Most heatwave advice for cats works around the fact that cats hate getting wet. The Turkish Van is the exception that owners of the breed already know: many Vans are drawn to water, will paddle in a bowl, a bath, or a sink, and some swim willingly. That quirk is a real cooling asset — used carefully, and backed by the ordinary measures his large frame and thick coat still demand.
Offer water he can get into, safely
Set a wide, shallow tray or washing-up bowl with a few inches of cool — not cold — water in his cool room, on a towel, and let him investigate it himself. A Van who chooses to stand in it, splash, or sit in it is wetting the parts of himself, paws and belly, that shed heat efficiently. Supervise the whole time, keep the water shallow enough that there is no depth risk if he slips, and empty and refill it daily so he is not paddling in stale water.
Never force an individual Van who turns out to dislike water into the tray; the breed tendency is common, not universal, and a frightened cat in a hot room has gained nothing. For a reluctant cat, a cloth dampened and laid where he lies, or a frozen bottle wrapped in fabric near his bed, gives a cooler option he controls.
After any paddling, towel him down and run a comb through the coat. His semi-long, water-resistant fur sheds water off the surface, but the layers beneath can stay damp and mat if left, and damp matted patches irritate skin in hot weather.
The big-cat basics still apply
A Van is a heavy, muscular cat, and a large body is slower to cool than a small one. His drinking water needs to be everywhere he spends time: a heavy bowl — he will try to play in a light one and tip it — in the cool room, one near his food, one where he sleeps. Expect the splash habit and put bowls on washable surfaces rather than fighting it; a tipped, played-in bowl that gets refilled beats a pristine bowl he ignores.
Feed at the cool ends of the day, move climbing and chasing games to morning and evening, and let his midday be the sprawl it wants to be, ideally on tile or wood in the shaded room. Shut him out of conservatories and sun-trap rooms, which climb in heat faster than anywhere else in the house.
Watch for the point where cooling is not enough
Even a water-happy Van can overheat, and the signs override any home routine: persistent panting, drooling, vomiting, wobbling, or a cat who goes suddenly quiet and limp. Move him to the coolest room, wet his paws and belly with room-temperature water rather than immersing him, and contact a veterinary clinic immediately. A Van who has collapsed should be treated as an emergency on the way to that call, not watched at home.
Also keep an eye on ears and nose between heat events; his coat is mostly white, and the pale skin on his head markings can burn in strong sun through glass, so his daytime resting spot should sit out of the direct midday beam.
Keep the record with the rest of his file
How he responded to the paddling tray, which rooms stayed safe, and what your vet advised are worth two lines of notes while the heatwave is fresh. Vans can live long lives, and a history of how this individual handles heat guides every future summer's plan.
Those notes belong with his vaccination and appointment records in KinsLe's Pet Passport, so the complete packet — medical history plus your own observations — is ready whenever a vet needs the full picture.