Cat breed · United States
Ojos Azules (Spanish: [ˈoxos aθˈules], 'Blue Eyes') was a breed of shorthaired domestic cat originating in the USA, with unusual blue or odd eyes caused by a dominant blue eye (DBE) genetic mutation. The breed came in all coat colors; however, only particolors (bicolors and tricolors), colorpoints, and intermediate colors with a characteristic white tail tip were permitted. The breed also had a semi-longhaired coat variety, the Ojos Azules Longhair. Due to the lethal side effects of the Ojos Azules gene, breeders stopped working with this blue eye mutation and the breed became officially extinct.
Appearance: The medium-sized Ojos Azules was known for its bluish eyes, which were large and round. The neck was arched. The tail was proportionate to the cat's body. The head was somewhat triangular in inscribe. It had a slightly rounded forehead and an angular muzzle. The nose had a slight break. The coat was short, fine, soft, silky, and shiny. The undercoat was not particularly developed, but most were dense in color. All colors were allowed. However, only particolors (bicolors and tricolors), colorpoints, and intermediate colors with a white tail tip were permitted. White markings were common on most extremities (tip of the tail, muzzle, and paws). However, belly spots or chest spots were not acceptable and were considered faults. Solid white coats were not desirable, as they could only be distinguished from common white blue-eyed cats with genetic tests. Solid white blue-eyed Ojos Azules were susceptible to deafness, as is common in white blue-eyed cats without the mutation.
History: In the 1980s cats with dark blue eyes were discovered among feral cat populations in New Mexico, USA. The first cat with the characteristic, discovered in 1984, was a tortoiseshell named Cornflower. She was bred to males without the trait, which proved to be dominant, as all her kittens showed it. The breed was founded and named Ojos Azules, Spanish for 'Blue Eyes'.
