When and why do kittens change eye color?

Kittens are born blind, and only a week or two after birth, their eyes open. But at the same time, for some time their vision does not function fully, and only in the fifth or seventh week it is finally formed.

The first few weeks after a kitten’s eyes have opened, they appear blue. But already in the sixth or seventh week, their shade begins to change.

Why is this happening?

The iris contains melanocytes. When the eyes are fully formed, they begin to produce melanin, the pigment that gives the eye its mature color. The final color, its depth and intensity are determined by melanocytes and the amount of melanin they secrete. Therefore, if a cat has light green eyes, this means that a very small amount of melanin has been released, and if the eyes are brown, then, on the contrary, a lot of melanin has been released.

In cats that retain blue eyes into adulthood, melanin is either completely absent or produced in very small quantities.

Most often, blue eyes can be found in the following cat breeds:

• Siamese
• The Balinese
• Burmese
• Himalayan
• Javanese
• Tonkin
• Ragdoll

But sometimes the blue color of the eyes is not due to the absence of melanin, but to the presence of a gene that suppresses or masks other pigments. This happens in white and some bicolor cats.

Photos of cats from left to right: Siamese, Balinese, Burmese, Himalayan, Javanese, Tonkinese, ragdoll

Can a cat’s eye color change throughout life?

In healthy adult cats, eye color should not change. Therefore, if your adult cat has a sudden change in the color of the iris, this is cause for concern. Such a change may be associated with health problems. It could be an eye infection or something even more serious.

It is best to consult a veterinarian in this case. Moreover, this can also be done online – in the Petstory mobile application, the first online consultation with a veterinarian costs only 199 rubles. You can download the application from link.

10 September 2020

Updated: September 10, 2020

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