Ojos Azules Cat: Info, Pictures, Temperament & Traits

Ojos Azules…take one look at these beautiful but rare cats and you’ll see why their name translates to “Blue Eyes” in Spanish. If you’ve never heard of the Ojos Azules before, it’s because it is a rare cat breed that few people have. Because of this, it’s hard to find documentation about the temperament and personality of this cat.

Breed Overview

The only thing that is certain about this feline is its vibrant blue eyes. You may find Ojos Azules cats in a variety of colors, there are no “standard” colors. You’ll never find a solid white one, but they may have white patches around their face, feet, and tail.

If you want a beautiful cat that few people have, then this may be the kitty for you. Continue reading to learn more about this rare and unique breed.

Ojos Azules Characteristics

Ojos Azules Kittens

Since there isn’t much information available about the Ojos Azules cat, anyone who is considering owning one needs to be okay with not knowing exactly how the personality and temperament of their cat may be as they grow from a kitten to an adult. We don’t mean to say that these kittens have bad personalities. We just mean that what each kitten requires may not be as evident as it is with other cats.

But, that’s one of the fun parts of owning a pet. You get to learn and adapt with your pet as he or she grows older. That’s exactly what you’ll get with an Ojos Azules. While generally sociable and affectionate, the exact amount of sociability and affection will vary based on the kitten that you get.

If two Ojos Azules cats are bred together, it can lead to some of the kittens being stillborn due to genetic mutations that occur when they inherit two copies of the blue-eyed gene, one from the mother and one from the father. To prevent this, an Ojos Azules cat is often bred with a cat from another breed that doesn’t have blue eyes.

Cats from different breeds can all have different personalities, which is why two Ojos Azules kittens may have different characters depending on what genes were inherited from the cat that wasn’t an Ojos. That’s also partly why there still isn’t a lot of documented information about the exact temperament of these cats. When owning one of these cats, you’ll most likely have to learn as you go.

The key to getting a healthy kitten of any breed is to buy from a reputable breeder. These breeders know what they’re doing and invest a lot of time and money into making sure that the kittens are healthy. In the case of Ojos Azules kittens, many breeders have stopped breeding them due to the previously mentioned concerns about genetic mutations and birth defects.

If a reputable breeder is breeding Ojos Azules kittens, you need to be aware that the kittens may not be purebred. This would be the case if the breeder decided to breed an Ojos Azules with a non-blue-eyed cat of a different breed in order to protect the overall health of the litter. However, this could also lead to some of the cats in a particular litter having signature blue eyes while others don’t. This could also make the price of the blue-eyed kittens higher due to rarity and demand.

When purchasing a cat from a reputable breeder, it’s a good idea to visit the breeder in person if possible. That way you can see the conditions in which the cats are living. The breeder should also be able to provide you with information about the kitten’s overall health, including vet records, as well as pedigree information, if applicable.

Be wary of breeders that are selling Ojos Azules kittens for cheap or those that say they can’t provide you with the above-mentioned information. It could mean that the kittens aren’t healthy or that the breeder is using poor breeding practices.

Keep in mind that if you do find an Ojos Azules kitten from a reputable breeder, many breeders won’t ship the kitten to you. You will have to pick the kitten up in person and you may have to travel a long way to do so. It may cost you more than just the price of the kitten in order to pick one up initially.

Temperament & Intelligence of the Ojos Azules

There is still very little information that is known and documented about the temperament and intelligence of the Ojos Azules. However, there are a few common traits that have been seen in the breed. For the most part, Ojos Azules cats are active and energetic as well as sociable and affectionate.

Again, the exact temperament that an Ojos Azules can have varies. But in general, most cats love affection. Make sure that you’re providing your Ojos Azules with plenty of attention and allow time to play and socialize with your cat as well. Doing so can help your cat grow and develop into a healthy and happy adult cat.

Are These Cats Good for Families? 👪

Due to their nature which is generally known to be affectionate, Ojos Azules cats should be fine in a family atmosphere. Families provide more people to give the cat attention and play with it. However, as with any pet, small children should be supervised around an Ojos Azules and be taught how to interact with it properly for both the safety of the children and the cat.

Does This Breed Get Along with Other Pets?

Ojos Azules cats tend to be very sociable, so they should get along fine with most pets, especially other cats. Other pets can also provide a source of entertainment for an Ojos Azules. However, a lot of how well they get along with other pets depends just as much on the personality of the other pet. It’s important to properly introduce pets to each other to prevent any aggression or unwanted behaviors.

Things to Know When Owning an Ojos Azules:

Caring for an Ojos Azules is not that different from caring for other cats. You’ll need to provide them with proper nutrition, but there are other things to be aware of when caring for a cat as well. Here is some additional need-to-know information if you’re considering getting an Ojos Azules.

