Many different coat colors, but must have deep and vibrant blue eyes; they often have white patches but are never solid white.
Suitable for:
Families looking for a gentle, kind, and sociable cat breed
Temperament:
Not well documented due to their rarity, but thought to be playful, intelligent, and affectionate
If you’re looking for an unusual cat breed, then look no further than the Ojos Azules! This modern breed was only discovered in 1984, and there’s still only a small number of the Ojos Azules officially registered. If you love cats with bright blue eyes, then you’ll fall in love with these cats, as they all have striking, vibrant blue eyes, no matter what their coat color.
Many cat breeds with blue eyes will have paler shades of blue, but the eyes of an Ojos Azules are a deep and vibrant blue that may mesmerize you from the very first glance. This breed can be found in almost any color, but they’re usually bi-color or tri-color, including large patches of white. The only color that you won’t find them in is solid white.
Their temperament and personality certainly aren’t as well reported as other breeds, but they seem to be an affectionate and playful breed that should suit most families. If you’re ready to find out more about these unusual cats, we go over everything you need to know.
Ojos Azules Kittens — Before You Welcome One Into Your Familly…
Image Credit: liliy2025, Pixabay
Energy
Trainability
Health
Lifespan
Sociability
Ojos Azules kittens are undeniably cute. While they’re not as high maintenance as some other breeds in terms of the amount of energy they demand from you or any health conditions they may have, you still need to think about whether you can meet the needs of one of these kittens throughout their entire life.
There isn’t as much information available on the temperament or health of Ojos Azules as there is for some other breeds of cats. That means it may be harder to predict the character and personality of your kitten as it grows up. If you’re a confident cat owner, though, and are sure that you can adapt to the needs of your kitten, no matter their personality, then it won’t be a problem.
But if you’ve got your heart set on a particular character trait that you may have heard of in another Ojos Azules cat, then bear in mind that your kitten may end up with a very different personality.
3 Little-Known Facts About Ojos Azules
1. The Ojos Azules breed was discovered in 1984
This is a relatively new breed, with the breed being descended from a colony of feral cats in New Mexico. When people noticed that some of the cats had dark blue eyes, they adopted a female tortoiseshell with blue eyes and called her Cornflower. She was bred to non-blue-eyed males, and the resulting kittens all had blue eyes. While the breed was developed in the U.S.A. and Poland, their name Ojos Azules is Spanish for “blue eyes” and is a nod to their New Mexican roots.
2. Ojos Azules have a flattened tail tip
Besides their deep blue eyes, another signature physical characteristic of the Ojos Azules breed is a flattened tail tip.
3. They are a very rare breed
Having only been discovered in 1982, the Ojos Azules is still an extremely rare breed. In 1991, they were accepted for registration with the International Cat Association in both long- and short-haired varieties. In 1992, it was thought that there were only 10 Ojos Azules cats registered.
Only about half of each litter born will have blue eyes, and it’s only these kittens that can be registered as Ojos Azules.
The temperament and intelligence of the Ojos Azules breed are not as well-documented as those of some other purebred cats. So, while it’s reported that they’re playful, affectionate, and sweet-natured, there’s no guarantee that your Ojos Azules cat will display these exact characteristics.
They’re certainly intelligent, though, and like many other cat breeds, they will enjoy the opportunity to play with toys, interact with their human family, and keep you entertained with their antics.
Are These Cats Good for Families? 👪
Ojos Azules certainly seem to make a good choice as a family pet. They’re playful enough to enjoy time with young children, as long as the kids know how to interact respectfully with a cat. They’re also relaxed enough that they won’t mind spending time at home alone while you’re out at work or school.
Does This Breed Get Along With Other Pets?
Most Ojos Azules seem to get along with other pets, but this will, in part, depend on the personality of both pets. As long as you introduce them to other pets slowly and carefully, it should be easy to integrate an Ojos Azules into a multi-pet household.
Image Credit: Kadisha, Pixabay
Things to Know When Owning an Ojos Azules
Making the decision to add a beautiful Ojos Azules to your family isn’t something that you should rush. While you weigh the pros and cons, here are a few more details to help you decide.
