The Turkish Van: The Swimming Cat

The Turkish Van takes its name from Lake Van in eastern Turkey. Its appearance is striking: a pure white coat with cream or auburn markings on the ears and tail, and eyes that are often one blue and one amber. Its most distinctive trait is a love of water — yes, it really does enjoy swimming. Local legend has it that the Van was chosen for Noah's Ark as the resident mouser. In 1955, two British women traveling in Turkey discovered the breed and brought cats back to Europe, where the Van became widely popular. Today, the villages around Lake Van maintain conservation programs for the breed, and the Turkish government funds a research center in Van. The contrast between the Van's regal appearance and its playful love of water is what makes it so charming.