MyCatBreeds
Turkish Van is originated from Turkey but British Longhair is originated from United Kingdom. Both Turkish Van and British Longhair are of same weight. Both Turkish Van and British Longhair has almost same life span. Both Turkish Van and British Longhair has same litter size. Turkish Van requires Low maintenance. But British Longhair requires Moderate maintenance
Hailing from Turkey, the Turkish Van was brought to the UK in 1955 by 2 British women, Laura Lushington and Sonia Halliday.
These cats were used as the foundation stock of the breed. They were brought to the United States in 1982 and accepted into championship with the Cat Fanciers’ Association in 1994.
They are a very rare breed and no other breed is allowed to be mixed into the cat's breeding schedule. All registered Turkish Van cats can have their ancestry traced back to the imported cats of Laura Lushington.
The British Longhair cat hails from Great Britain. The cat is a longer-haired variety of the British Shorthair.
These British Shorthairs were interbred with imported long-haired varieties with the idea being to bring about a cat that was more compact and stout and with a rounder face. Today the British Longhair is an established longhair breed in its own right.
This is a medium to large-sized cat weighing roughly 3 to 8kg. It’s a semi-long-haired domestic cat breed that was actually developed in the United Kingdom with a selection of cats from Turkey.
The breed is distinguished by the Van pattern where the color is restricted to the head and tail. So the cat is white with color on the head and the tail. The Turkish Van has no undercoat and the cat has a sleek appearance.
The cat is quite long and its back legs are slightly longer than its front legs. The paws are large and they are strong jumpers.
These cats are playful, active, and independent and they are also excellent hunters. They are affectionate and form strong bonds with their human families.
They get on well with kids as well as with other pets. Energetic and agile, they love to leap up onto high places. For a cat, they also have this fascination with water and may well follow their human into a swimming pool or lake.
The beautiful British Longhair cat is a medium-sized feline, leaning towards being a large cat with semi-long hair.
The cat, whether males or females can weigh between 4 and 8kg. It is robust and muscular with round paws and legs of medium length. The ears are smallish and round at the tips.
The color of the eyes can be different - browns, greens, blue, and grey. The colors of the coat can be blue, white, black, grey, calico, tabby, bi-color and tortoiseshell. The coat can be a solid color or it can be in different patterns. The fur is always medium length and silky with an undercoat.
The British Longhair has much the same personality as the British Shorthair – being calm, amicable cats who appreciate their human owners.
They’re adaptable cats too and are willing to get along with any other pets in the home as well. They’re playful and affectionate with their owners but don’t particularly like being held for too long.
Even though this is a docile cate, it is intelligent and will require mental stimulation. You’ll need to invest in a few ‘intelligent’ type of toys to keep your cat physically and mentally active. Take a look at the kinds of games where your cat will be required to ‘hunt’ for his food.
Lively, social, and intelligent, the Turkish Van is going to make you a wonderful pet and companion.
He is an active cat and will require you to play with him and provide some form of exercise for him.
He likes to leap up onto perches so getting him a climbing tree will serve him well as he is a cat that loves perching on high up places.
These cats are also low maintenance which simply adds to them being such perfect pets for single people, couples, families and seniors, just so long as he is provided with lots of love and care.
The British Longhair makes an awesome pet and can live happily with children, other dogs, and cats and all of his human family.
He isn’t a cat that wants to be picked up too often – he is independent but is willing and loving towards his humans.
For the friendship he offers, you’ll want to reward him for the joy he brings by providing well for him.
Your Turkish Van counts on you to ensure his health and wellbeing. This will ensure he lives a long and healthy life.
Obesity is a major disease that contributes to many illnesses in cats. Excess weight is one of the factors for the development of arthritis and diabetes as well as some life-threatening diseases.
All kinds of parasites can invade your Turkish Van’s body. . Many types of parasites can be detected with a fecal exam, so a trip to your vet may be necessary.
These beautiful cats can be prone to obesity if kept as an indoor cat only and a cat that doesn't get enough exercise.
Obesity, an accumulation of excess body weight, is a preventable disease. It is necessary to prevent this obesity as it can reduce your pet’s life expectancy. Fat tissue is active, secreting inflammatory hormones and creating oxidative stress on the body’s tissue, and this is precisely what contributes to so many diseases.
The British Longhair cat can also be prone to renal polycystosis. This disease is where many pockets of fluid or cysts form in the kidney and if they grow large over time they can actually interfere with kidney function and this can bring on kidney failure.
One of the most important things with a cat is diet. The cat is a carnivore. Watch his diet, and make sure he gets plenty of meaty food.
Check with your vet if you aren’t sure how to feed your cat. There must always be a constant supply of fresh, cool water available and both food and water bowls must be washed regularly.
Regularly brush your cat’s coat gently and at the same time check the body over for any unusual lumps. If you discover a new lump, get your cat to the vet.
Be sure to schedule in your cat’s vaccinations as without these your cat can die from some of the more dangerous ones.
Another wise move, if at all possible, is to sign up for pet health insurance as then you won’t dread it financially when your vet requests medical tests be done on your cat.
There are simple things you can do to ensure the longevity of your beloved cat. Good food, exercise, fresh water, and plenty of love and attention.
Turkish Vans can have problems with their teeth. Teeth brushing can be massively traumatic and uncomfortable for your pet, but the best diet and vet care will ensure healthy teeth.
Cats are meticulous about hygiene so ensure the litter box is kept clean. Remove the cat’s feces every single day.
Because of the long hair, the British Longhair is going to require brushing as the coat can easily become matted, particularly as the coat thickens in preparation for winter.
You’ll need to brush the hair once a week, but perhaps more in peak shedding times. A gentle but firm brushing keeps the cat’s fur and skin in good condition.
Have your pet spayed and neutered to avoid unwanted kittens.
Take your pet to the vet as soon as he is unwell. He is part of your family now and must be treated as such.
Provide your pet with human companionship especially if you buy one of the more social cats.
If your cat is an indoor pet, provide him with a litter box ad be prepared to clean it every day.
Provide a clean, dry, comfortable bed in a quiet area.
Provide your cat with stimulating toys.
Vaccinate your cat against the major feline diseases. Also, have your cat dewormed.
In terms of nutritional requirements, make sure that your British Longhair gets the very best cat food there is, whether you provide him with homemade food or you give him some of the excellent commercially manufactured cat foods there are.
There are wet- and dry foods and it's for your furry friend to decide which one he prefers.
Learn to read labels and make sure your cat is getting foods high in protein, after all, your cat is a carnivore.
Be sure that the food has lots of vitamins and minerals for his health. A cat also needs a constant supply of fresh, cool water.