Some Van cats in Turkey now have a great place to go to escape the summer heat. The Van Cat House, founded by the Van Yuzuncu Yil University in Van, Turkey, has designed a swimming pool especially for Van cats. /VCG photo

During the swimming pool's opening ceremony, a group of Van cats enjoyed themselves, playing in the water. /VCG photo

Van cats are known for their love of water and swimming, which is thought to have been developed by their early living habits, which include hunting for fish, near Lake Van in Turkey. The Van Cat House tried to replicate the cats’ original habitat by building a swimming pool. /VCG photo

Apart from their love of swimming, Van cats also have other unique features that separate them from other breeds, such as friendliness towards humans, white and silky fur, a long and fluffy tail that resembles that of a fox, and different eye colors. /VCG photo