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Among hundreds of varieties of domestic cats, cat breeds with green eyes are especially popular.
Independent and affectionate, smooth-haired and fluffy, large and miniature breeds are being improved, delighting breeders and bringing happiness to the lucky owners of purrs. In February 2020, the international club of cat lovers “Cat Fancier's Association” took into account 42 new breeds that were bred in different countries. How to find green eyes among all the diversity of the cat kingdom?
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Gray cat with green eyes: breed and photo
The green color of the eyes harmonizes perfectly with the smoky gray coat, which was given a more aristocratic name among breeders and felinologists, and the gray color turned into “blue”. It is not at all surprising that the combination of blue fur and magical green eyes became the reason for the formation of several magnificent breeds.
Russian blue
It’s nice that this breed of cat with green eyes has retained Russian roots in its name, although it is not known for certain whether it originates in Russia. These elegant and aristocratic cats with a slender, graceful body, plush fur coat and delicate, gentle character charm people the first time they meet them.
The coat of Russian Blue cats is quite short, thick and dense, evenly colored and has a pleasant pearl-silver tint. Almond-shaped eyes are a bright emerald color as standard; other eye colors are not allowed. We wrote more about the Russian Blue breed in this article.
Nibelung
It is very rare to find cats and cats with green eyes of the Nibelung breed. This beautiful name means “fog” in German. The Nibelungen is a long-haired version of the Russian Blue cat, and they do have a lot in common, such as emerald green eyes and blue fur with silver tipping - the very tip of each hair is bleached, which gives the coat a beautiful silver shimmer.
Can eye color not change?
The embryo inside the uterus is not exposed to ultraviolet radiation, so during pregnancy it receives an extremely small amount of melanin from the mother. This explains the fact that every kitten is born with closed eyelids, which open only in the third week of life.
The main function of melanin is to protect the body from exposure to ultraviolet rays.
The eyelids protect the delicate pupils, devoid of pigment, from the sun's rays. As the iris matures, the eyes open, but for a long time retain a dull gray-blue tint due to the translucent film.
The idea that there are certain breeds or individual cats that are born with a constant eye color is erroneous.
The fact is that the stages of formation of a cat’s body are standard for all breeds and depend on the characteristics of the blood lines. Even a blue-eyed cat will have a very different iris at birth and as an adult: as it grows, the cloudy bluish-gray will change to a bright icy-clear or deep blue color.
Korat
And here is the Korat - another rare and ancient breed: a photo of a gray cat with green eyes will not leave any Thai indifferent. The name itself is consonant with one of the provinces of Thailand, and for good reason. A great many national traditions and beliefs are associated with this cat. According to local residents, korat brings prosperity, wealth and success.
The coat of cats of this breed is thin and not thick, like that of Russian Blues and Nibelungs, but has the same color - silver tipping with a characteristic iridescence. The eyes of a Korat cat are large and round, and the color of the iris is olive green. Other coat and eye colors are not allowed by the standard.
Why are kittens born with green eyes?
The color of a cat's iris depends on its base color. There are quite a lot of cats with unexpressed green eyes. But finding an individual with a bright emerald hue is difficult. Often the intensity of eye color depends on the intensity of the color. That's why black cats have a very rich iris color.
Interesting! Previously, green eyes were very common in cats. However, breeders have become interested in breeding kittens with unusual iris colors to such an extent that green pupils are now a rarity.
Bright green eyes are the most difficult to predict. The color of a kitten's iris depends on the amount of coloring pigment in both the back and front of the eyeball.
All kittens have blue eyes at birth, and at 3–6 months the iris is completely recolored to its final color. This is explained by the fact that the embryo has a lot of melanin. And it is distributed in such a way that when light is reflected, the eyes appear blue.
If the front of the apple becomes more pigmented as the cat gets older, the eyes will turn yellow. If the back color is blue, it seems to “shine through” through the front yellow, and as a result, the cat’s eyes appear green.
Thus, to produce a deep green color, the pigment in the back of the eye must predominate over the amount of pigment in the front. If this prevalence is excessive, the eyeball will turn turquoise.
Another interesting phenomenon is when the pigment in the middle of the eye has a medium intensity. In this case, the cat will have a green-beige or malachite iris.
Interesting! Variations in the combination of pigments can be very different, so a cat may well become the owner of extremely unusual eyes. Often, even professionals find it difficult to determine the color of an animal’s iris. In this regard, in the description you can find such definitions as “khaki”, “peas”, “bright pine” or even “burnt grass”.
Singapore
According to legend, this rare breed of miniature cats comes from Southeast Asia. Singapura cats have a very unusual coloring - sepia agouti. The ivory body is complemented by dark brown ticking, giving the coat a sandy tint. Singaporeans are characterized by not only yellow, but also yellow-green, as well as bright green eyes. You can learn interesting facts about this breed from our article “Singapore cat and more.”
Devon Rex
“Little fairy elf” is how you can describe this charming cat with curly fur, originally from Devonshire. The breed standard recognizes all colors and any shades of eyes are allowed, but they must be uniform and in harmony with the color of the coat. So, if you wish, you can also find a black kitten with green eyes in nurseries.
