03 July 2018•Update: 04 July 2018
By Inci Gundag
LONDON
Turkey's famous cat center was featured in leading U.K. daily The Times on Tuesday.
A story titled "What’s new, pussycat? It’s time for your swim -- Turkish Van cats get their own pool" featured the unique research center.
Defining the research center as a "luxury villa with soft beds, fine cuisine and play areas", the story also discussed how Van cats, known for their odd-eyes and their fluffy white hair, love swimming.
"Now a group of lucky cats in Turkey can relax in their own private swimming pool," said the article.
"A local businessman has paid for a pool at a research centre that is home to 350 Van cats," the story said.
Also shedding light on Turkish people's love for stray animals, The Times included President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's tweet saying: "Animals are not properties, they are lives."
The Turkish Van Cat Research Center in eastern Van province is headed by the Yuzuncu Yil University.
Turkish Van cats can be categorized according to the color of their eyes and their furs. While some are odd-eyed -- one blue and the other amber, others have a pair of blue or amber eyes.
Also, while some have completely white fur, others have a dash of brown above their ears, head or on their body.
Reporting by Inci Gundag:Writing by Merve Aydogan
