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The Turkish Van breed warms up easily to people so be wary that you not let them out of the house without a leash. Yes, they can be highly trainable to walk with one just like a dog! And if you give them the right amount of space and time they will crawl up to your lap and contentedly curl up with you but not for a long time! Keep in mind; they don’t enjoy too much petting. It is a cool feline who is not at all bothered to be around strangers or be in new places. True to its feline nature, the Turkish Van reserves making judgments about anything or anyone until it has studied, surveyed and observed everything and everyone. But just a bit of reminder, they love attention from its owners but only thrive on occasional hugs and slight petting.

Once the consensus is in and it determines you to be of no threat to itself, the Van cat will have no qualms in letting you feel how valuable you are. These breeds of cats are deeply devoted and openly affectionate to their human families. This breed is a sweet companion to all the members of the family and will be glad to welcome you at the door when you return home or jump at you! Cats are keenly sensitive toward each of their human family’s mood and this feline trait has been discussed to extents amongst feline owner as positive traits of the Turkish Van. This feline breed will sense the change in the emotions of its human family and would seemingly mirror the caregiver’s inner workings.

Contrary to what most people think, Turkish Van cat aren’t stubborn as long as you patiently train them. They are quite adept to understanding human commands and instructions since they are a clever breed. With enough socialization training through repeated human exposure they are able to understand and learn tricks they are taught.

Find a favored toy which it can manage to carry in its jaws, show it to your pet and throw it a fair distance just like playing fetch with a dog. Do it often enough and observe your pet Turkish Van fetch the toy. The Turkish Van is a very social and vocal cat that has no problems being around new places and people. Generally, cats can get pretty skittish around strange humans and new environments, but not this one. It manages to adjust quite well in new situations so it is the perfect companion to take with you on a routine shopping trip or perhaps an extended vacation.

Turkish Van cats are actively playful and can also get quite occupied on whatever activity they are in at the moment, just like most felines. Just watching them at play will make your heart melt into mush. Call out to them so they get used to their names and wait for them to look into your eyes and be swept away. The felines create really strong bonds with their humans so it is no wonder that feline aficionados talk about this rare and treasured cat breed.

You will eventually see how easily your Turkish Van integrates itself to your family with no problems. Keep in mind though, that if you have young children in the house, training will also need to be given to your kids on how to respectfully handle felines. Turkish Van cats are known jumpers so make sure to supervise them when playing to avoid any mishaps. The measure of trust it has is readily shared for the people it holds dear. In fact, they are such a trusting sort that it would even eagerly greet guests at the door when they sense company!

When it comes to getting along with other pets, like most felines they will hardly ever meow at other cats and might also get along with dog breeds provided of course that you introduce them or better yet raised them together. If your pet tries to communicate with you, consider yourself lucky because that means they need something from you! You will in time be able to realize what it is trying to say to you. 

When it comes to mealtimes expect your pet to get excited, especially when it senses that you are about to feed him. You can train your Turkish Van cat to a certain extent since this breed is an independent thinker. You will soon notice that your pet understand your simple commands and respond by head butting your hand, curl up around your feet or plop itself where you are seated.

When it comes to staying outdoors or indoors, Turkish Van cats are quite a rare breed, you may want to keep them safe and secure for a number of reasons:

  • They are an attractive sort and with their friendly nature you might just lose one of them to a stranger if they get picked up by a random person.
  • You want to steer clear of feral animals which may infect it with disease and illness.
  • You want to keep them safe from vicious attacks.
  • You want to keep them away from road traffic which may result to accidents.


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