The Turkish Van is a combination of white and colored patches with the colored patches restricted primarily to the head and tail. This pattern exists in other breeds and is known as the Van pattern however all Turkish Vans have this pattern with the exception of the solid whites (also known as Van Kedi). The body is a glistening chalk-white and the rich colors are on the head and the long magnificently plumed tail. (A tail that it tends to hold erect and waving when engaging in one of its favorite pastimes-running!) While the colored patches can be any of the traditional solid colors, the original color was a very rich red (auburn). Eye color is amber, blue or odd-eyed-in Turkey, the odd-eyed cat is the preferred but the original cats used to found the breed had amber eyes.

The coat is semi-longhaired with no undercoat. It has a unique cashmere-like texture that makes it repel water and dirt. As the cat matures, the coat gets more and more lush. In response to the extreme temperature ranges found in the mountainous region around Lake Van, the Turkish Van has adapted by shedding its long coat for a shorter cooler one in the hot summer season, and in the winter, it grows tufts of hair between its paws to protect it from the cold. The semi-longhaired coat does not tangle easily however it is a good idea to brush them regularly to remove loose dead hair and help prevent furballs. There coats repel dirt to a large degree so they do not need a lot of bathing but many of them enjoy water and so also enjoy a bath.

These are large, agile cats with a substantial, powerful strength to their bodies. They take from 3 to 5 years to reach their full maturity and when they do males range in weight from 10-20 pounds with females ranging from 7-12 pounds.