SHOTLIST

VAN, TÜRKİYE (AUGUST 7, 2025) (ANADOLU-ACCESS ALL)

1. EXTERIOR OF VAN CAT RESEARCH CENTER

2. VARIOUS OF VISITORS PETTING, FEEDING VAN CATS IN CAT RESEARCH CENTER, SOME POSING FOR PHOTOS

3. CATS LYING NEX TO TODDLER GIRLS SITTING ON GROUND

4. VISITORS FEEDING CATS

5. VARIOUS OF CATS WITH ODD-EYES

6. CAT DRINKING WATER FROM POOL

7. VARIOUS OF CATS RESTING

8. VARIOUS OF CATS SWIMMING OUT OF POOL (2 SHOTS)

9. (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) HEAD OF VAN CAT RESEARCH AND APPLICATION CENTER, ABDULLAH KAYA SAYING:

"World Cat Day is marked on August 8th aiming to increase sensitivity toward street cats."

10. CAT CLEANING ITSELF, BY LICKING ITS FUR

11. (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) HEAD OF VAN CAT RESEARCH AND APPLICATION CENTER, ABDULLAH KAYA SAYING:

"Shelter conditions must be arranged by taking animals into consideration."

12. CAT CLEANING ITSELF, BY LICKING ITS FUR

13. (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) HEAD OF VAN CAT RESEARCH AND APPLICATION CENTER, ABDULLAH KAYA SAYING:

"Street cats are different. Their care, living conditions, and survival are truly much harder. Sometimes they face violence, and other times they go hungry or thirsty. That’s why we hope August 8th will be a day when the struggles of cats are brought to light and this issue is discussed."



ANKARA, TÜRKİYE (AUGUST 8, 2025) (ANADOLU-ACCESS ALL)

14. FEMALE WORKER PLAYING WITH WHITE KITTENS IN CAGE AT ANKARA UNIVERSİTY'S VETERINARY FACULTY’S ANKARA CAT RESEARCH AND PRESERVATION CENTER

15. VARIOUS OF KITTENS PLAYING IN CAGE

16. VARIOUS OF CATS LYING ON GROUND

17. VARIOUS OF KITTENS PLAYING WITH TOYS IN CAGE
VAN/ANKARA, TÜRKİYE-AUGUST 7-8: Every year on August 8, the world celebrates International Cat Day, an initiative launched in 2002 by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) to promote feline welfare.

Since 2020, custodianship of the day has been held by International Cat Care, a UK-based nonprofit dedicated to cat health since 1958.

Globally, conservation programs work to protect both wild and domestic feline species.

In Türkiye, two native breeds – the Ankara Cat and Van Cat – receive special attention due to their cultural significance and endangered status.

At Ankara University's Veterinary Faculty, the Ankara Cat Research and Preservation Center safeguards the breed known for its long silky fur and heterochromatic eyes. Through controlled breeding and adoption programs, the center ensures the genetic purity of this national symbol.

Similarly, Van Yuzuncu Yil University (YYÜ) operates a dedicated Van Cat Research and Application Center. The snow-white felines, celebrated for their distinctive mismatched eyes, affinity for water, and lion-like demeanor, receive comprehensive care including climate-controlled environments with summer cooling systems, regular health checks and grooming, and specially designed swimming pools.

The university's Cat Villa has become a tourist attraction, drawing thousands of visitors annually to observe these meticulously cared-for animals.

Professor Abdullah Kaya, Director of the Van Cat center, emphasized the day's broader mission in an interview with Anadolu.

He noted that with over 500 million cats globally, street cats face disproportionate hardships – from violence to starvation, and that International Cat Day exists to change that narrative.

Kaya called for improved shelter standards and public awareness, stating that August 8 should be when we confront uncomfortable truths about feline welfare, as street cats endure vastly harsher realities than their domesticated counterparts.

While Türkiye focuses on its unique breeds, International Cat Care promotes worldwide actions including educational campaigns on responsible pet ownership, advocacy for stray cat sterilization programs, and research into feline diseases.

Writing by Sibel Uygun