Van cats broadcast live 24 hours on Internet
VAN - Anatolia News Agency
For the project, 12 cameras have been set up in the Van Cat House. The life of cats will be broadcast live to the world through the cameras. AA photos
Famous cats of the eastern province of Van, known as Van cats, will be introduced to the world through a live online broadcast. At first, 12 cameras will be set up in the Van Cat House, where 110 cats are taking shelter.Speaking to the Anatoia news agency, Van’s Yüzüncü Yıl University (YYU) Van Cat Research and Application Center Deputy Director, Associate Professor Mehmet Karaca said the Van cats, which incite much curiosity, would be broadcast live to Turkey and the world with the cameras.
The project will be implemented within a month, said Karaca, continuing: “This was a dream project for us. Our goal is to enable people who cannot come to Van to observe the famous Van cats. Preparatory works have been conducted and we will make a tender in the coming days. We will start with two cameras first and then we will put 12 cameras in different spots of the house to show the natural environment of these cats. We will have chance to broadcast live in the areas where Van cats live with their mothers and babies. People will be able to see mother-baby relations 24 hours a day.” Karaca said that activities would be conducted in the Van Cat House, formed in 1997 as part of the Van Cat Research and Application Center, in order to breed pure pedigree Van cats.
Mating room
Within the scope of a program that was started at the end of December and beginning of January, cats were taken to a “mating room,” Karaca said, adding, “It has already been determined which cats will mate with which. Like every year, our cats are currently in heat. We are following them everyday and make them mate. Some 10 of our cats are now pregnant in the center, and four cats have given birth to 12 babies.”
Karaca said that the cat house was not damaged during the strong earthquake last year, adding that aftershocks made the cats restless for sometime, but that they had overcome this. The Animal Lovers Association sent some 1.5 tons of food and toys to the center after the earthquake, and the cats enjoy their time thanks to these toys, he said.
Karaca also said the Van Cat Showroom project had been cancelled because of the earthquake. “The goal of the project was to bring together Van cats and citizens. Van cats would have been displayed in a showroom. We made all the preparations for the construction, machines and all the equipment, and received all the necessary permission. But the earthquake interrupted us. Nevertheless, we still plan to lay the foundation in 2012.”
Van cats, known for their congeniality, silky fur and fascination with water, are one of the most important and best known symbols of the province of Van. These cats like to be loved and respond this love in the same way. They have been taken under protection by the YYU Van Cat Research Center Cat House Directorate because of the danger of their extinction.