Abyssinian breed and Somalia
These ticked cats also have green or yellow eyes. The main thing, as the standard says, is that their color is intense, without intermediate shades. We wrote more about the characteristics of Abyssinian cats here.
Somalis are long-haired relatives of the Abyssinian cat, so their eye color options are the same as those of the Abyssinian cat.
Health
Russian Blues, like Norwegian Forest Cats and Egyptian Mau, were not bred artificially. They belong to natural breeds.
Therefore, they have strong immunity and good health. They live a long time and very rarely get sick.
Russian Blues are not afraid of drafts and cold temperatures. They do not have any genetic breed diseases.
Although they, like other felines, can suffer from diseases typical of cats.
Vaccinations
For the first eight weeks, kittens are protected by maternal immunity. The kittens are then vaccinated.
Only healthy animals can be vaccinated.
Suitable age is 2.5–3.5 months. For this purpose, combined vaccines against rhinotracheitis, panleukopenia, and calcivirus are used.
Vaccination takes place in several stages. Interval – 3–4 weeks.
Before vaccination, kittens are given anti-worm medications.
Russian Blue is one of the most hassle-free cats to keep.
After a month has passed from the date of the last comprehensive vaccination, kittens are vaccinated, like dogs, against ringworm.
The rabies vaccine is given at 3–4 months of age. It must be repeated annually.
Breeds of chinchilla colors
This group includes all tipped (shell) and shaded (shaded) colors, both silver and gold. All cats with chinchilla coloring have emerald eyes, or an aquamarine and blue-green iris (the exception is cats with red pigment, their eyes are yellow or copper).
The combination of emerald eye color with silver and gold fur looks great, especially considering the expressive eyeliner and nose. This color is found in Persian and exotic cats, as well as in British and Scottish fold cats.
Rules for caring for black fur
It is believed that blackies need special care. This is partly true, since the black color easily fades in the sun, forming reddish tan marks. Therefore, your pet should not be allowed to stay in direct sunlight for too long.
There is one more nuance: if the pet does not receive enough protein, vitamins and microelements, its coat will become dull and faded.
A prudent owner will take care of the animal’s diet, including meat, eggs, cat grass and various dietary supplements.
Otherwise, the following rules of coat care must be observed, taking into account the characteristics of each breed:
- the thick undercoat of Manx cats requires careful combing; after completing the procedure, the cat’s fur can be smoothed with a comb; these animals should be bathed no more than twice a year using special shampoos and conditioners that enhance shine;
- the fluffy Maine Coon, short-haired Curl and Bombay need to be brushed with a brush-comb at least once a week;
- long-haired Persians and Siberians require especially careful care - cats should be combed daily, first with a wide-toothed comb, then worked through the fur with a slicker, and at the end of the procedure, with a fine-toothed comb; animals can be washed up to four times a year; after water treatments, the wool should be treated with a special product to make combing easier;
- a curly Devon Rex must be stroked with wet hands: then the curly hairs will form neat waves by themselves.
There are no great difficulties in care. If the owner sincerely loves his pet, he will easily find time to select a diet, comb the fur, communicate and play. Well, your furry pet will reciprocate 100% and will delight you not only with its playful mood, but also with its luxurious appearance.
Sources:
https://aroundpet.ru/chyornaya-koshka-s-zelyonymi-glazami-porody/
https://vplate.ru/koshki/porody-chernyh/#h2_422322
https://litbro.ru/interesnoe/chernye-porody-koshek
Silver tabby cats
Quite often, green eye color can be found in silver tabby cats (British, Scottish, American Shorthair and many other breeds, as well as in ordinary, but no less charismatic yard cats). However, in comparison with chinchillas, it is not nearly as rich and bright. Most likely, breeders, paying great attention to the quality of the color itself, its pattern, have not yet had time to pay due attention to eye color.
Let's make a reservation that silver tabby cats and cats are also characterized by yellow and yellow-green eyes.
Genetics of black color
The pigment pheomelanin is responsible for the red color, and eumelanin is responsible for the black color. In cat hair they are presented in the form of granules, the shape, quantity and location of which determine the color shade. Let’s leave the first one (red) aside, and consider the second one in detail.
- In black cat breeds, the B (black) gene is responsible for color. In the genotype of an animal, it can be represented in three alleles (species): dominant B, recessive b and bl.
- In the dominant state, the gene forms almost round (slightly elongated at the poles) eumelanin granules with a dense arrangement in the hairs. This gives a rich black color.
- The recessive allele b of the same gene stretches the pigment granules and moves them away from each other. It turns out to be a chocolate shade.
- The final form of bl is even more expanded eumelanin capsules and a sparse arrangement. On the hair this gives the color of cinnamon (cinnamon), characteristic of many breeds.
All other characteristics do not play a role in the color of interest - a large black cat is necessarily a carrier of the dominant B gene.
In black cats, there is no relationship between coat color and the sex of the animal. Their genes are not connected to the chromosomes that are responsible for dividing into “boys” and “girls.”
