Real Turkish Van

[ozadars]

Hi there,

Long before we discussed in a topic about what we does the Turkish Van in Turkey actually looks like and what does it look like outside of Turkey. Since, my friend is now keeping one of them I wanted to share her photos with you.

The distinct features of the real Turkish Vans that live in the Van area in Turkey are;

- White with odd eyes
- Small body size
- Big pink ears
- There should be two small black dots on the forehead but it can be seen if you look carefully
- The coat is actually long but it looks shorts because it is not erected like persians
- Long thin arms, long and hairy tail.
- Loves water and swimming

 

[ozadars]

This is the first Turkish Van imported from Turkey by an English lady. She is carrying the patterns which is known as Van pattern in the world but it is supposed this cat has spots because it was not a pure breed Turkish Van.

http://tr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dosya:V...0skenderun.jpg

 

[StefanZ]

Ah lovely. Save the colour of eyes, it could be a White Russian.


I have heard a tale the Turkish Vans are really the cats of the armenians living in that area. But when the armenian people there got destroyed in the infamous purges of 1915, their lovely cats got abandoned and thus - these surviving of them taken over by the turks.

The armenian businessmen and sellers were travelling far and widely.

So it is not at all impossbible they also did fetched Russian blues, and some interbreeding took place resulting in the russian-alike armenio-turkish van???

 

[ozadars]

Well, there is a possibility of Russian Blues and real Turkish Vans coming from same ancestors but it is very long before Armenian business man existed. The first images of Turkish Van can be seen on the jeweleries of Hittite which is almost 4000 years ago, before Armenians, Persians, Romans, Greeks and many many other nations that lived on this area. In fact, the origins of Turkish Van as a natural breed is probably going even before Hittites.

If there are any genetic relationship between Russian Blue and Turkish Van, I believe it should be natural - without human interaction. Also, the ancestors of Russian Blue are coming from the very north of Russia, close to Finland. There is a really huge distance between that place and the east of Turkey. I also believe, that the Russian Blue has changed a lot since it was brought to England in 1890, like the Turkish Van and Turkish Angora is much different than the origins.

However, although they don't look alike today, there is probably a big genetic analogy between the real Turkish Van and the ancestors of Persians because they were living in the same area.

 

[persi & alley]

Thank you for sharing that with us. I have been to your country but never really noticed the cats. Here is my problem: Back when I had dogs (Basenjis), I recognized every breed in the AKC. I am a member now of the CFA but there are several other cat orginations, some that recognize my Persi as a Himalayan breed but the CFA says he his a Persian cat with a seal point colourpoint. Himalayan refers to a colourpoint and nothing else according to the CFA. But other cat organizations say it is a separate breed. I have recorded all the CATS101 TV shows and they always go with what the CFA says.

So, I can undersand your frustration at us that do not really understand what the Turkish Van is all about. It really sounds like a wonderful cat. I have to admit that the reason I have a Persian cat is beause I have a Persian wife. If I had a Turkish wife, I would probably have the Turkish Van!

 

[goldenkitty45]

JFYI - CFA did have Himalayans as a separate breed for a long time - I think it was in the 90's when they changed them to a pointed division in the Persian breed.

ACFA still considers them 2 separate breeds right now.

Then you also have the "Exotic Longhairs" - which are the recessive from the Exotic SHs (out of Persians) - IMO ELH is nothing more then a Persian, but the Persian people want to remain "purist"!

 

[xocats]

Originally Posted by StefanZ

I have heard a tale the Turkish Vans are really the cats of the armenians living in that area. But when the armenian people there got destroyed in the infamous purges of 1915, their lovely cats got abandoned and thus - these surviving of them taken over by the turks.

Originally Posted by ozadars

Well, there is a possibility of Russian Blues and real Turkish Vans coming from same ancestors but it is very long before Armenian business man existed. The first images of Turkish Van can be seen on the jeweleries of Hittite which is almost 4000 years ago, before Armenians, Persians, Romans, Greeks and many many other nations that lived on this area. In fact, the origins of Turkish Van as a natural breed is probably going even before Hittites.

If there are any genetic relationship between Russian Blue and Turkish Van, I believe it should be natural - without human interaction. Also, the ancestors of Russian Blue are coming from the very north of Russia, close to Finland. There is a really huge distance between that place and the east of Turkey. I also believe, that the Russian Blue has changed a lot since it was brought to England in 1890, like the Turkish Van and Turkish Angora is much different than the origins.

That is fascinating information about those beautiful cat's possible origins.