Types of eye color in cats

Have you ever stared into your cat’s eyes and thought ‘Wow, those are some cool colors’? Just us? Didn’t think so! Our gorgeous paw pals have such a variety of eye colors it’s difficult to know where to start. Luckily, we’re here to help, pet people!

While breed does play a part in determining eye color, it’s never a guarantee with kitty genetics. So, let’s ex-paw the dazzling display of eye colors in cats, find out how many there actually are, what are the most common eye colors, and which ones are the rarest of jewels.

Different eye colors in cats

Blue eyed cats

First off, all kittens are born with blue eyes, just like human babies and many other mammals. Their final eye color won’t appear until they’re about three months old when melanin, the pigment-producing cells, begins to activate. But for breeds like Siamese cats or Ragdolls, or due to a harmless genetic mutation, this simply doesn’t happen. They have beautiful blue broaches for eyes!

Green-eyed cats

Arguably the most classic of cat eye colors, green-eyed cats are found in almost every type of cat breed and can be very striking against coats of black, gray, or white. Most drawings or paintings of cats will be depicted with green eye color, just as most cats who appear in movies and TV shows are often selected to have green eyes.

Golden, yellow, or amber-eyed cats

However you describe this color, it’s another common cat eye color found in a variety of cat breeds and mixed-breed moggies. This gorgeous color of sunrises and warm summers is always a treat to find on any kitty.

Orange or copper-eyed cats

Ah, now the copper-eyed cat is a lot less common than you may think! Orange-eyed cats are a rarity, but if you do come across one you may not be able to look away. Like all things cat, this color goes all out - it’s bright, bold, and beautiful. While it can pop in a variety of breeds, copper-eyed cats are usually British Blues or puss cats with all-black fur. 

Hazel-eyed cats

Hazel-eyed cats or kitties with brown eyes are also not as commonly seen as their amber-eyed siblings. Hazel eyes are most commonly found in wild big cats like lions, but for our domesticated buddies, this trend doesn’t appear to have caught on.

Cats with different eye colors

Just like some dog breeds and humans, every now and again a cat is born with two different eye colors. This is almost always due to another harmless generic mutation in your cat’s DNA and can be hidden in several generations of cats before appearing again. These kitties are mesmerizing and look as if they can see your future. Odd-eyed combinations often include blue and yellow, blue and green, or blue and brown. 

The most common eye color in cats

According to PetPedia (yes, this is a real website), the most common eye color in cats is either green or yellow eyes. These colors come in a wide range of shades and can occasionally appear to change over a day.

Of course, where you are in the world will affect which eye color you see the most. Some breeds are a lot more common than others, therefore certain types of cat eye color will be seen more often than others. It’s just basic biology!

Rare eye colors in cats

Ever heard of dichromic eyes? It’s where an animal’s eye is a mix of very different colors rather than shades of one. This can be a mix of brown blue green, or even amber. It’s very rare but very beautiful. Of course, odd-eyed are also quite rare and more likely to be found in cat breeds with all white fur, a coat color that is also a genetic rarity.

Albinoism, an unusual genetic mutation, can cause cats to be born with very light blue eyes or even pink eye color. This is often seen in Siamese cats whose genes don’t include pigment-producing cells causing these rare eye colors in cats, white fur on their bodies, and black fur on their paws, ears, and around their eyes.

What about you, do you have a favorite cat eye color? Or does your purr baby have an even more unusual or striking eye color? Start the cat chat on our Community Forum and connect with other feline fanatics and pet people, no membership is required. For pet parents looking for a potential paw pal while they’re away from home, have a look to see all the current cat sitters near you.