|
Due to a genetic flaw, Van cats have become the darling of the feline world. Contrary to common belief, not all Van cats have one blue and one green eye; some have two blue eyes, some have two amber eyes, and some have one blue and amber.
A piece of jewellery
The first record of Van cats can be found in Indian jewellery and seals. Later, the area was conquered by the Romans, who appropriated the symbol of the Van cat and placed it on their shield and standards. There is no consensus among experts as to the origin of the Van breed. Some believe that they came from Egypt, some from Asia, and others that the Van cat is endemic to the region of Van, as supported by Urartian evidence.In the 1950s, an English woman named Laura Lushington took a pair of Van cats to England where they were certified as purebred. Soon, the Van cat became very popular in England and France, and many Van cat clubs were established. However, until recently, the Van cat has not been afforded the same special care and attention in its homeland as it receives in Europe and beyond.
Nevertheless, this is all set to change. Ph.D. Professor Fetih Gulyuz, the deputy head of the Van Cat Research Centre attached to the Yüzüncü Yıl University stated that the centre was established to protect the breed, whose numbers are falling.
The governorship of Van has also undertaken many projects to protect the breed. In the past, their policy was to keep the breed in Van. They even provided financial support to families who bred the cats. However, this policy proved unsuccessful. Mehmet Niyazi Tanılır, the governor of Van, told us that they are currently in the process of establishing Van cat breeding farms in the popular tourists regions of Edremit and Gevas. These farms are being given five-year interest-free loans. The farms will be open to the public and the cats will be for sale. The farms will be advertised and promoted in Turkey and abroad. Tanılır added that the farms would open soon, but that cat lovers would have to wait a year to get their own Van cat.
To learn more about Van cats, send an email to kedikedivan@hotmail.com.
