Turkish Van

Turkish Vans are very intelligent, and will easily take over their home and owners.

White Turkish Vans should be solid white if that variety is accepted by their registration association.

While a few registries recognise all-white specimens as Turkish Vans, most do not.

As such, Turkish Vans have been nicknamed the "Swimming Cats" for this most unusual trait.

Van-patterned Turkish Vans are not prone to deafness, because their phenotype is associated with the van pattern (S) semi-dominant gene.

No other breed is allowed to be mixed into the breeding schedule, and all registered Turkish Vans can trace their ancestry back to imported cats of Laura Lushington.

At present cat associations in England recognize the patterned offspring of such a mating as Turkish Vans and the white offspring as a new breed called Turkish Vankedisi.