Food & Diet Requirements

Unless recommended by a veterinarian, you don’t have to worry about feeding your Ojos Azules any kind of special diet. He or she will benefit most from high-quality cat food that has a meat-based protein as at least the main ingredient, but cat food with meat as the first two or three ingredients is even better. Cats need a high-protein diet in order to keep them at their healthiest.

As far as what type of food to feed your cat, wet vs. dry, it’s really just up to your and your cat’s preference. But, if you have a kitten, then kitten food is best because it contains smaller kibble. Older cats may benefit from food specifically designed for them as well.

Whichever food you end up feeding your cat, make sure to follow the proper guidelines as far as how much food to provide. Feeding your cat the proper portions can help them maintain a healthy weight. The feeding guidelines can usually be found somewhere on the cat food packaging.

Exercise 🐈

Ojos Azules cats tend to have a playful nature, so you should have no trouble getting them to exercise. However, if you keep your cat indoors, you will have to help with providing toys, enrichment, and exercise. Scratching posts, cat trees, feather toys, and even remote-controlled toys that they have to chase can provide your cat with exercise.

Cats can also get exercise outside, but there are risks associated with this. If you live in a house that sits by itself and away from major roads, letting your cat outside is much safer. However, if you live in a city or suburb, or you just want your cat to go outside and still be safe, consider walking him on a leash and harness. This will be easier to do if you start doing this from kittenhood, but a lot of cats will generally warm up to the idea with practice.

Training 🧶

From what we know about Ojos Azules cats, they seem to be fairly intelligent. With any cat, you may have to train them to use the litter box, but you can also train them to do tricks too. In either case, training should be fairly easy as long as you use positive reinforcement methods such as treats and praise.

Grooming ✂️

One of the great things about cats is that they typically groom themselves, especially if they have short, silky, and smooth hair like most of the Ojos Azules cats have been known to have. They may shed at certain times throughout the year, in which case, you can brush your cat weekly to remove some of the loose hair.

Health and Conditions 🏥

Since the Ojos Azules cat is still fairly rare, there isn’t much known about certain health conditions that this breed may be predisposed to. We mentioned that it’s thought that breeding two Ojos Azules cats may cause genetic mutations that result in brain deformities and stillbirths, but this is still being researched.

Other health conditions that generally affect domestic cats are dental disease and feline diabetes, especially as the cat gets older. Overweight cats are more likely to get feline diabetes as well. Feeding your cat a healthy diet as well as taking him to the vet regularly can help ensure that your cat stays healthy and that any health conditions are caught early and treated.

Male vs Female

Since there is still little documented information about this breed, it’s hard to say whether there are any temperamental differences between male and female Ojos Azules cats. With that being said, choosing a male or a female is ultimately up to you, but depending on the breeder, you may not get a choice.

Some breeders have stopped breeding Ojos Azules cats altogether until more genetic research is done, while others only breed with a non-blue-eyed cat. Remember that when bred with a cat that doesn’t have blue eyes, some of the kittens in the litter may not have blue eyes either. If you want a true Ojos Azules with blue eyes, you may have to get whichever kitten the breeder has available or wait a long time before you get the desired gender.

No matter whether you choose a male or female, it’s a good idea to spay or neuter your cat especially if you have other cats in the house. Spaying and neutering can help reduce or prevent any undesirable behaviors such as spraying. It can also lower your cat’s risk of getting certain types of cancer.

3 Little-Known Facts About the Ojos Azules

1. The breed was first discovered in New Mexico in 1984.

Ojos Azules cats were first discovered among a group of feral cats in New Mexico. The first cat to be classified as an Ojos Azules was a tortoiseshell cat named Cornflower. Cornflowers are purplish-blue flowers, hence the name. When Cornflower was bred with cats that didn’t have blue eyes, all the kittens had blue eyes, which proved that the blue-eyed gene in this cat was dominant instead of recessive like in other cats.

2. The blue-eyed gene is not linked to coat color.

In other cat breeds, such as Siamese cats that always have blue eyes, the blue-eyed gene is linked to certain colors and colorpoints. That’s why Siamese cats have colorpoints and are always lighter in color, and why white cats often have blue eyes as well. In Ojos Azules cats, the blue-eyed gene is not linked to color, which is why they can come in so many different colors and patterns except white.

3. Other characteristics besides blue eyes are common.

Although their most distinguishing characteristic is their deep blue eyes, other characteristics such as a triangular face shape, white-tipped tail, and short, silky coat are common with Ojos Azules cats as well. It’s not uncommon for them to have white on their face and paws also, but having white on the chest and belly is considered “undesirable.”

Final Thoughts

Although not much is known about the Ojos Azules breed, what is known is that these rare cats have beautiful, striking, deep blue eyes. If you want one of these cats, you may have to wait a while though. Their numbers aren’t nearly close to the numbers of other cat breeds that are available, and many breeders aren’t even breeding them right now due to genetic concerns. If you are lucky enough to acquire one of these cats, you’re sure to have fun getting to know his or her personality and he or she will be worth the wait.

Featured Image by: Maria Garza, Unsplash