Content
- Ocular heterochromia in cats
- What causes heterochromia in cats?
- Does fur color influence the fact that cats have two-color eyes?
- Problems associated with two-color eyes in cats
- Curiosities about heterochromia in cats
It is true and well known that cats are beings of unparalleled beauty. When a cat has eyes of different colors, its charm is even greater. This feature is known as heterochromia and it's not exclusive to felines: dogs and people can also have different colored eyes.
In this article by PeritoAnimal we will explain to you because some cats have different colored eyes. We will also clarify some doubts related to possible diseases and other interesting details that will surprise you! Keep reading!
Ocular heterochromia in cats
Heterochromia is not only present in cats, we can observe this feature in any species. It can happen, for example, in dogs and primates, and it is also common in humans.
There are two types of heterochromia in cats.:
- complete heterochromia: in complete heterochromia we observe that each eye has its own color, for example: a blue eye and a brown one.
- partial heterochromia: In this case, the iris of one eye is divided into two colors, such as green and blue. It's much more common in humans.
What causes heterochromia in cats?
This condition can be congenital, that is, from genetic origin, and is directly related to pigmentation. Kittens are born with blue eyes but the true hue is manifested between 7 and 12 weeks of age when the pigment begins to change the color of the iris. The reason why the eye is born blue is related to the absence of melanin.
It is important for you to know that this condition can also manifest itself as a result of illness or injury. In this case, heterochromia is considered acquired, although it is uncommon in cats.
Some of genetically predisposed races developing heterochromia are:
- Turkish Angora (one of the best cats for children)
- Persian
- Japanese Bobtail (one of the breeds of oriental cats)
- Turkish van
- sphynx
- british shorthair
Does fur color influence the fact that cats have two-color eyes?
The genes that control eye and skin color are distinct. Coat-associated melanocytes may be more or less active than those in the eyes. The exception is in the white cats. When there is epistasis (gene expression), white is dominant and masks the other colors. Furthermore, it makes these cats more likely to have blue eyes compared to other breeds.
Problems associated with two-color eyes in cats
If the eye color change in the cat develop into adulthood it is convenient to visit your veterinarian. When the cat reaches maturity, the change in eye color can indicate uveitis (inflammation or blood in the cat's eye). Furthermore, as we have already mentioned, it could be due to an injury or illness. Whichever the case, it's best to visit an expert.
You should not confuse heterochromia with the cat showing the white iris. In this case, you may be seeing one of the signs of glaucoma, a disease that causes loss of vision gradually. If not treated in time, it can blind the animal.
Curiosities about heterochromia in cats
Now that you know why some cats have eyes of different colors, you are probably interested in knowing some facts that PeritoAnimal has to tell you about cats with this condition:
- the angora cat of prophet mohammed it had an eye of every color.
- It is a false myth believe that cats with one eye of each color only hear from one ear: about 70% of heterochromic cats have perfectly normal hearing. However, it is certain that deafness in white cats is very frequent. This does not mean that all white cats with blue eyes are deaf, they are simply more likely to suffer from a hearing impairment.
- The actual eye color of cats can be seen from 4 months of age onwards.
