Is my cat a turkish van?

Question

She looks exactly like a red tabby turkish van, but I adopted her from a couple who made no mention of her breed history. She's very soft and has only one layer of fur. Her personality matches up exactly to everything I've read, and she's getting quite large. The only thing is that she has a slightly shorter tail than what seems characteristic. here is a link to a picture of her http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o308/jackassfan311/100_0245.jpg and here's one that shows more of her markings http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o308/jackassfan311/00ivory3.jpg

Answer 1

She looks like she is, she may not be a pure breed but she most definitely has some turkish van in her.



http://www.vantasia.org/turk_char.html



The Turkish Van is a loyal, loving and very intelligent cat. Its temperament depends greatly on its upbringing, the amount of human contact and handling it receives as a kitten, and the temperament of the mother herself. They are very affectionate, giving head butts and love bites, but to the uninitiated this could be slightly alarming, but when you get to know your cat you will begin to understand.



They are great climbers, so don't be surprised to find them sitting on top of doors, kitchen units or wardrobes, and some wouldn't think twice about climbing your curtains and sitting on the curtain rail. A great game is retrieving screwed up paper, some catching the ball of paper in mid flight, others making great somersaults.



Where water is concerned, some are not very keen at all, whereas others may love dripping taps, especially drinking from them, then flicking the water with their paws, or dropping toys into their water bowl. It has been known for Turks to swim in the bath, swimming pool or even the sea. So be warned they may come and join in your daily shower. They may also become curious about toilets, so DON'T LEAVE THE LID UP!



They like to be involved in everything their owners do and follow them around like a dog. In fact some people have said that Turkish Vans are more like dogs than cats. On the whole, they get on very well with dogs indeed, but the Turk will want to be the boss. In most instances the females are more independent and if you have a male and female, she will normally rule the roost, but there are always the exceptions.



Of course, as with all things in life there are a few downsides. Turks have been known to wreak havoc, such as shredding curtains, knocking ornaments and plants off shelves, mantelpieces and kitchen surfaces etc., sometimes this is quite deliberate! Also they have the ability to open doors, especially cupboards etc. and don't think twice about knocking the contents onto the floor. We know of one family who previously owned Persians, and they thought they could be naughty! Nothing had prepared them for their Turkish pair, their home will never quite be the same again, but they love the cats to bits and wouldn't part with them for the world, they are affectionately known as the 'B Team'.



It appears to most owners that the Turkish Vans can be sensitive to certain sounds, and some are so sensitive that they appear to be nervous and will run and hide. On a cautionary note, don't catch a Turk unawares from behind, if startled they have been known to bite.



Traveling is another story. Some are very well behaved, others can be extremely vocal, sick or even mess themselves! There are various treatments available but they are not always as successful as we would like.



There have been many Turks that have been lead trained and enjoy their walks with their human owners, perhaps through country woods (one Turk even has a squirrel as a friend). They may even enjoy a paddle in a stream. The beach is another place of enjoyment, but beware of the strong winds, some Turks are very wary of them.



http://www.catsofaustralia.com/turkish_van.htm



The van is a large white semi longhaired cat with coloured markings on the head and tail. It is referred to a a piebald cat. The coat has a cashmere texture and does not have an undercoat. The coat is also water resistant which goes hand in hand with one of their personality traits of having a fascination with water.

Answer 2

Turkish Van Personality

Answer 3

Your cat DOESN'T look "exactly" like a Red Tabby Turkish Van.



- coat length is too short

- coat texture is wrong

- face is the wrong shape

- body shape is wrong

- too much colour on the body



Turkish Vans have "Van patterned" markings - with colour ONLY on the head and tail. Your cat is simply a "domestic" - a cat of no particular breed just like over 97% of the cats on this entire planet. Colour/pattern is called Red Classic Tabby and White.



Like JC said - with SO few breeders of Turkish Vans AND the fact that kittens are sold altered - there's just no way this cat is "part" Turkish Van, either, like some are incorrectly stating.

Answer 4

She's a very cute domestic short hair cat, with a pattern called the Van pattern. Real Turkish Vans are pretty scarce in the US, and there aren't a lot of breeders. The Van pattern isn't uncommon in domestic cats, and that's what you have. It's not uncommon for a domestic short/long haired cat to resemble a breed, as it's from these cats that the breeds were created. Unlike dogs, most cats aren't a breed or a mix of breeds, they are the domestics that Mother Nature created.

Answer 5

No, this cat is not a Turkish Van. It is not even the van pattern as the van pattern does not have markings on the body, only the head and tail have markings.

Answer 6

I found my Boy Blu on a sidewalk on my block. He was near death. I saw his blue eyes and supreme beauty and scooped him up and brought him home. I live in a hood with many Hasidum as well as Turkish and Russian Jews. There is the "sire" that combs the block.



Could he be a TV? Or is he simply gorgeous!

Answer 7

She may have some in her but...she is probably not a pure breed but one of her parents possibly. I have a cream Turkish van and his mother was pure bred, but his father was a gray tabby, so it is probable that your cat has that heritage but her head is a bit rounder than heart shaped,still shes a beautiful cat.

Answer 8

I don't know, but very cute cat. She looks like my cat in the face, but my cat is white with black markings. Except for the tail, my cat looks like a Japanese bobtail.