This beautiful and majestic cat gave name to a hair colour and it is the only domesticated breed that is not afraid of water and even can swim well. It has a strange and quite complicated nature and it is usually very dependent on humans.
Turkish Van is a natural breed, i.e. it developed on its own without human intervention. It happened, as its name suggests, in Turkey at the foot of Mount Ararat – specifically in an area around Lake Van which is almost isolated. The history doesn’t mention how cats got there. It is speculated that they could be the offsprings of semi-longhaired Chinese cats who came here on the Silk Road.
However, first Turkish cats were transferred to Europe in 1955 when two friends visited this area and were amazed by these wild semi-longhaired cats. No wonder, these creatures are really beautiful and intelligent and have a very unusual colour – two stains on their heads and a tail of the same colour. One of the two companions caught two cats and took them home with her, to England. It was a pair which was mostly white with characteristic red stains. Together with other, later imported cats from Lake Van, they established Turkish Vans breeding in Europe. The breed was already recognized in both England and Europe in 1971.
These cats have a quite strange character and if a person is not very experienced with cats, their behaviour may seem unpredictable. That’s why their breeding is not recommended to beginners. Turkish Vans are very focused on the human but if they think you don’t treat them kindly, they’ll let you know resolutely. A person who knows cats very well can read from their body posture what the animal is thinking. One needs experience for their breeding also because the peace and calmness are not their typical features.
Turkish Vans tend to get strongly attached to one person they devote all its love and inclination to. If there are other people living in the household, they will seek their company as well but they will keep their love manifestations only to the chosen one.
There are many good traits of this breed. These cats are active, like games and hunting. They also have a great deal of courage. They are not afraid of water like most other cats. On the other hand, there are some cats of this breed which even seek water and swim not only to get their prey but also for enjoyment.
Have you encountered this relatively rare and complicated breed yet? Even though its breeding is not as easy as pie, there are no doubts it’s worth it.
Kitten Lady describes her activities as kittens’ advocacy and humane education. This all is done by young beautiful Hannah Shaw. She’s a kitten rescuer, spreads the principles of humanity and is an unwavering advocate of animal rights. She decided to...
Several kinds of hedgehog are kept as pets. The most common one is the four-toed hedgehog or an African pygmy hedgehog in other words. This pet which is not very common but is becoming more and more popular can live up to 9 years in captivity and...
More than one artist fell in love with these creatures and looked for inspiration for work in them. One of them was Ernest Hemingway. He is the author of the well-known saying “One cat just leads to another”. He really kept a large number of cats (in...
We have an active and healthy lifestyle. Or at least we try to have. In relation to that, we don’t only think about our own food but also about our dogs’ food. The trend of barfing has already come to the Czech Republic, too. It is a method of feeding...
If you go camping for the first time, it is good to prepare for all various reactions of your furry friend. Do you travel with it by car and by public transport with no problems? Is your dog okay when not sleeping at home, e.g. in a mountain cabin? It...
As the name of this breed suggests, you can’t expect much hair on an American hairless terrier. This small or medium size muscled dog has hair only on its muzzle and eyebrows. But the interesting thing is that puppies are born with an undercoat which...
Let us get this straight, what is monoprotein food? It is wet food (i.e. cans and pouches) which contains only one type of meat, muscles and bowels. And why is it better than common wet food?
A meat bomb in a form of a dog paté or can doesn’t have to be only a reward. If you are planning to go on a long hike – to the mountains or to the valley – you can make the use of a dog meat can. Dogs in move, usually when doing any sport outside, need...
The cause of diabetes is a lack of insulin (a pancreas hormone) or the inability of the body to use it effectively (i.e. the resistance of tissues towards insulin). And it doesn’t matter if you’re a person or an animal. With diabetes, the sugar is...
Runner Dion Leonard could talk for hours about the bond which is created between a man and a dog and also about how an unknown Asian crossbreed dog becomes one of the most famous dogs on planet Earth. He bumped into a dog companion at the ultra-trial...
Even when you cannot or don’t want to take your dog on your holiday with you, you still have many options what to do with it. You can take him to your relatives, accommodate it in a dog hotel, use dog-sitting and other things. It’s not that easy with...
Cats can also be heroes and put their lives at risk to save someone from risky or life-threatening situations. The first cat hero I will introduce you to is Scarlett. She showed her heroism in the most natural form – she saved her kittens. She took...
