What Color Eyes Do Tabby Cats Have?

The most captivating thing about a tabby cat is their eyes. Just like their furs, their eyes also come in a range of incredible colors. Their eye colors make them look beautiful but also it tells a great deal about the cat’s uniqueness. So, what color eyes do tabby cats have?

Some common eye colors for a tabby cat are green, blue, hazel, yellow, orange, copper, and red. Usually, vertical pupils are black. Eye colors are defined by melanocytes in the iris and even, coat color. In a few cases, cats have two diverse eye colors.When it comes to understanding the eye colors of tabby cats, there is a lot you need to know, including how various factors like melanin, coat color, and breed play an important role there. Here, we are going to share some fascinating facts about the eye colors of cats that cat owners should be aware of!

Some Fascinating Facts about Tabby Cats’ Eye Colors

Here are some fascinating facts about tabby cats’ eye colors. Watch this video to know about other interesting facts on tabby cats!

Eye colors are determined by melanin

Do you have an idea that melanin affects the eye color of tabby cats? This is not about the melanin in the skin of cats but the melanin in their eyes. Based on how much melanin cats have in their eyes determines the brightness and color of their eyes.

Melanocytes refer to small cells, which help in producing the melanin. Generally, when the cat’s eyes have more melanin, their eyes will be darker. Darker colors are red, orange, and hazel. The darkest color of all that you can find in the cat eyes is copper. Cats do not produce enough melanin for producing brown or black eye colors. Cats with lower melanin content in the eyes usually have light colors. Moderate to lower melanin amounts yield green-eyed cats.

Probably, blue is the most enthralling of all eye colors that a cat has. Cats having no melanin in their eyes will typically have blue eyes. However, exceptions are always there. Blue eyes signify that cats have no pigment in the iris. So, the light reflecting off of the eyes’ surface of a cat is what makes them look blue.

Eye colors change as cats age

From childhood to infancy, cats can experience a change in their eye colors as they grow old. It is quite common to come across a kitten having yellow eyes emerge into an adult cut having yellow eyes. The reason for this could be genetics and the melanocytes increasing when they grow. This could happen to any cat with any breed and coat color.

Usually, this is something cat owners could pick up on in a kitten’s life early on. Mostly, you will find blue eyed tabby kittens and then those eye colors start to alter over time. Generally, after a month or so, you will begin to notice alternations in the eye color. Often, the changes could be seen between 4 and 6 months when they developed a true eye color.

Adult cats do not experience alterations in eye colors

Although changes in a cat’s eye color are common in kittens, it is not true of adult cats. When adult cats experience changes in their eye color, it is a sign of a health concern. In several cases, this could mean that the cat is having an eye infection. The alterations are hard to notice but they are generally inflammatory.

The eyes can look more yellow or red than usual. When the color change is occurring gradually over some months or years, then it is related to aging and genetics. However, when adults experience sudden changes in their eye color, something could be wrong.

Felines having blue eyes feature no melanin in the iris

So, have you ever come across a tabby cat with blue eyes? This shows that this is not a rare case. Blue eyed tabby cats have no to little melanin in the iris. With just some cells for producing the pigments, cats get blue eyes. In the eyes of a cat, the blue color appears because of the illumination. There are several cat breeds that produce blue eyes naturally, including Balinese, Siamese, Persian, Himalayan, Birman, Javanese, Snowshoe, Tonkinese, and Ragdoll.

Fur color does not necessarily decideeye color

It’s a misconception that the cat’s coat color determines its eye color. It is not inevitably true. The eye color and fur color of a cat are not closely connected. The reason is that the genes that control the cat’s fur coat have no connection to the genes that control the cat’s eye color. That’s why cats having the same fur color can have different eye intensities and colors.

On contrary, white cats are quite different. The majority of these cats have blue eyes because of the dominance of the white gene. This dominant gene affects other genes. In that case, eye colors are controlled by the white cats’ epistatic gene.

Cats even have two diverse eye colors

Cats also have two diverse eyes colors. In fact, it is common to come across a tabby cat that does not have the same color for both eyes. This happens because of the melanin content inside each eye. If one is darker as compared to the other, then one of their eyes has a few melanocytes.

Typically, here what occurs is called a genetic mutation. Specific genes block how the pigments are dispersed between the cat’s eyes. This inherited trait can even occur from other deficiencies. This condition is known as heterochromia, which affects the distribution of melanin between the eyes.

Based on the tabby cat’s breed, some cats are likely to have heterochromia as compared to others. So, some cats that are likely to have this condition, include Persian, Japanese Bobtail, Oriental Shorthair, Sphinx, and Turkish Van.

Not just that, but cats can even have multi-colored eyes. Basically, this is a blend of pigments, which makes it difficult to distinguish what eye color a cat has. These cats having multi-colored eyes are referred to as dichromatic. It is really a rare disorder that provides a cat with a colored ring around their pupil.

Specific cat breeds feature exceptional eye colors

Although every cat has amazing eye colors, there are some cat breeds that have colors that are special to them. So, this is just not about a single color, but in some cases, it is a blend of some colors within a single eye.

For instance, the cat breed, Ojos Azule feature blue eyes even when the color of their fur is not white. On the other hand, you have the Chinchilla. This cat breed has turquoise eyes. Also, the Topaz cat breed has multi-colored eyes, blue eyes, and also dark green color eyes that appear entirely black.

There are other exclusive colors that are linked particularly to the Burmese, Tonkinese, and Siamese cats. For example, the Burmese can feature golden-colored cat eyes. Sometimes, the Tonkinese feature aqua-colored and blue-green eyes. The Siamese cats also have blue eyes. Generally, purebred cats have intense colors when it comes to eyes. On the other hand, random-bred have similar colors but not very vibrant. Also, the colors may also have more combination than usual, which make it difficult to discern on particular eye color.

Black cats feature darker eyes

Have you ever noticed that almost all black cats feature darker eyes? This is not an opinion but actual numbers do support this assessment. Orange is the most common color of eyes that you will find in black tabby cats. Meaning that these tabby cats feature more melanin content in the eyes. Of course, there are black cats with copper and yellow eyes. However, it is less common to come across. Like other cats, the determining factor in the color of eyes is primarily the breed. Also, black cats can have hazel, green, blue, and other different eye colors.

Albino cats feature pink eyes

Did you notice albino cats with pink eye colors? So, the color of their eyes is not really pink. However, it appears to be pink. This actually happens because of the eyes’ dilution, where there’s no pigment or a slightly blue one. Due to the absence of blue color, we usually see pink. However, a pink-eyed albino cat is quite rare.

Conclusion

Now, you know what color eyes do tabby cats have! The eyes of a cat can be extremely bright and feature so many different colors. The color of your tabby cat depends on the presence of melanin in their iris. The eyes are blueish at first, then become the final color at three months. The eyes can be of two diverse colors, occasionally in the same eye. If the color of your adult cat’s eyes suddenly change, consult your vet, or give medication. With proper attention andeye care, your tabby cat can have an ideal vision for their whole life!

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