Last Updated: 4 months ago
Which breeds of cats with blue eyes?
All kittens are born with blue eyes, but not all of them retain this dazzling color into adulthood.
Below, we’ll go over some breeds that actually do keep their baby blues well beyond the baby stage.
Let’s dive in!
Why Do Cats Have Blue Eyes?
A cat’s eye color is associated with the presence or lack thereof of melanin, as is the coat color. Breed genetics also contribute to eye color.
Blue means there’s no melanin or pigmentation. Technically, their eyes have no color, just like the sky.
But since blue has the shortest wavelength and is easily scattered, we perceive their eyes as blue, a concept called Rayleigh scattering.
It’s common to find blue eyes in white cats since they have white spotting genes that mask other coloring genes, and these cats will often be deaf.
Point-colored cats, and cats crossbred with pointed cats, also have blue eyes due to the albinism gene.
Cat Breeds With Blue Eyes
Now that we understand a bit more about what causes blue eyes in cats, let’s check out the cats with blue eyes!
#1 Turkish Angora
Turkish Angoras are an old cat breed originating from Turkey.
The long, silky coat and almond-shaped eyes make them some of the cutest cat breeds.
And to add to their beauty, these cats can have blue eyes or odd eyes, where one eye is blue while the other is either amber, green, or brown.
As mentioned earlier, a combination of a white coat and blue eyes is often associated with deafness, so make sure you have your cat checked.
However, while white is their most common color, you can find Turkish Angoras with a variety of colors or patterns and blue eyes.
#2 Persian
Known as some of the cats with flat faces, the Persian cats also have blue eyes.
They feature a medium-sized build, a long, luxurious coat, a fluffy tail, and big eyes.
Their eyes can be deep blue, bluish-green, or copper. But not all Persian cats have flat faces.
The older Persian cat had a shorter muzzle, but the flat face resulted from selective breeding.
Persian cats are generally docile, cuddly, friendly, and loyal. Don’t be surprised if they hesitate to interact with your visitors. They can be pretty protective sometimes.
#3 Siamese
The Siamese is another fascinating cat breed with blue eyes. Actually, a lot of aspects of this cat are fascinating.
For starters, it’s one of the most talkative cat breeds, with a wide range of vocalizations.
Secondly, this cat has an albinism gene that causes the “Pointed” color pattern, where they are dark in the extremities (paws, nose, and tail) and a lighter color in the rest of the body.
This albinism gene is also the reason all Siamese cats have blue eyes. And as we are going to see, this breed has helped develop other breeds of blue eyed cats.
There are times when their eyes can change, but they are often reflecting the colors in their surroundings.
#4 Balinese
The Balinese are technically Siamese but have longer hair. Balinese resulted from a mutation in Siamese cats, but they were later developed into today’s modern breed.
Even though they are named after Bali, they didn’t originate from there or any other part of Southern Asia.
Balinese cats were developed in the UK and the United States. They feature the colorpoint pattern of dark extremities, and they come in two types, an “old-type” and a longer version.
Balinese cats are talkative, intelligent, playful, and sometimes intense.
#5 Colorpoint Shorthair
Ever wondered how a Siamese cat would look with red extremities instead of dark ones? Well, some breeders beat you to it when they conceptualized that idea in the 1950s.
To produce the Colorpoint Shorthair, they crossed a Siamese cat with an American Shorthair.
The result is a well-built, long, and medium-sized cat. They are chatty as their Siamese ancestors and can be quite nagging if you don’t show them enough affection.
Their large, almond-shaped blue eyes complement their build to make one gorgeous cat.
How about maintenance? Their coat is short and easy to maintain. As a matter of fact, you can go for long without grooming them, and they’ll still be fine.
#6 Ragdoll
Ragdoll cats are known as some of the largest cat breeds. Some can be as large as a small dog and weigh up to 35 pounds.
What you might not know is that all purebred Ragdolls also have blue eyes.
You may find Ragdolls with brown or green eyes, but that’s a result of mixed breeding.
Another fascinating fact about these cats is, they are all born white but develop other colors and patterns as they grow up.
If you are looking for a large, cuddly cat, the Ragdolls will make a good companion since they are quiet and tend to go limp when you pick them up.
#7 Turkish Van
If you can’t get enough of the Turkish Angora, the Turkish Van is another fascinating cat that hails from the Lake Van area in Turkey.
These cats have a unique Van color pattern where almost all of the body is white, and other colors only appear on the head and the tail in a ring pattern.
There may be marks on other parts of the body, but not all registries accept other color variations. Their eyes can be blue, amber, or odd-eyed.
Turkish Vans make good companions for people living alone and for families since they are friendly, affectionate, outgoing, and easy to take care of.
They also love to climb to higher areas, so they could use toys such as cat trees.
#8 Javanese
The Javanese cat is the result of crossbreeding Siamese cats, Colorpoint Shorthairs, and Balinese cats.
That’s how they got the pointed color pattern, vocalization, hyperactivity, and Oriental look.
