Khao Manee: Discover the Charming Diamond-Eyed Cat Breed

In This Article

  • Traits
  • Breed Historical past
  • Coaching and Care
  • Well being Issues
  • Look
  • Weight loss program and Diet
  • The place to Undertake or Purchase
  • Breed Overview
  • Additional Analysis

Key Takeaways

  • The Khao Manee is a uncommon, pure white cat breed from Thailand recognized for its jewel-like eyes.
  • These cats are pleasant, outgoing, and wish loads of interplay and playtime, making them nice household pets.
  • Khao Manee cats are some of the costly cat breeds, averaging round $11,000 on account of their rarity and sweetness.

The pure white khao manee (pronounced “cow man-ee”) is also called the diamond eye cat on account of their trademark jewel-like eyes, which may be blue, inexperienced, gold, or “odd” (two eyes of various colours). The khao manee originated naturally in Thailand centuries in the past, and their title means “white gem.”

This petite cat with silky quick hair is pleasant and outgoing, in order that they adore consideration and playtime. The one bother is discovering one—the khao manee is a uncommon breed in america.

Study extra concerning the khao manee, together with the breed’s temperament, care wants, and historical past.

Breed Overview

Different Names: Khaomanee, khao plort, diamond eye, white gem

Character: Playful, curious, pleasant, and outgoing

Weight: As much as 10 kilos

Size: About 18 inches

Coat Size: Brief hair

Coat Colour: White

Coat Patterns: Stable

Eye Colour: Blue, gold, copper, amber, hazel, or inexperienced; eyes may be odd (a number of colours or shades between eyes or inside an eye fixed)

Lifespan: As much as 12 years

Hypoallergenic: No

Origin: Thailand

Khao Manee cat

Khao Manee Cat Traits

The khao manee cat is playful and curious—some may even say naughty—but it surely’s all in good enjoyable. This frisky feline’s mischievous antics are all the time balanced by their good-natured temperament.

The breed is understood for his or her pleasant and outgoing persona, even with strangers, and a khao manee will virtually actually run to greet newcomers with a joyful welcome.

The social khao manee cat wants considerable consideration and interplay from their human household—this isn’t a breed that’s content material to be left alone for a number of hours day-after-day. These cats get alongside properly with kids and different pets.

Affection Degree  Excessive
Friendliness  Excessive
Child-Pleasant  Excessive 
Pet-Pleasant Excessive
Train Wants  Medium
Playfulness  Excessive
Power Degree  Medium
Intelligence  Excessive
Tendency to Vocalize Medium
Quantity of Shedding Medium

Historical past of the Khao Manee Cat

Thailand is the birthplace of many various cat breeds; a few of them at the moment are extinct, however others are nonetheless cherished pets in the present day. The histories of some cat breeds are restricted, however we all know lots concerning the varied Thai cat breeds due to the Tamra Maew, additionally referred to as Treatise on Cats or Cat E-book Poems, which is a group of illustrations and poetic descriptions of cats written someday round 1350 A.D. As a result of inclusion of illustrations and bodily particulars of cats, some consider that the Tamra Maew might have been an early ebook of breed requirements, that are the written descriptions of the perfect cat of a given breed.

Greater than 20 completely different historic Thai cat breeds are included within the Tamra Maew, however of these, solely 5 breeds stay in existence in the present day: the wichien maat (Siamese), suphalak (Burmese), the silver-blue korat, the all-black konja, and the all-white khao manee.     

In keeping with the Tamra Maew, some cats have been thought of fortunate whereas others have been thought to convey ill-fortune. The khao manee was one of many cats believed to bestow good luck to these round them. Odd-eyed khao manees have been thought of particularly fortunate.

The khao manee cat is extraordinarily uncommon exterior of Thailand. The primary khao manee was imported into america in 1999. The breed is acknowledged by the Cat Fanciers Affiliation (CFA) and the Worldwide Cat Affiliation (TICA), which makes use of the breed spelling “khaomanee.”

