Van Kedisi

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Van Kedisi
A Van Cat kitten from the village of Agarti (former Ayanis), near Van city.
Alternative names
Van Cat
Country of origin
Lake Van, Turkey
"Van cat" redirects here. You may be looking for Turkish Van.

The Van cat (Turkish: Van Kedisi, Armenian: Վանա կատու transliteration: Van'a Gadou, is a distinctive breed of domestic cat that is found mainly in the Lake Van region of Turkey.

It is large, all white, and is often found with mismatched eyes[1]

Contents

[edit] History

The Van Cat has been reported living in the vicinity of the city of Van for centuries, and medieval sources mention white cats as being one of the exports of the Van region.

[edit] Characteristics

The cats are notable for their lean, long-legged appearance. They are reported to like water more than most cats, and have been seen swimming in Lake Van. They are described as being "terrible house pets". [1] They are reported to be friendly and intelligent, but also to howl more than meow, take pleasure in breaking things, and are very jealous of other animals in the house. Also, given the scarcity of the breed, few veterinarians will spay or neuter them[citation needed].

Their most notable genetic characteristic is their often mismatched almond-shaped eyes. The most valued and valuable members of the breed generally have one amber-green eye and one blue eye. They also reportedly have a genetic tendency to deafness.

[edit] Current status

An adult female Van Cat photographed in the compound of the Van Cat Research Center
An adult female Van Cat photographed in the compound of the Van Cat Research Center

During the late 1990s the Van Cat emerged as an informal municipal symbol of the city of Van – an enormous statue of a Van Cat and kitten now stands at the entrance to the city, and the cat appears in a local comic strip , and in the logos of bus companies, shopping centres, various businesses, etc. Ironically, this paralleled a serious decline in Van Cat numbers.

In the mid-1990s the "Van Cat House", a Van Cat breeding and research center, was established within the campus of Van University (Van Yüzüncü Yıl Universitesi / Van Hundredth Year University). However, reports [1] have revealed that the living conditions for the cats held there leaves much to be desired, and the breeding program seems to be ineffective in reversing the Van Cats’ declining numbers. The center currently (2006) houses about 100 adult, young cats, and kittens, and is open to the public for a nominal entrance fee (currently 1 lira). [2]

At the end of the 19th century, Sultan Abdul Hamid II is said to have owned a Van Cat, and owning a Van Cat is still seen as a status symbol: a Prime Minister of Turkey received one as a gift, and an ambassador from Greece put himself on a waiting list to get one. Kittens for the breeding center could be purchased for $30 in 2006, but their export from Turkey is theoretically outlawed (with a reported fine of $50,000.[citation needed] )

To increase the population of the Van Kedisi, the local government of Van instituted a program which would pay residents the equivalent of $200.00 per month to keep one. This program was discontinued by a later government.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c http://newspot.byegm.gov.tr/2006/february/ns11.htm
  2. ^ Most of the above information is contained in "Van City Guide", Ankara, 2005.

[edit] External links

  • Van cat at the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Culture and Tourism website.
  • VanCat.org - a website about Van Cats.
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