The Van Cat, a Native Breed of the Armenian Highlands

The Van cat is a rare and distinctive breed found around Lake Van. Its name comes from that place, and it is considered a native breed of the Armenian Highlands.

As early as the time of Urartu, the Kingdom of Ararat, people brought these cats to granaries to rid them of mice. Ornaments from the Urartian period depict large, light-coloured cats with ringed tails, typical of Van cats. After the Armenian Genocide, the Van cat was declared a Turkish national heritage.

The photograph shows a white, long-haired cat with reddish colouring near the ears and on the tail. Its eyes are of different colours, one amber and one blue.