Van Kedisi
Encyclopedia
- Not to be confused with Turkish VanTurkish VanThe Turkish Van is a recognized cat breed that is known for its unusual love of water and swimming. They were created from the cats native to the Lake Van area of Turkey. The cats of this type are named in Turkish Van Kedisi , in Armenian vana katou or vana gadou and in Kurdish...
.
The Van Cat is a distinctive breed of domestic cat
Cat
The cat , also known as the domestic cat or housecat to distinguish it from other felids and felines, is a small, usually furry, domesticated, carnivorous mammal that is valued by humans for its companionship and for its ability to hunt vermin and household pests...
that is found mainly in the Lake Van
Lake Van
Lake Van is the largest lake in Turkey, located in the far east of the country in Van district. It is a saline and soda lake, receiving water from numerous small streams that descend from the surrounding mountains. Lake Van is one of the world's largest endorheic lakes . The original outlet from...
region of eastern Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. It is large, all-white, and frequently odd eyed
Odd-eyed cat
An odd-eyed cat is a cat with one blue eye and one green, yellow or brown eye. It is a feline form of complete heterochromia, a condition which occurs in some other animals...
.
History
The Van Cat has been reported living in the vicinity of the city of VanVan, Turkey
Van is a city in southeastern Turkey and the seat of the Kurdish-majority Van Province, and is located on the eastern shore of Lake Van. The city's official population in 2010 was 367,419, but many estimates put this as much higher with a 1996 estimate stating 500,000 and former Mayor Burhan...
for centuries, and medieval sources mention white cats as being one of the exports of the Van region.
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 swimmingAquatic locomotion
Swimming is biologically propelled motion through a liquid medium. Swimming has evolved a number of times in a range of organisms ranging from arthropods to fish to molluscs.-Evolution of swimming:...
in Lake Van
Lake Van
Lake Van is the largest lake in Turkey, located in the far east of the country in Van district. It is a saline and soda lake, receiving water from numerous small streams that descend from the surrounding mountains. Lake Van is one of the world's largest endorheic lakes . The original outlet from...
. They are described as being "terrible house pets". They are reported to be friendly and intelligent, but also to howl more than meow
Cat communication
Cat communication is the range of methods by which cats communicate with other cats, humans, and other animals. Communication methods include postures, movement , and auditory and chemical signals.The communication methods used by cats have been affected by the domestication process.-Auditory...
, 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.
Their most notable genetic characteristic is their almond-shaped eyes that often are mismatched colors
Odd-eyed cat
An odd-eyed cat is a cat with one blue eye and one green, yellow or brown eye. It is a feline form of complete heterochromia, a condition which occurs in some other animals...
. 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, as do any all-white breed of domestic cats and dogs.
Current status
Statue
A statue is a sculpture in the round representing a person or persons, an animal, an idea or an event, normally full-length, as opposed to a bust, and at least close to life-size, or larger...
of a Van Cat and kitten
Kitten
A kitten is a juvenile domesticated cat.The young of big cats are called cubs rather than kittens. Either term may be used for the young of smaller wild felids such as ocelots, caracals, and lynx, but "kitten" is usually more common for these species....
now stands at the entrance to the city, and the cat appears in a local comic strip
Comic strip
A comic strip is a sequence of drawings arranged in interrelated panels to display brief humor or form a narrative, often serialized, with text in balloons and captions....
, and in the logos of bus companies, shopping centres
Shopping mall
A shopping mall, shopping centre, shopping arcade, shopping precinct or simply mall is one or more buildings forming a complex of shops representing merchandisers, with interconnecting walkways enabling visitors to easily walk from unit to unit, along with a parking area — a modern, indoor version...
, 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 Yil Üniversitesi
Van Yüzüncü Yıl Üniversitesi is a large university, run by the Turkish State, situated within an extensive campus, located on the outskirts of the city of Van. It was established in 1982....
(Van Yüzüncü Yıl Universitesi / Van Hundredth Year University). However, reports have revealed that the living conditions for the cats held there leaves much to be desired, and the breeding program
Breeding program
Breeding programs help animals to breed and can be good for animals as well as the agricultural economy.A breeding program is the planned breeding of a group of animals or plants, usually involving at least several individuals and extending over several generations...
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).
At the end of the 19th century, Sultan
Sultan
Sultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
Abdul Hamid II
Abdul Hamid II
His Imperial Majesty, The Sultan Abdülhamid II, Emperor of the Ottomans, Caliph of the Faithful was the 34th sultan of the Ottoman Empire...
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
Prime Minister of Turkey
The Prime Minister of the Turkey is the head of government in Turkish politics. The prime minister is the leader of a political coalition in the Turkish parliament and the leader of the cabinet....
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. )
To increase the population of the Van Cat, 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.
In popular culture
The mascot of the 2010 FIBA World Championship2010 FIBA World Championship
The 2010 FIBA World Championship, hosted by Turkey, was the international basketball competition contested by the men's national teams. The tournament ran from August 28 to September 12, 2010. It was co-organized by the International Basketball Federation , Turkish Basketball Federation and the...
, hosted by Turkey, was an anthropomorphized Van Cat named "Bascat". He had a white coat and odd eyes, one blue and one green, and his head was altered to take design cues from the crescent moon on the Turkish flag
Flag of Turkey
The flag of Turkey is a red flag with a white crescent moon and a star in its centre. The flag is called Ayyıldız or Albayrak . The Turkish flag is referred to as Alsancak in the Turkish National Anthem....
.
See also
- Turkish VanTurkish VanThe Turkish Van is a recognized cat breed that is known for its unusual love of water and swimming. They were created from the cats native to the Lake Van area of Turkey. The cats of this type are named in Turkish Van Kedisi , in Armenian vana katou or vana gadou and in Kurdish...
- A breed descended from two kittens from the Lake Van region. - Van Cat naming controversyVan Cat naming controversyThe Van cat has been referred to as "Kurdish cat" or "Kurdish Van cat", and made a symbol of Kurdistan, by Kurdish nationalist circles.Florian Cremer, a spokesperson of a small German catbreeding group, stated that "the Turkish state wants to wipe out everything that symbolizes Kurdish culture.....
External links
- Van cat at the Republic of Turkey Ministry of Culture and Tourism website.
- VanCat.org - a website about Van Cats.