Turkish university aims to boost population of unique two-color eyes Van cats

VAN, TÜRKİYE - JULY 17, 2023: The Van Cat Research Center in Türkiye's Van province aims to boost population of rare cats unique two-color eyes. Newborn kittens have been kept under protection at Yuzuncu Yil University (YYU) at the center. The felines which have been carefully cared for in these special rooms, and with years of ongoing efforts to increase the purebred numbers, gave birth to 100 kittens in this year. The kittens those have two-color eyes are reserved for the breeder, while others are adopted by people for a certain fee. On Monday 17, Center Director Prof. Dr. Abdullah Kaya stated that the center facilitates three breeding cycles per year and their goal is to exceed last year's number, which was 150. “The first vaccinations are done after three months of age; we do not allow this as the mother may reject the kitten if the kitten comes into contact with a human before," he added. Van cats can be categorized based on the color of their eyes and furs. While some are odd-eyed -- one blue and the other amber -- others have a pair of blue or amber eyes. Some cats also have completely white fur but others have a dash of brown above their ears, head or on their body. The Van Cat Research Center wants to help protect the breed by providing healthcare and studying its genetics. Odd eyes occur when a dominant white gene or a white spotting gene blocks the concentration and distribution of natural pigments within the iris tissues during development. Writing by Salih Deniz Koc (Footage by Yılmaz Kazandıoglu /Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)