Cats are beautiful creatures, but the cat eye is truly aesthetic. They are both gorgeous in shape and color and fascinate most of us. But how rare is it for a cat to have blue eyes?
It is rare for a cat to have blue eyes, but it depends on the breed of the cat. Some breeds, like Siamese and Ragdoll cats, have blue eyes in their hereditary genetics. Also, it’s not rare for kittens to be born with blue eyes, but they later develop their natural color after 3-4 months.
Here You Will Learn More About:
- Factors That Determine The Eye Color of Cats
- Can All Cat Breeds Get Blue Eyes?
- 8 Different Cat Breeds That Have Blue Eyes
- Conclusion
Cats have many different eye variations like us humans, but what factors determine the color of cats’ eyes?
Factors That Determine The Eye Color of Cats
The fewer melanocytes a cat has, the lighter the eye color will be. Conversely, more melanocytes will cause a darker and more profound look in the iris.
The iris in the eye is the colored area around the pupil. It has two layers: the stroma and the epithelium. Both of these layers contain pigment-producing cells called melanocytes.
The pigment produced by melanocytes is called melanin, and melanin is the essential factor that plays a role in the eye color of cats. The more melanin in the iris of cats, the darker the pigment of their eyes.
However, no matter how much melanin is in the iris of cats, they cannot have a black or very dark brown eye color like humans. Instead, the darkest eye color seen in cats is a rich, deep copper color. This color is often confused with brown, but it is not really brown.
Standard eye colors for cats:
- Yellow
- Amber
- Hazel (a combination of green, brown, and gold)
- Orange
- Copper
Can All Cat Breeds Get Blue Eyes?
Not all cat breeds can have blue eyes in adulthood. However, all cat breeds are born with blue eyes since the kittens lack melanin in their eyes, but after six weeks, they will begin to develop their original eye color.
Some cat breeds retain their blue eyes, but this entirely depends on your cat’s breed. White fur is often correlated with blue eyes, so it is not rare for a white cat to have blue eyes.
Seeing blue eyes in an adult cat is a treat because they are uncommon, and if the breed is not already prone to have blue eyes, it is most likely a mutation.
Later, we will examine which cat breeds have blue eyes throughout their life.
Why Do Kittens Have Blue Eyes?
Because the kittens’ melanocytes haven’t started working yet, as the kittens grow, their melanocytes start working, and their actual eye color forms.
Kittens’ actual eye color emerges when they are 4-6 weeks old, and their fully grown eye color is established by about four months of age.
Some kitties with blue eyes also keep their blue eyes into adulthood, but it’s very rare if the breed has mainly colors other than white.
Why Does a Cat’s Eye Color Change?
If a cat’s eye color changes in adulthood, it is a sign of health issues, and your veterinarian needs to be contacted. Don’t fear if it is a kitten’s eye color changing because that is normal. However, if your adult cat changes eye color, there is more room for worry.
A Cat’s change of eye color may indicate an infection: If your cat is way into adulthood and its eyes start changing color, I would look further into the root cause of this problem.
An infection may have caused this, which can have severe consequences for your cat’s eyesight – if left untreated.
If your cat’s eye color has an unnatural red, yellow, or orange look, it is time to contact the vet for a check.
Are White Cats With Blue Eyes More Likely to be Deaf?
White cats with one or both blue eyes have an increased incidence of deafness.
- Around 60% to 80% of white cats with blue eyes are deaf.
- Of those cats with only one blue eye, 30-40% are deaf.
- Unfortunately, 10-20% of cats with just white color are also likely to be deaf. And, of course, some cats of any color can be deaf for a completely unrelated to their eye color.
Research shows that if a cat has one blue eye, the ear on that same side of its face is more likely to be deaf.
8 Different Cat Breeds That Have Blue Eyes
Not all cat breeds can have blue eyes, but these breeds have blue eyes naturally:
- Siamese Cat.
- Ragdoll Cat.
- Balinese Cat.
- Burmese Cat.
- Himalayan Persian.
- Turkish Van.
- Ojos Azules.
- Angora.
Conclusion
All kittens are born with blue eyes, which change to their primary color after a while. Some kitties have naturally blue eyes like the nine breeds mentioned above. If your cat has blue eyes, but the breed usually doesn’t have, you have an exceptional cat where there is most likely a mutation.
