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VAN, TURKEY - OCTOBER 31: Turkey's rare breed of Van cat is indigenous to the country's eastern province of Van. With silky white hair and different coloured eyes these animals have attracted cat lovers for centuries. Genetically, the Van breed of cat has three eye colors- blue, yellow, and green - and they are frequently mixed up. Occasionally Van cats are born with a dichromatic, or dichroic, eye - two colors in one iris. Abdullah Kaya, head of the Turkish Van Cats Center said this phenomenon is caused by genetic mutation. “As far as we can tell the condition doesn’t affect the cat's eye sight. The blue and yellow colors in one eye are related to the pigments,” Abdullah Kaya said. The breed is also known as “the swimming cats” since they seem to enjoy swimming and playing with water. 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. (Footage by Ozkan Bilgin/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)