're looking for a live wire feline that likes to play games, leap onto high surfaces, and race around the house, the van might be your best vet. The Turkish Van cat personality is best described as energetic, playful and fun-loving. She requires a lot of attention from her pet parents, so she's the perfect match for those who have a lot of time and love to share with their fur baby. She's also a jumper, as the International Cat Association, TICA, explains, their powerful hind legs mean they are great jumpers and climbers, so expect to find them on top bookcases, or in some other area where they have located is a great place to ensure, that they can see everything going on, in their world. This breed can learn to fetch, says TICA, and you may even see them catch toys in mid-flight, or turn somersaults in their enthusiastic chases around the house. Although the Turkish Van can be a great roommate choice for a dog, you'll want to have a meet and greet before adopting this breed into a family with young children, and there should be supervision. Turkish Vans like to be cuddled and held on their own terms, though not for long periods of time, and while they're loving cats, they aren't very tolerant of people tugging at their tails or trying to pet them. If you enjoyed this video, kindly press the like button. Also don't forget to subscribe with notifications on, so that you don't miss out on videos like this. Thank you for watching.