The Van Cat Villa, in eastern Türkiye, home to the world-famous Van cats known for their striking white fur and distinctive mismatched eyes, has celebrated the arrival of nearly 100 new kittens in the first birth cycle of 2026. The facility also recorded an impressive influx of visitors, welcoming more than 50,000 guests during the nine-day Eid al-Adha holiday.
The Van cat, one of the most recognizable symbols of eastern Türkiye, is renowned for its unique appearance, often featuring one blue eye and one amber eye. The breed is carefully protected and bred at the Van Cat Research and Application Center, which operates under Yüzüncü Yıl University.
According to the center's director, Abdullah Kaya, the first synchronized breeding period of the year has been successfully completed, with approximately 100 healthy kittens born so far.
"We are experiencing a very healthy breeding season and are pleased with the results," Kaya said. "At the moment, we have nearly 100 kittens, and we expect this number to increase further by the end of the year."
The newborn kittens and their mothers are being housed in specially designated areas where they receive continuous veterinary supervision, nutritional support and routine health assessments from expert staff.
