The cat known in the United States as the Turkish Van is a rare
and ancient breed that developed in central and southwest Asia,
which today encompasses the countries of Iran, Iraq, southwest
Soviet Union and eastern Turkey. "Van" is a common term in the
region that has been given to a number of towns, villages and
even a lake, Lake Van. So it's no surprise that the uniquely
patterned cat native to the region was named the "Vancat" by the
residents. They were first brought to England in 1955 as the
Turkish cats, but this was later changed to Turkish Van to avoid
confusion with the Turkish Angora. Although the breed has an
ancient lineage, the Turkish Van is a relative newcomer to the
United States, arriving in 1982. They are considered regional
treasures in their homeland and are not readily available for
export to other countries. Even in areas where the breed has
been known for centuries, they are still relatively rare. The
breed was first brought into Europe from the Middle East by
returning crusaders and h