Blue-eyed cats possess an undeniable allure, captivating observers with their striking gaze. While many kittens are born with blue eyes, this enchanting color often transitions as they mature. However, for certain breeds and specific genetic combinations, blue eyes remain a permanent and defining characteristic. This phenomenon is most commonly associated with white coat colors or the distinctive pointed pattern seen in breeds like the Siamese, making blue eyes a rarer and more sought-after feline trait compared to yellow, gold, copper, green, or hazel.
Understanding the genetics behind blue eyes in cats is crucial, particularly when it comes to white cats. Solid white cats with blue eyes have a higher incidence of deafness. This is attributed to the gene responsible for white coloration and blue eye pigmentation, which is also linked to hearing impairment. An estimated 65% to 80% of all-white cats with two blue eyes may experience deafness in one or both ears. While blue eyes in white cats are associated with deafness, they are not linked to blindness. Conversely, blue-eyed breeds with pointed patterns, such as the Siamese, do not inherently carry a genetic predisposition to deafness.
Several cat breeds are consistently characterized by their blue eyes, regardless of whether the shade is pale, brilliant, or dark. Let’s delve into some of these captivating breeds.
Balinese Cats: The Longhaired Siamese
The Balinese is essentially a longhaired version of the Siamese cat. This elegant breed likely originated from a spontaneous genetic mutation, resulting in Siamese cats with longer fur. Aside from coat length, Balinese cats share many traits with Siamese, though they tend to have a less extreme body type and are less vocal. Their single, silky coat lies close to the body and comes in classic Siamese pointed colors: seal, chocolate, blue, and lilac, all complemented by deep, vivid blue eyes.
- Origin: United States
- Height: 8-10 inches
- Adult Weight: 4-10 pounds
- Life Span: 12-15 years
- Price: $1,000 – $1,500
Javanese Cats: A Colorful Variation
The Javanese is recognized as a color division within the Balinese breed standard. Similar to the Balinese, the Javanese is a longhaired Siamese with a lithe, strong, and muscular build, coupled with an affectionate and energetic personality. However, while the Balinese is limited to traditional Siamese point colors, the Javanese boasts a wider array of colors, including red point, cream point, cinnamon point, lynx, tortie, cream, smoke, and parti-color, all featuring deep, vivid blue eyes.
- Origin: Canada
- Height: 10-14 inches
- Adult Weight: 6-10 pounds
- Life Span: 12-16 years
- Price: $1,000 – $1,500
Colorpoint Shorthair Cats: Siamese with More Colors
The Colorpoint Shorthair is essentially a Siamese cat but with a broader spectrum of allowable pointed colors and patterns. These include blue, blue-cream, chocolate, chocolate tortie, cream, lilac, lilac-cream, red, seal, and seal-tortie. Their eyes are consistently blue. This breed emerged in the 1940s and 1950s when U.S. breeders experimented with Siamese color variations, notably through a cross between a red tabby American Shorthair and a seal point Siamese. The Cat Fanciers Association (CFA) considers the Colorpoint Shorthair a distinct breed, while The International Cat Association (TICA) integrates these non-traditional Siamese colors within the Siamese Group breed standard.
- Origin: United States
- Height: 11-14 inches
- Adult Weight: 6-12 pounds
- Life Span: 12-16 years
- Price: $500 – $800
Himalayan Cats: The Fluffy Pointed Breed
The Himalayan cat is a fusion of the Persian cat’s luxurious coat and the Siamese cat’s distinctive pointed markings. Developed in the 1950s, breeders aimed to combine the fluffy coat of the Persian with the Siamese’s color patterns. Himalayans display pointed colors such as red, cream, seal, blue, chocolate, lilac, tortoiseshell, blue-cream, bicolor point, tricolor point, tabby or lynx point, smoke, and shaded point. Their eyes are always blue, with deeper shades being more desirable. TICA recognizes the Himalayan as a separate breed, whereas the CFA classifies the Himalayan pattern as a division within the Persian breed standard.
