Most cat eye colors are captivating and impressive, especially for first-time owners. There are standard and rare eye colors. Most owners believe that the color of their cat’s eyes is the most intriguing feature of their pet.
Some breeds have distinctive eye colors, while others tend to have random eye colors depending on the cat’s pedigree. Some breeders tend to consider the cat’s eye color when pricing their cats. Those with dichroic, or a cat with two different eye colors, tend to be priced more.
Cat eye colors are determined by the amount of melanin in their DNA, passed on from both their mother and father. This directly influences the color of their feline offspring’s eyes. It is typical for a cat’s eye color to be inherited, just like the color of its coat. Kittens typically have blue eyes, but the adult coloration doesn’t appear until about six or seven weeks of age. When a cat is twelve weeks old, its permanent eye color will ultimately develop.
Cats have very unique and beautiful eyes. They look like pristine jewels and are a fantastic aesthetic feature of cats. Many cat owners tend to choose their pets based on the color of their eyes. Interestingly, many ascribe eye color to personality and temperament. This may only be superstitious, as cat eye colors are generally dictated by genes. Eye color, though, can be an indicator of health issues. Ask your veterinarian about it to know more.
To understand more about cats’ eye colors, here are ten types of cat eye colors you should know about:
1. Blue Eyed Cats
Cats with blue eyes do not have melanin in their irises! Blue eyes are essentially transparent, but the blue color we see is caused by light reflecting off the curving surfaces of their irises. Blue eyes are more common in white cats as well.
Blue eyes are unusual in that they are frequently observed in kittens. But keep in mind that the hue of kittens’ eyes changes as they grow. It’s unlikely they’ll stay this way, but the blue persists in some older cats.
The pigmentation is determined by the amount of melanin in the eye. Blue eyes are most commonly found in white or albino cats. Cats with blue eyes are likewise more light-sensitive.
2. Green Eyed Cats
Green eyes are one of the most common eye colors in cats, and they are absolutely stunning to look at. Because of this, we do not consider the color of the cat’s eye particularly unique.
Cats with green eyes, like cats with blue eyes, are more likely to lack melanin in the eye’s iris. Green eyes can also be inherited.
3. Amber Eyed Cats
Eyes that are amber, like eyes that are yellow or orange, can have varying degrees of intensity. Cat breeds such as the Bengal, the American Shorthair, and the Sphynx are most likely to have eyes of this color. Large cats like the Norwegian Forest cat often have amber eyes.
Amber eyes are familiar and typically have a tinge of red in their coloration. When they see a cat with amber eyes, many people who adore cats think that it has orange eyes, making amber eyes one of the more unique eye colors.
On the other hand, amber eye color is noticeably deeper in tone and contains more red undertones than orange eye color.
4. Orange Eyed Cats
If your cat has orange eyes, it may be a descendant of a breed established by the British, who desired an eye color that would stand out in stark contrast against any coat color. Orange eyes are typical in Maine Coons.
Orange cat eyes function similarly to yellow cat eyes but with greater intensity due to melanocytes. This, along with amber, is one of the more uncommon cat eye hues.
5. Yellow Eyed Cats
The number of melanocytes significantly impacts the intensity of yellow eyes, which sets them apart from other eye colors. There will never be two cats whose eyes are exactly the same shade of yellow.
Some people may find the yellow hue too commonplace or boring. Yellow eyes are a prevalent color most frequently seen in black cats.
6. Hazel Eyed Cats
Cats with hazel eyes are rare in domesticated cats but quite common for wild cats. It is, in fact, one of the most elusive eye hues to find, second only to orange. Hazel is a lovely combination of yellows and greens.
This color is commonly seen in the Bengal, Cornish Rex, Abyssinian, and Singapura breeds.
7. Copper Eyed Cats
The deepest eye color found in cats is copper. Copper-colored cat eyes have light brown with red and orange undertones. There may be yellow, green, or orange specks here and there. This is a rarer color than others, and while it may be distinguished from orange, it is as remarkable.
Copper eyes are most common in black cats, although they can also appear in cats with other fur colors. So it’s not mainly too uncommon, but it’s also not the most prevalent.
8. Dichroic Eyed Cats
Then there are cats with two different colored eyes, commonly known as heterochromia iridium, which refers to each iris being different. This can be hereditary, congenital, a genetic mistake that occurs during the development of the cat’s embryo, or the result of an accident or injury.
The most uncommon eye coloration in a cat is dichromatic, which means that the eyes have a blend of two unique colors within both eyes. It is caused by the cat’s irises having variable degrees of melanin in different areas. Occasionally, the eyes will have a distinct oval of one color near the pupil that merges into another color. Other times, the colors are divided into pieces so that a quarter or half of the eye is one color and the remaining section is another.
Dichroic eyes are uncommon in cats. In any case, the term itself isn’t something you often hear when discussing a cat’s striking peepers. In some ways, it’s similar to a cat with many eye colors present at the same time. For example, one eye could be blue and the other golden. The color of the eyes is reduced to two dimensions when cone pigments are absent.
9. Brown Eyed Cats
The cat’s most distinctive eye color is dark brown, almost chocolate brown.
Because melanin influences the color of your cat’s eyes, it goes without saying that a cat with dark brown eyes will have a lot of melanin. Cats can have a lot of melanin in their bodies, but it is rare for cats to have enough to look dark and chocolate-brown like human eyes.
This is not to suggest that brown eyes cannot exist in cats. A cat’s eyes could be reasonably light brown, yet it could also be argued that your cat has dark yellow eyes.
Remember that while brown eyes are relatively frequent in people, deep brown eyes in cats are uncommon.
10. Albinism Eyes Cats
The eyes are the first, simplest, and most significant way to tell a white cat from an albino cat. White cats have a variety of eye hues, including the ever-interesting heterochromia, or “odd-eye,” in which the two eyes are different colors. Albino cats’ eyes, on the other hand, have an extremely narrow spectrum due to their complete lack of pigmentation. A real albino cat’s eyes are confined to a very faint blue or may seem pinkish or pinkish-blue.
Pink is not a hue in this case but rather an overabundance of light reflecting back blood vessels within the eye. The same can be stated of the albino cat’s skin. When examined closely, the skin of an albino cat is also devoid of color. The skin, most noticeably the nose and inner ears, may appear pink to pale pink. Again, this is not a skin color but a trick of light reflecting blood flow.
Final Thoughts
Eye color is the only reliable indicator of your cat’s health, even though it is primarily a decorative feature for your cats. After a cat reaches “kittenhood,” any changes in the color of its eyes should be cause for concern. Watch out for sudden shifts in color that occur over a relatively short period.
In most cases, a color change results from an eye infection; however, it could also indicate a more severe illness. Cats frequently suffer from uveitis, an inflammation of the eyeball that, if untreated, can lead to permanent vision loss and other serious complications. Eyes with a coloration that is not typical, such as yellow, red, or orange, are symptoms. If you observe any of these symptoms, you need to contact your veterinarian immediately so that they can provide you with effective treatment.
Cats are enthralling creatures. Their eyes are captivating and emotional. To ensure a high quality of life for your pet, always take care of your cats and be a responsible cat parent. In the end, cat eye colors are only one aspect of your cat that you can appreciate. It does not necessarily define the whole essence of your pet as an integral part of your life.
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That’s Jazmine the albino momma cat that was rescued by Meow Village Cat Rescue in Oregon. Erin and her son Jaxson have foster failed her (a term for adopting a rescue cat that we fostered). The bond between Jaxson and Jazmine is like soulmates.
thanks for your message