Van: The Turkish Cat House
Turks are crazy about cats. They cannot resist the fuzzy face, fluffy tail, and silly shenanigans that make cats cats. Some cats make it into a home of their own, but most of the cats in Turkey live on the streets. Because Turkey is a collective culture, the cats belong to no one person but to the whole community. People will make beds out of boxes and leave food and water for the feline friends who live nearby.
One of the breeds that is unique to Turkey is the Van cat. Van is the name for a province and a city in Turkey as well as the name of the nearby lake. The cat originates from this area and is famous for its white coat, mismatched colored eyes, and its love of swimming. The Van Cat Research and Application Center of Van Yüzüncü Yıl University has made it their mission to protect and promote this breed of cat. I had the opportunity to visit the “Van Cat House” and here are some pictures of the fluffy felines for your viewing pleasure.
These cats are living the high life with their own dining rooms and living rooms.
There is a gift shop for all your kitty cat souvenir needs.
To our friends in the West, keep looking East.
Leslie Connors
Leslie is a co-founder of West2East. Originally from Tennessee, Leslie has called Turkey home for the past eight years. To read more about her, click here.