Even their name corresponds to the naming of Southeast Asian cats, where they are named after a place.
Some cat registries recognize them as a breed, while others place them under the Balinese cat breed.
The pale white and darker extremities are the most common pattern, but more than 20 color and pattern variations are accepted by cat registries.
Like the other point-colored cats, Javanese cats always have blue eyes.
#9 Tonkinese
This is another cross between a Siamese and another cat. This time, the cross is with a Burmese cat.
Both the Siamese and Burmese can have blue eyes, which explains why the Tonkinese also got blue eyes. However, not all Burmese cats have blue eyes.
Tonkinese cats come in 4 main colors; blue, champagne, platinum, and brown. And appear in “point”, “mink”, and “solid” coloration.
Their body is also as muscular as the Burmese cat. How about their personality? They are active, intelligent, and can even learn to play fetch.
#10 Snowshoe Cat
As mentioned earlier, the Siamese cat is the reason we have more cats with blue eyes.
The Snowshoe cat breed started with a few kittens born with unique white paws, making them look like they’re wearing white shoes.
These kittens helped develop the breed by crossing them with other domestic cat breeds, including the American Shorthairs.
The modern Snowshoe cat is a medium-sized cat with blue eyes, a point color pattern, white paws, and their face look like they’re wearing a batman’s mask.
Like the Siamese, they have different vocalizations and are very demanding of attention.
Make sure you can provide enough companionship since these cats can easily get depressed if left alone for a long time.
#11 Birman
If you’re looking for a cat with blue eyes, you could never go wrong with a pointed cat.
The Birman is another pointed cat believed to have originated from Burma (modern-day Myanmar), though not much of their origin is known.
The Modern Birman cat can be traced back to after WWII where it was developed by introducing Persian and Siamese bloodlines.
Like the Siamese, they have a white or pale coat, with dark legs, head, and tail.
But what sets them apart from the other pointed cats is the “white gloves” that appear on the paws and the medium-length silky hair.
They may not be as loud as the Siamese, but they can vocalize their feelings in various ways.
#12 Himalayan
When you thought the Persian cat couldn’t get any cuter, you meet the Himalayan.
This cat has an almost flat face, plush coat, blue eyes, and a point color pattern. As you can see, it has the traits of a Persian and the Siamese, which are its ancestors.
Besides being blue eyed cats, they are also known to appear in different pointed colors, including blue, chocolate, seal, cream, red, and lilac.
They are also moderately active – not as placid as the Persian and not as hyperactive as the Siamese cat breeds.
#13 Ojos Azules
The Ojos Azules (Spanish for blue eyes) is a rare cat breed with unique genetics that don’t associate their coat color with eye color.
Blue eyes appear due to a lack of pigmentation. As a result, since a black cat has a maximum amount of melanin, it can only have yellow or green eyes.
The Ojos Azules cat breaks that rule by being the only cat with a black coat and blue eyes. Also, white Ojos Azules cats with blue eyes are not deaf.
Black and white aren’t the only colors, though. You can find an Ojos Azules in any other solid color or pattern.
#14 American Shorthairs
And last but not least, we have the American Shorthairs, a well-built cat breed that helped keep mice out of homes and ships for a long time.
Today, they are moderately active cats, independent, friendly, and highly adaptable.
These cats will entertain themselves if you leave them alone for some time, making them ideal for people who don’t spend much of their time at home.
American Shorthairs come in varying coat colors and patterns, and their eye colors include blue, hazel, gold, green, or odd-eyed.
FAQs
Is It Rare for A Cat to Have Blue Eyes?
Yes, it’s quite rare. A lot of the cats you’ll find with blue eyes have been bred to have those eyes. But finding a naturally occurring adult cat with blue eyes is not common.
Are All Blue-Eyed Cats Part Siamese?
Not all of them, but a lot of them are. Siamese cats have an albinism gene that makes them blue eyed cats.
The Siamese developed cat breeds like the Javanese, Snowshoe, Colorpoint Shorthairs, Tonkinese, and Himalayan. Other cats with similar albinism genes to the Siamese also have blue eyes.
Are All White Cats With Blue Eyes Deaf?
Not all of them, but more than 60% of cats with the white gene are deaf. In breeds like the Ojos Azules, white cats with blue eyes are never deaf since they have different genetics.
What Is the Rarest Eye Color for Cats?
Orange and hazel aren’t very common since they result from very high amounts of melanin. It’s rare for cats to have very high amounts of melanin around their eyes.
Conclusion
And that wraps up my guide of cats with blue eyes.
As you can see, you’ll have better luck with color-point cat breeds since the Ojos Azules are quite rare, and the pure white cats with blue eyes are mostly deaf.
Have you ever owned cats with blue eyes? What breed was it? Please let us know below!
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Ben is an animal lover, blogger, and all around geek. He divides his love equally between his family, his animals, and his video games. In his spare time he is attempting to get a blog off the ground. Boy, are they heavy!