We all know that cats have incomparable beauty, but if we also add eyes of different colors, their charm is accentuated even more. 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 on our site we will explain what heterochromia is to understand why some cats have different colored eyes, as well such as doubts related to possible diseases and other interesting details that will surely surprise you. Keep reading!
What is heterochromia?
Heterochromia is defined as alteration in the color of the iris, so that one eye of each color is observed. Heterochromia does not only occur in cats, but can be observed in any species. Thus, humans, dogs or primates, for example, can also have different colored eyes.
There are three types of heterochromia in cats:
- Complete heterochromia: In complete heterochromia we observe that each eye has its own color. For example, we can find a cat with one blue eye and one green.
- Partial Heterochromia: In this case, the iris of one eye is divided into two colors, such as green and blue. It is much more common in humans than in cats.
- Central heterochromia: occurs when the central part of the iris is a different color. To the naked eye, it is as if lines of another color were coming out of the pupil.
So, when asked "why are there cats with different colored eyes", the answer is that they have complete heterochromia. Now, if what happens is that the cat has an eye of two colors, we are facing a case of partial heterochromia.
What causes heterochromia in cats?
This condition can be of genetic origin and, therefore, be born with it or appear shortly after, which is known as congenital heterochromiaKittens are born with blue eyes, but their true color is manifested between 7 and 12 weeks of life, at which time the pigment begins to change the color of the iris and we can see eyes of different colors if they have this condition.
Some breeds genetically prone to developing heterochromia are:
- Turkish Angora
- Persian
- Japanese Bobtail
- Turkish Van
- Khao Manee
- Sphinx
- British shorthair
In most cases, kittens with heterochromia do not have any he alth problems related to this condition. However, in some specimens congenital heterochromia may be due to an underlying cause, such as Horner's Syndrome.
Heterochromia in cats can also manifest during adulthood or old age due to the onset of disease or injury, in which case it is considered to be Acquired heterochromiaIt is rare in cats, but if it happens, the most common causes are usually:
- Diabetes
- Strange bodies
- Trauma
- Uveitis
- Eye hemorrhage
Is skin color related to each color's eyes?
The genes that control eye and skin color are different, so the melanocytes associated with fur may be more or less active than those in the eyes. The exception occurs in white cats When epistasis (gene expression) takes place, white is dominant and masks other colors, it also makes that are more likely to have blue eyes than other colored races.
Eye diseases of cats with heterochromia
If the change in eye color in cats occurs in their adult stage it is advisable to visitveterinary As we have already pointed out, with the arrival of maturity, color changes can indicate uveitis (inflammation or blood in the feline's eye). In addition, as we have mentioned, it can also occur after an injury or other illness, in which case it is also advisable to visit a specialist.
Heterochromia should not be confused when the cat has a white iris, in this case we may be facing one of the symptoms of glaucoma, a disease that causes gradual vision loss. If left untreated, it can lead to blindness.
Curiosities about heterochromia in cats
Now that you know why there are cats with two-colored eyes, you may be interested in knowing some curious facts about cats with heterochromia:
- The Prophet Muhammad's angora cat had one eye of each color.
- It is a false myth to believe that cats with one eye of each color suffer from deafnessin one ear: About 70% of cats with one eye of each color have completely normal hearing. However, the truth is that deafness in white cats is quite common. That doesn't mean that all white cats with blue eyes are deaf, but they are more prone to hearing impairment.
- The real color of a cat's eyes can be seen from four months.
- Cats with eyes of each color are much more valued by cat lovers. However, on our site we believe that all cats, whether or not they have different colored eyes, are beautiful and unique.