Food & Diet Requirements
Ojos Azules don’t require any specialized feed, so just make sure you choose a brand that uses high-quality real meat as the main protein source. If real meat is listed as the first ingredient, that’s a good sign! Some Ojos Azules will enjoy canned food, and others will prefer kibble, and you may choose to feed a combination of both or opt for a raw diet.
It’s always best to feed a brand that’s been designed specifically for the specific life-stage of your cat. Kittens can benefit from food that contains the extra vitamins and minerals that they need to grow strong and healthy, while indoor cats may need food designed to help control their weight or prevent hairballs.
Exercise 🐈
Ojos Azules cats are likely to be active, but due to their rarity, you might find that yours doesn’t necessarily follow this trend! You’ll have to be prepared to adapt to your cat’s energy levels once you get to know them better. Adding enrichment, including cat trees, scratching posts, and plenty of toys, can help encourage your cat to stay active.
Some owners may choose to keep their Ojos Azules as an indoor cat, due to their rarity. In this case, consider adding things like birdwatching stations or an outdoor cat enclosure, where your cat can safely access the fresh air without you worrying about them going missing or chasing the local wildlife.
Many cats enjoy going for walks on a harness and leash, and this is something that you can train your Ojos Azules to be comfortable with at home before you hit the outdoors.
Training 🎾
Ojos Azules cats are intelligent and will love the challenge of learning tricks. Using positive reinforcement training is a great way to spend time bonding with your cat and challenging them mentally. There are many tricks that you can easily teach your cat.
Image Credit: JACLOU-DL, Pixabay
Grooming ✂️
While some longhaired Ojos Azules have been registered, most cats have a short and easy-to-care-for coat. Their fur is fine, silky, and soft. All they need is a weekly brush to remove any shed hairs and to clear out any small tangles.
You may want to brush your cat’s teeth weekly, as periodontal disease is common in domestic cats. This can easily be controlled by brushing your cat’s teeth, giving them dental treats on a regular basis, and scheduling check-ups with your cat’s veterinarian.
Health and Conditions 🏥
There’s little known about the possible health conditions that could affect this breed. We do know that there’s ongoing research into the connection between the gene that causes the blue eyes of the Ojos Azules and cranial defects, so it’s important to talk to any breeder about this.
Male vs. Female
You might be trying to decide whether you’d prefer a male or female Ojos Azules kitten. While there are pros and cons of each, we always recommend choosing your new kitten based on their personality rather than their sex.
Bear in mind that you may not get the choice of a male or female kitten. If you’re on a waiting list, then it might not be possible for the breeder to guarantee that they can reserve you a male or female kitten.
Roughly half of each litter of Ojos Azules kittens are born with eyes of any other color than blue, so this reduces the number of blue-eyed kittens that will be available in each litter.
If you decide to adopt an Ojos Azules cat from a rescue or shelter, then you may decide to rehome the cat regardless of their sex. Rehoming a cat is a great way to provide a loving home for an older feline that may have lost their own home, and it’s a great way to find yourself a rare breed that may not have many kittens available from breeders.
Final Thoughts
The Ojos Azules is a distinctive and rare cat breed. It’s not even known how many of them are in the U.S., but we can guarantee that it’s a pretty small number! This means you may need to spend quite a bit of time searching for your perfect cat, and considering asking rescues and shelters in your area if they have one looking for a new home is a good idea, as well as speaking to breeders.
Because they’re so rare, there isn’t as much information about the character, temperament, or health of the Ojos Azules breed. If you do manage to find a breeder, then make sure to ask them about the health tests that they carry out on parent cats and their kittens. You may also need to wait a while to fulfill your dream of owning an Ojos Azules, as not all breeders are actively producing kittens while research is being carried out on the genetics of this breed.
One thing is for sure: Adding an Ojos Azules kitten or adult cat to your family will require you to be flexible, so you can adapt to your little friend’s needs as you get to know them better. If you have an Ojos Azules cat, we’d love to hear all about them!
Christian is the Editor-in-Chief of Excited Cats and one of its original and primary contributors. A lifelong cat lover, now based in South East Asia, Christian and his wife are the proud parents of an 11-year-old son and four rescue cats: Trixie, Chloe, Sparky, and Chopper.
