With their sleek, jet-black coats and brilliant blue eyes, black cats with blue eyes captivate cat lovers. While any domestic cat can be born with blue eyes, this eye color is rare overall, occurring in only 1% of cats worldwide.
Some specific cat breeds, like the Siamese, Balinese, and Himalayan, are predisposed to blue eyes through selective breeding originating from the Siamese breed. All kittens are born with blue eyes initially, but the eye color transforms as the cats mature. However, cats that inherit a lack of melanin, like the Siamese breeds, will keep their blue eyes into adulthood.
While extremely uncommon, blue eyes can occur in solid black cats if the genetics are just right. So, for cat lovers taken with the mystic allure of these felines, acquiring a black cat with blue eyes often comes down to luck and patience. In our guide, you can learn more about black cat breeds with blue eyes. By the end, you’ll better understand that blue eyes are more common in lighter-colored cats and why looking for a black cat with blue eyes is challenging. (Read 9 Meanings When You Dream About Beach)
Do Black Cats Have Blue Eyes?
Very few black cats have blue eyes. Instead of blue, the most common eye colors for black cats are green or yellow. A solid black cat with blue eyes is one of the rarest gems in the cat world. In reality, many breeds can have blue eyes and black coats. However, most of these cats are not entirely black. Some of these so-called “blue-eyed black cats” have coat colors like smoke or pointed with dark coloration.
A black and white cat can also be considered a blue-eyed black cat, especially if its coat has more black patches than white patches. This is also the case for black and tan cats and black and gray cats. However, there is one cat breed known to have a solid black color and blue eyes — Ojos Azules.
What Cat Breeds Are Black With Blue Eyes?
The Ojos Azules is the only one where the cat’s eye is what we are looking for; there are others. They have blue eyes and black colour of the coat. Among these cats are the Siamese, Balinese, Himalayan, Snowshoe, Birman, Javanese, Ragdoll, and Tonkinese. Let’s take a closer look at these mysterious cats with blue eyes breeds.
Ojos Azules Cat
Every cat is entirely black with blue eyes is the Ojos Azules cat breed. The Ojos Azules is top of cats with blue eyes known for their intelligence, loyalty, and friendliness. The first Ojos Azules black kittens with intense blue eyes were born to a female tortoiseshell cat as recently as 1984.
Siamese Cat
In the world of cat breeds the Siamese is one of the oldest cat breeds in the world. Since the Middle times, these cats have lived alongside people. Siamese cats often have white fur, but this one doesn’t! The blue-eyed black Siamese shares most of its characteristics with the rest of the Siamese breed, except for its “smoky” fur color.
Balinese Cat
The elegant long coats, charming looks, and curious temperament of black Balinese cats with blue eyes are well known like Siamese cats. The black Balinese with bright blue eyes lacks the gene for having black fur and blue eyes.
Himalayan Cat
Himalayan cats are one of the common breeds, yet they aren’t true black cats with blue eyes as the coat is primarily greyish. This cat breed is well known for its loving and playful characteristics.
Blue-eyed black Himalayan cats are still clingy like Persian cats and can get upset without fuss since these cats love lots of attention. (Read Dreams About Kittens)
Birman Cat
The Birman kitten is a long-haired cat with almost black spots and blue eyes. Blue-eyed dark black Birman cats ( known as the sacred cat of Burma) have a similar general coloration to Black Birmans. These cats have blue eyes black spots on their faces, chests, tails, paws, and paw pads.
Tonkinese Cats
Tonkinese cats come in various hues, but their one apparent trait is that they almost universally have blue eyes.
Ragdoll Cat
In most pictures of this cat, the black Ragdoll cat with blue eyes looks fierce. It shares the same appearance as the other cats on this list, even though its coat is not entirely black. All these good things are true of black Ragdoll cats with blue eyes, too.
Do Black Kittens Keep Their Blue Eyes?
Kittens always have blue eyes when they are born, yet even with solid black coats and blue eyes, by the time they are 8 weeks old, the melanin pigment has changed their eye color to green, yellow, or orange. But it is possible, though rare, for some black cats with low melanin production, with eyes still blue as adults. To do this, you need to get two recessive copies of the gene trait that causes the eyes to have less melanin.
Do Cats With Blue Eyes Have Trouble Seeing?
There is no straight link between cats eyes that appear to be blue and have trouble seeing. However, some problems with the retina at birth can be caused by the same gene. Responsible cat breeders check kittens to see if they are deaf or have eye problems. Blue-eyed cats with any color of fur should have their eyes checked by a vet often to ensure they are healthy. (Read Dream Of Biting Snake)
How Long Do Cats Eyes Stay Blue?
Deep blue eyes are present at birth in all kittens and last several weeks. As melanin grows, the eye color in cats starts to change about 6–8 weeks, and by 3–4 months of age, the adult eye’s permanent color has developed.
What Common Eye color can a black cat have?
A cat with green eyes or orange is black cats’ most prevalent eye colors. Also possible are eyes that are yellow or copper. Blue eyes in black cats are highly uncommon because of a genetic defect that reduces the amount of melanin in the eyes. Some cat breeds can have black coats and blue eyes when bred responsibly.
Why Are Blue Eyes Rare In Cats?
There are a few main reasons why blue eyes are rare in cats:
- Genetics: Blue eyes are rare because most cats will not receive two copies of this recessive gene.
- Lack of selective breeding: Unlike dogs that are selectively developed to generate blue eyes, there isn’t a similar breeding effort to increase the number of blue eyes in cats.
- Eye color dominance: The genes for orange, green, or yellow eyes are far more common than the ones for other eye colors.
- Origins in a few breeds: The genetic mutation that causes blue eyes appeared in Siamese cats before spreading to closely related pointed breeds. However, it is still uncommon in domestic cats of random breeding.
Conclusion
You rarely see black cats with blue eyes, yet they do occur on rare occasions. For black fur to manifest with minimal melanin presence, a precise balance of genetic elements must be achieved. When bred with a deliberate focus on blue eyes and black coats, these breeds see boosted inheritance odds.
Blue hues on kittens gradually fade as their melanin content grows during the first two months of life. Enigmatic looks fill them with an air of mystery, while blue eyes are rarer in black cats and rare to see cats with blue eyes for sale. It doesn’t stop feline enthusiasts being captivated by their allure. (Read Dream Visitation From Pet)
FAQs
Are there black cats with blue eyes?
Black cats with intense blue eyes exist, although they are rare.
What is the genetics behind black cats with blue eyes?
The genetics behind black cats with blue eyes are still not fully understood. A combination of genes is believed to be responsible for this unique trait.
Are black kittens with blue eyes common?
Black kittens with blue eyes are not common. They are considered to be a rare occurrence.
Can black cats have green eyes?
Black cats can have green eyes. Their fur color does not determine eye color in cats.
Where can I find a black cat with blue eyes?
Finding a black cat with blue eyes can be challenging, as they are rare. You may contact local animal shelter breeders specializing in rare cat breeds or search online classifieds.
Are there any black cat breeds that commonly have blue eyes?
While no black cat breeds commonly have blue eyes, some breeds, like the Ojos Azules, are known to have a higher occurrence of blue-eyed individuals.
Do all black cats with blue eyes also have black fur?
Black cats with blue eyes typically have black fur. However, they can have small patches of white or other colors, known as tortoiseshell cats, on their coat.
Are there white cats with blue eyes?
There are white cats that can have blue eyes. Typically, these white cats have a genetic condition called “dominant white,” which causes their fur to be completely white and their eyes to be blue.
