Turkish Van Cat

The Turkish Van is a loyal, loving and very intelligent feline.. Its temperament depends greatly on its upbringing, the amount of human contact and handling it receives as a kitten, and the temperament of the queen (mother) herself. They are very affectionate, giving head butts and love bites, but to the uninitiated this could be slightly alarming, but when you get to know your cat you will begin to understand. They are very boisterous and fun loving
They are great climbers, so don't be surprised to find them sitting on top of doors, kitchen units or wardrobes, and some wouldn't think twice about climbing your curtains and sitting on the curtain rail. A great game is retrieving screwed up paper, some catching the ball of paper in mid flight, others making great somersaults. They will also enjoy games with balls of foil to chase.
Where water is concerned, some are not very keen at all, whereas others may love dripping taps, especially drinking from them, then flicking the water with their paws, or dropping toys into their water bowl. It has been known for Turks to swim in the bath, swimming pool or even the sea. So be warned they may come and join in your daily shower. They may even join you in the bath, or jump straight into a nearby fish pond or lake for a quick dip! They may also become curious about toilets.
They like to be involved in everything their owners do and follow them around like a dog. In fact some people have said that Turkish Vans are more like dogs than cats. On the whole, they get on very well with dogs indeed, but the Turk will want to be the boss. In most instances the females are more independent and if you have a male and female, she will normally rule the roost, but there are always the exceptions.
Of course, as with all things in life there are a few downsides. Turks have been known to wreak havoc, such as shredding curtains, knocking ornaments and plants off shelves, mantelpieces and kitchen surfaces etc., sometimes this is quite deliberate! Also they have the ability to open doors, especially cupboards etc. and don't think twice about knocking the contents onto the floor. They can be naughty and very confident as they go about wreaking havoc. It is best to keep these cats busy and not allow them to become bored. A busy household full of family members who will all have a minute or two here and there to fuss or play with the cat, or just to entertain them as they watch you go about your business. The only thing that will knock the Turkish Van’s confidence and may reduce your brave lively puss to a frightened little kitty is the pitch of certain noises.
These cats can be extremely vocal, dislike travel and can almost be like having an additional child join the family.
Not a breed for everyone, but some Van lovers wouldn’t be without them.