some website's FYI

http://www.fanciers.com/breed-faqs/maine-coon-faq.html
http://www.fanciers.com/breed-faqs/...ngora-faq.shtml

no turkish van faq however

Turkish Van Cats are indeed very beautiful cats.. but due to its breed nearing to extinct... it is not easy to actually find a pure breed nowadays.. that goes the same with Turkish Angoras.. I have read somewhere a few years back.. that some measures are being put in place to support the breeding and increasing its populations again.. but however.. I am not sure how many
breeders are still have the pure breeds... Are you looking for yourself..

__________________
=^..^=
MySkogKatt ~ Home of the Norwegian Forest Cats
Pioneer in breeding Norwegian Forest Cats in Asia/Msia ~ Breeds Only the ORIGINALS
www.myskogkatt.com

hi kak sha...

yup i agree that both breed are quite near to extinction.

i am not searching for one though no money yet to have a pedigree / purebred ones

i'm just helping out

p/s burnian : inside whiskas australia webside got some reputable breeder contacts

The most important is what you like instead of what other people like. There is potential for Van but you have to make a lot of efford to educate people about this breed... to us in the cat forum ni of cozlah no problem but to those makcik dan pakcik2 yang tak tau menau about cats sure akan memberi persepsi yang berbeza..... buat demonstrasi kucing tu boleh berenang... sure terperanjat dier orang.... then only it will become popular... its hard for this breed to be known by itself.

Its hard to set up something new but once it was established ... it will be smooth as silk... betul tak Kak Sha ??? ......

__________________
Mainecoon And American Curls Sanctuary www.pusakarimbakl.com
www.geocities.myheritage_cattery.com

Last Fri, there was a program on Discovery or NG talking abt cats. The Van and Anggora was featured in it. But it was only 30 mins.

Actually, the original Van is all white. Only when it was imported and bred in UK/US, did the Van pattern on the head was specified.

Allycat

white van is actually prized by turkish people. just the auburn (original / red) markings is not preferable by turkish people. however, to the westerners, the van marking is the pattern that make a turkish van distictive.

yup, if m not mistaken, there are few breeders in australia too but i cant remember what is the website... if I come across any.. i'll posted it here... If I am not mistaken... Turkey is taking some measures in preserving the Turkish Angora.. sort of their national cats though similarly like NFO who originated from the forest of Norway but after the successful breeding .. most good NFOs can be found in Denmark and Sweden.. there are not many active breeders in Norway itself.. most of them dah tua-tua la...

__________________
=^..^=
MySkogKatt ~ Home of the Norwegian Forest Cats
Pioneer in breeding Norwegian Forest Cats in Asia/Msia ~ Breeds Only the ORIGINALS
www.myskogkatt.com

hi burnian,

Cats breed are very subjective.. it really depends on invidual likings... but I have to agree with Afi... its not easy to really get a good Turkish Van nowadays.. and the fact that people really go for extreme in looks or different than any other breeds that we already have in msia.... Not many people though can appreciate and have a train eyes to actually recognise and identify certain breeds.. I guess.. Turkish Van is similar to Ragdoll... most experience judges regards them as a bad persian.. simply because of the non-extreme features to present their breeds...

On the water resistant and swimming cats.. Norwegian Forest Cats and Maine Coon Cats are known for it too... its jes that when we keep them in house.. with no pool.. so they only have the basin or sink as a place to practice all the strokes..

by the way, van is also a pattern in any cats breed... white body.. with colour only on the head and tail...

__________________
=^..^=
MySkogKatt ~ Home of the Norwegian Forest Cats
Pioneer in breeding Norwegian Forest Cats in Asia/Msia ~ Breeds Only the ORIGINALS
www.myskogkatt.com

u got that right Afi, I have gone through that.. not easy... there will bound to be many people yang tak faham.... so kena tahanla.. thank god.. now that my 6th year in breeding Norwegian Forest Cats... and I already have my 3rd generations.... but above all it requires a lot of preserverance and patience...

whatever it is.. most important thing is your objectives in bringing the cats in Msia.. if you bawak memang sebab u dah memang jatuh cinta n crazy over the cats... bawak je la.. pedulikan apa org nak kata... bottom line is do it for you not for others... its no harm to be different.. sometimes that is what it takes to start the interest in people.... kan Afi?????

__________________
=^..^=
MySkogKatt ~ Home of the Norwegian Forest Cats
Pioneer in breeding Norwegian Forest Cats in Asia/Msia ~ Breeds Only the ORIGINALS
www.myskogkatt.com

for me, it all depends on your own objective... for passion about the breed or for profit. if the latter, have to follow market demands la. but for me, i will buy a kitten from a breeder who has passion on the breed itself, so i can be assured the cats are well taken care of