By Omer Ashraf
One of the most recent feline breeds, Ojos Azules is a very pretty cat. Little is understood about the origin of this cat except for the fact that it was first reported in New Mexico in the mid nineteen eighties. The cat is known for its dazzling bright blue eyes. In fact the name Ojos Azules has been taken from Spanish words meaning 'blue eyes'. The unique eye color of Ojos Azules is a result of a genetic mutation. It is a very rare and pretty cat and exists in hands of limited breeders worldwide. It is not widely recognized at the moment and is still looking for global acceptance as a distinguished breed.
Ojos Azules is a cat of medium build. Head is triangular in shape with big round eyes and angular muzzle. Coat is short, silky and occurs in a variety of colors and patterns. Prior to the appearance of Ojos Azules, blue eyes were seen only in white or Siamese cats. However, these pretty felids display blue eyes in all types of fur presentations. In fact the first Ojos Azules in record - the founding member of the breed - was a tortie.
The mutant gene responsible for the Opus Azules' eyes is dominant in character. If present in homozygous (paired) form, it leads to skull defects and mortality in newborns. Breeders therefore outcross these cats to other breeds, often domestic short and longhairs, in order to maintain healthy litters. The gene has proved to be harmless if existing in heterozygous formation.
Not much is known about the overall behavior and personality of Opus Azules owing to their rarity. Only a handful of the cats existed a decade or so ago. Furthermore their development was halted when it became clear that the 'blue eye gene' was potentially fatal. It took a period of dedicated genetic analysis to resume the breed's development. Therefore little conclusive data exists on the long term health, temperament and behavioral profile of these pretty cats.
| The author is a blogger about cats and an expert on Ojos Azules cat. |
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