After an initial meeting in 1983, it was decided by a small group of people to form a separate Club for the Turkish cat. Initially, the Turkish Group was part of the Colourpoint, Rex Coated and AOV Club.  That Club had been instrumental in helping the breed get Championship status in 1969, whereas they had originally been shown under Any Other Variety.

Back in the early 1980s, all the Turkish cats were descended from the original lines imported by Miss Laura Lushington and Miss Sonia Halliday, whose registered Prefix with the GCCF was "Van".  The cats were being shown as "Turkish" and it was felt by some breeders and exhibitors that there was confusion between the UK "Angora" and their own cats. 

The GCCF agreed that the prefix  "Van" could be relinquished and that it could be added to the word "Turkish"; indeed, under the GCCF list of Prefixes "Van" is now stated to be a breed name.

So, in 1985 the Turkish Van was re-named and the Turkish Van Cat Club soon grew in size and stature. Amongst its achievements have been

• The alteration of the name of the breed from Turkish to Turkish Van in 1985, with the assistance of the Colourpoint, Rex-coated & AOV Cat Club.
• The strengthening of the Standard of Points in 1970, 1987, 1995. With a further clarification through the Turkish BAC by way of a Note in June 2000 that 1) Occasional small 'thumbprints' of colour irregularly placed on the cat and/or colour extending from the root of the tail onto the back are undesirable but should not penalise an otherwise good speciment.
  Followed again through the TBAC from 1 June 2004, that after 'placed on the cat' the words 'colour extending from the root of the tail onto the back', plus an additional Note 2) The eye colour may fade with age, the amber particularly taking on a greenish tinge, which likewise should not penalise an otherwise good specimen.
  From 1 June 2007, the following wording is added at the end of Note 1) Also note that the pink areas may show coloured spots appropriate to the markings colour.
• The recognition of Cream Turkish Vans, plus Odd Eyed/Blue Eyed Turkish Vans in 1988, with the assistance of the Colourpoint, Rex Coated & AOV Cat Club
• The achievement of full Championship Status for Cream, plus Odd Eyed/Blue Eyed Turkish Vans in 1996
• The first Turkish Van Cat Club Show was held in the UK in November 1996
• The recognition of full Championship Status for Black, Blue, Tortoiseshell, Blue Tortie, Brown Tabby, Blue Tabby, Tortie Tabby, Blue Tortie Tabby, in any of the three eye colours, in 2000 through the TBAC
• The recognition by the GCCF on 23 February 2005 through the TBAC of the Turkish Vankedisi in all three eye colours at Preliminary Status
• The addition of two notes to the Registration Policy of the Turkish Van on 22 June 2005 through the TBAC.
  1) Any white offspring resulting from the mating of two Turkish Van cats or the mating of a Turkish Van cat and a Turkish Vankedisi cat should be registered as a Turkish Vankedisi.
  2) The van-patterned offspring of van-patterned cats presently registered as 'of Turkish Type', should be registered as Turkish Van provided that the 'white of Turkish Type' ancestor is not within 3 generations.

Membership of the Turkish Van Cat Club now includes:

• VanCatChat, the TVCC Magazine, which comes out twice yearly
• Kitten Register to help members find suitable homes for their kittens
• Welfare Officer to co-ordinate involvement with cat rescue and welfare
• Seminars through the Turkish BAC
• Rosettes and Trophies to winning cats at our Show and annual awards
• Reduced entry fees at our own Show
• TVCC Tables at the Supreme Cat Show and other shows
• Representation on the Turkish Breed Advisory Committee and at the GCCF
• To join the Turkish Van Cat Club please visit our Membership Page