The 2023 breeding program for Van cats, a type under protection and famous far beyond Turkish borders, has begun at a research center in eastern Türkiye.

The cats, unique for their different eye colors and white fur, enjoyed calming music to help set the mood.

Professor Dr. Abdullah Kaya, director of the Van Cat Research Center, where the breeding takes place, said that the program for 2023 is underway.

"While doing these (observing the mating behavior), we see the mothers lose weight considerably because they have been dealing with the birth and feeding of kittens for a long time. We have taken necessary precautions, provided vaccinations and health checks for the cats."

At the center, where efforts are made to produce more of these unique cats each year, special rooms are prepared for the cats and along with comprehensive health checks, including vaccination.

Located in the eastern Van province, the research center works under the auspices of the Van Yüzüncü Yıl University. The white cats at the center that are either odd-eyed – one blue and the other amber – or in pairs (blue or amber) attract attention with their affectionate personalities and are often visited by children.

Kaya explained that they feed the cats foods rich in vitamins and fat during this process. He also noted that 180 kittens were born last year. ''According to our evaluations, the mothers who already gave birth to offspring are taken into consideration, and if there are deformed mothers or male partners, we relocate them,'' he said.

"We continue to work systematically at our center. Cats want a home environment. They love attention; therefore, this place needs to be cheerful and have a positive atmosphere,'' Kaya added. He also underscored that the quality of breeding increases day by day, noting that they plan to mate 45-50 of the 92 breeding-age cats this year.