Khao Manee: Thai Royal Cat, Odd Eyes

The Khao Manee is an ancient Thai cat breed whose name translates literally to "white gem." All-white, with eyes that may be blue, gold, or, most prized of all, one of each, the Khao Manee is said to have been kept and bred initially by Siamese royals and is thought to bring good luck. It was little known outside Thailand until the 1990s.

The Khao Manee occupies a place in Thai cat culture alongside the Siamese and Korat, all three are described in the Tamra Maew, the ancient Thai cat manuscript that is one of the earliest written sources on cat breeds anywhere in the world.

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History and Royal Thai Tradition

The Khao Manee is mentioned in the Tamra Maew (Cat Book Poems), the Thai cat manuscripts that also mention the Siamese and other Thai cats. The Khao Manee records are thought to date from the Thonburi and Rattanakosin periods (1768 to 1910), and there are no specific records of the breed from the Ayutthaya Kingdom. The white cat was originally known as Khao Plort and became known as Khao Manee in the reign of King Chulalongkorn (1868-1910).

The Khao Manee was said to be kept and bred initially by Siamese royals, as was the case with other rare coloured cats such as the Siamese.

For most of the 20th century, Khao Manee cats were essentially unavailable outside Thailand. The first Khao Manee cats imported to the United States arrived in 1999, when Colleen Freymuth imported 12. TICA granted the breed registration-only status in 2009, Preliminary New Breed status in 2011 (effective 2012), Advanced New Breed status in 2013 and championship status in 2015. The CFA recognised the breed in 2018.

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Physical Characteristics

The Khao Manee is an all-white, short-haired, medium-sized cat of semi-foreign body type.

Coat. Short, dense, smooth and pure white, no markings of any kind. The white coat is caused by the dominant white gene (W), which suppresses pigmentation throughout the body. This same gene is associated with deafness in white-coated animals (discussed in the health section).

Eyes. The eye colour is where the Khao Manee is most distinctive. Three eye types are possible:

• Blue eyes: The same dominant white gene that suppresses coat pigmentation also reduces pigmentation in the iris
• Gold/yellow eyes: Reflecting retained iris pigmentation
• Odd eyes (heterochromia): One blue eye and one gold or green eye, the rarest variety

Body. The body is athletic and muscular rather than heavy, neither the extreme elongation of the Oriental type nor the cobby roundness of the Persian type. The head is a rounded wedge with a moderate muzzle and high cheekbones.

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Physical Characteristics at a Glance

Feature	Detail
Body type	Semi-foreign, medium, athletic
Coat	Short, smooth, pure white only
Eye colour	Blue, gold, or odd-eyed (rarest)
White gene	Dominant white (W), responsible for coat and eye colour

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Odd Eyes: Heterochromia and Its Significance

Heterochromia, having two eyes of different colours, is particularly common in white cats carrying the dominant white gene, and is seen in the Khao Manee, where the odd-eyed variety is the rarest.

The dominant white gene (W) suppresses melanin production throughout the body. In the eyes, the degree of melanin suppression varies between individuals and sometimes between the two eyes of the same individual. When one eye has sufficient iris melanin and the other does not, the result is one gold/green eye and one blue eye.

The odd-eyed Khao Manee is the rarest variety, and the contrast of one blue and one gold eye in a pure white cat is visually striking.

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Deafness in White Cats

White cats, particularly those with blue eyes, have an elevated risk of congenital deafness, and the Khao Manee is no exception. This is a well-documented genetic phenomenon across multiple species.

The dominant white gene (W) suppresses melanin production throughout the body. In the inner ear, melanocytes (melanin-producing cells) in the stria vascularis (a structure critical for cochlear function) are essential for normal hearing. When the W gene suppresses melanin production in the cochlea, the stria vascularis degenerates before birth, causing irreversible congenital deafness.

Risk by eye colour:

• Blue-eyed white cats: highest risk of deafness (affects one or both ears)
• Odd-eyed white cats: typically deaf on the blue-eye side
• Gold/orange-eyed white cats: lowest risk (more retained cochlear melanocytes)

Deafness can be tested in kittens using the BAER test (Brainstem Auditory Evoked Response), a non-invasive, accurate test appropriate for kittens as young as 5-6 weeks.

Deaf cats can live happy, safe lives as indoor-only cats with some specific management adaptations (vibration-based communication, visual cues for feeding and attention, no unsupervised outdoor access).

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Temperament

The Khao Manee is a notably active, vocal, and social cat. It is reputed to be active, communicative and intelligent.

Key characteristics:

Vocal and communicative. The Khao Manee is one of the more vocal breeds. It communicates actively with its owners through a range of vocalisations and is not shy about expressing opinions about food timing, attention, or access to preferred locations.

Curious and active. The breed explores its environment energetically and is not a calm lap cat by nature. It engages with its environment, investigates everything and is not well-suited to small, unstimulating spaces.

Affectionate. The Khao Manee bonds strongly with its family and seeks contact and interaction. It does not do well with long periods alone.

Good with other animals. Generally adaptable to other cats and cat-friendly dogs.

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Cross-Links and Related Articles

• Siamese Cat
• Korat
• Sphynx Cat
• Kitten Feeding Schedule by Age
• Senior Cat Nutrition Guide

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Illustration.