- Origin: United States
- Height: 12-14 inches
- Adult Weight: 7-12 pounds
- Life Span: 12-15 years
- Price: $200 – $3,000
Birman Cats: The Elegant Four-Pawed White Breed
Despite the largely unknown history of its development, the Birman breed, characterized by its plush, pointed coat and distinctive four white paws, has garnered significant affection. Birmans always exhibit deep, vivid blue eyes and come in a variety of pointed colors, including solid seal, chocolate, blue, lilac, cream, red, as well as tabby and tortie points. Their silky coat is medium-long to long, featuring a noticeable ruff around the neck and a full tail. Despite their luxurious appearance, Birmans are relatively easy to groom as their coat does not mat as easily as some other longhaired breeds.
- Origin: Burma
- Height: 8-11 inches
- Adult Weight: 6-14 pounds
- Life Span: 12-16 years
- Price: $400 – $1,000
Siamese Cats: The Original Blue-Eyed Breed
The Siamese holds the distinction of being the original blue-eyed cat breed and the progenitor of the pointed color pattern and associated blue eyes in many other breeds. Originating likely from Siam (modern-day Thailand), the Siamese is one of the oldest cat breeds. An ancient manuscript, the Cat Book of Poems, dating back to 1350, features illustrations of a cat closely resembling the Siamese. Known for their talkative nature, Siamese cats have a long, tubular body and a short, sleek coat. While the CFA recognizes only traditional Siamese colors (seal, chocolate, blue, and lilac), TICA’s standard also includes cinnamon, fawn, red, and cream points, with or without white, silver/smoke, lynx point (tabby points), and tortie points.
- Origin: Thailand
- Height: 8-10 inches
- Adult Weight: 8-15 pounds
- Life Span: 15-20 years
- Price: $600 – $1200
Ragdoll Cats: The Gentle Giants
The Ragdoll breed emerged in the 1960s from the mating of a female white longhaired cat with blue eyes and two male cats (one seal mitted, one solid black). The resulting offspring were semi-longhaired, pointed cats with blue eyes and an affectionate temperament. These large cats possess distinctive large, oval-shaped blue eyes, with deeper shades being preferred. Ragdolls are renowned for their docile nature and tendency to go limp when held, earning them their name. They come in solid, tortie, and tabby pointed patterns, with or without white markings.
- Origin: United States
- Height: 9-11 inches
- Adult Weight: 10-20 pounds
- Life Span: 12-15 years
- Price: $1200 – $2300
Snowshoe Cats: Pointed with White Paws
The Snowshoe breed was developed in the 1960s by a Siamese breeder who sought to create a new breed of pointed cats with white paws, inspired by Siamese kittens born with white feet. The Snowshoe was created by crossing Siamese cats with a tuxedo American Shorthair. Although the breed nearly went extinct, it made a comeback in the late 1980s. Snowshoe cats can have any shade of blue eyes. This shorthaired breed exhibits a pointed pattern (most commonly seal point or blue point) with characteristic white paws and varying white markings on the body and head.
- Origin: United States
- Height: 9-11 inches
- Adult Weight: 6-12 pounds
- Life Span: 14-19 years
- Price: $600 – $1200
Thai Cats: The Old-Style Siamese
The Thai cat bears a strong resemblance to the Siamese but with a less extreme body type. Also known as the “old-style Siamese” or “applehead Siamese,” the Thai closely mirrors the Siamese cats from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, before breeding trends altered their appearance. They are also similar to the natural pointed cats found in Thailand today, where they are called Wichienmaat. Like the Siamese, Thai cats have a short, pointed coat and blue eyes. The Thai cat is recognized by TICA but not by the CFA.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it rare for a cat to have blue eyes?
Yes, in cats, blue eyes are less common than other eye colors such as yellow, gold, copper, green, and hazel.
What breed is a cat with blue eyes?
Many Cat Breeds With Blue Eyes are related to the Siamese. At least 10 breeds consistently have blue eyes, including the Balinese, Birman, Colorpoint Shorthair, Himalayan, Javanese, Ojos Azules, Ragdoll, Siamese, Snowshoe, and Thai. Additionally, breeds like the Japanese Bobtail, Khao Manee, Norwegian Forest Cat, Persian, Siberian, Tonkinese, Turkish Angora, and Turkish Van may also have blue eyes.
Are blue-eyed cats blind or deaf?
A significant number of solid white cats with blue eyes are deaf (estimated at 65% to 80%). However, blue eyes in pointed breeds like the Siamese do not carry a genetic association with deafness.
Do domestic cats have blue eyes?
Domestic cats with white coats or pointed patterns can have blue eyes. Solid white cats with blue eyes are often deaf in one or both ears.
