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The Ojos Azules Cat: Rare and Camera Shy

If there is a photograph to be found of this rare breed of cat, I for one do not know where it can be. This is a relatively new breed of domestic feline that was discovered in New Mexico among the indigenous feral cat populations. The have dark blue eyes (the translation of their name), and the very first cat discovered was a tortoiseshell named Cornflower in 1984. She was bred to males lacking the blue-eyed trait but it proved to be a dominant gene because all of her kittens possessed it.

Their eyes are truly unique and unlike the blue eyes seen in bi-colored cats because they are not linked to any particular color or pattern. The depth of the color blue is beautiful to behold and even deeper than that seen in Siamese cats. Also, the blueness is not at all related to deafness, as in other instances. It is thought, however, to possibly be related to cranial defects, and that is why breeding was temporarily suspended. They are very rare indeed, and as of 1992, only ten were known to exist in the entire world! In 1991 a breed standard was established, but no cat registration recognizes them.

Breeding of these cats was resumed on a small scale following extensive genetic investigation. Attempts were made to breed these cats without creating cranial deformities, and it was discovered that the best results occurred when blue-eyed cats were crossed with non blue-eyed cats.

The coat is short, fine, soft and silky, and the undercoat must be dense in color to agree with the standard. All colors except for solid white are allowed and white markings are often found on the extremities (tip of the tail, muzzle, paws). Solid white coats are not desirable because they make it non distinguishable from the coat of the common white blue-eyed cat. Only the white and colourpoint cats can have blue eyes. This breed, which always has blue eyes regardless of coat color, is the result of a spontaneous mutation by a dominant gene.

Have YOU ever heard of such a cat? If so, do you have a photo and can I borrow it?

This entry was posted in Cat Breeds and tagged , , , , , by Marjorie Dorfman. Bookmark the permalink.

About Marjorie Dorfman

Marjorie Dorfman is a freelance writer and former teacher originally from Brooklyn, New York. A graduate of New York University School of Education, she now lives in Doylestown, PA, with quite a few cats that keep her on her toes at all times. Originally a writer of ghostly and horror fiction, she has branched out into the world of humorous non-fiction writing in the last decade. Many of her stories have been published in various small presses throughout the country during the last twenty years. Her book of stories, "Tales For A Dark And Rainy Night", reflects her love and respect for the horror and ghost genre.