Tamra Maew Khao Manee Cat

Khao Manee Cat Care

Khao manees aren’t high-maintenance in relation to grooming. Nonetheless, these are playful cats, so present them with varied toys. Additionally, enrich their setting with cat bushes for climbing.  

Grooming

The khao manee cat’s clean, quick coat sheds solely reasonably and is simple to look after. Brush a couple of times per week to take away free hair and to maintain the coat shiny and gentle. A shower each few months additionally retains the coat feeling, trying, and smelling good. To maintain the coat glowing white, strive utilizing a brightening shampoo made particularly for white cats.

Like all cats, the khao manee wants their nails trimmed each two weeks. Test the ears weekly for grime, cleansing with a pet-safe ear cleaner if they give the impression of being soiled. Should you see redness or excessively soiled ears, make an appointment along with your veterinarian for a checkup.

Train

The khao manee is a really playful cat who loves climbing and exploring. Give your khao manee locations to climb and perch like cat bushes or towers, and supply loads of enjoyable toys like feather wands, balls with bells, fuzzy mice, and puzzle toys. Khao manees are reported to take pleasure in taking part in fetch. 

Maintain your khao manee indoors. These cats are uncommon and delightful, so they’re vulnerable to being stolen. In case your cat craves time exterior, think about using an outside enclosure or practice your cat to stroll on a leash with harness.

Frequent Well being Issues

The khao manee cat is mostly thought of to be wholesome, with few recognized genetic well being situations affecting the breed.

Nonetheless, all-white cats just like the khao manee are generally liable to deafness, which may be unilateral (deafness in only one ear) or bilateral (deafness in each ears). 

Look

The khao manee is a small cat with a slender construct and huge, perky ears. Their lithe, athletic physique with medium boning is reasonable in all methods—by no means cumbersome or excessive. The nostril is of medium size, which is healthier suited to the recent climate of Thailand than a brief or snub nostril. 

Their coat is brief, clean, nice, and barely “open” with a sparse to reasonable undercoat. And, as their nickname notes, they often have jewel-colored eyes, corresponding to blue, gold, or inexperienced. Odd-eyed khao manees may have one among every, which is regarded as fortunate.

Weight loss program and Diet

Feed your khao manee measured meals at common occasions (kittens often want three to 4 meals a day, however adults usually eat twice a day—morning and night). Scheduled mealtimes assist to forestall undesirable weight acquire, which may occur in the event you depart meals out on a regular basis (referred to as free feeding).

Cats of any breed who’re obese or overweight can develop weight-related well being points, corresponding to diabetes, coronary heart illness, and arthritis. Speak to your veterinarian or breeder for recommendation about the perfect sort of meals to feed your khao manee.

The place to Undertake or Purchase a Khao Manee Cat

The khao manee cat is extraordinarily uncommon, so it might be arduous to discover a khao manee breeder within the US. The best choice is to attend an area cat present, the place you may meet many various accountable breeders. Due to its rarity and sweetness, this breed is without doubt one of the costliest on the planet, with costs averaging round $11,000.

Khao manee cats are so uncommon that they don’t steadily find yourself in animal shelters. If khao manee cats discover themselves in want of rescue, it often occurs through a community of breeders. And adoption charges for these cats may be excessive at round $2,500 or extra. In fact, in the event you do occur to discover a jewel-eyed white cat in a shelter, take into account your self fortunate!

Khao Manee Overview

The khao manee is a curious, pleasant breed that’s nice for households with children and different pets. These cats are small and delicately constructed, however they like to discover and work together with individuals, in order that they take pleasure in an energetic home with many toys and house owners (children included) which have the time to entertain them. In between play classes, khao manees are comfortable to cuddle up on laps for naps.

Should you’re in search of a cat who may be left alone for lengthy intervals of time with out consideration, this cat may not be for you. The khao manee is an outgoing pet that wants constant interplay.

Execs of the Khao Manee

  • Pleasant and affectionate 
  • Reasonable train wants
  • Social with children and different pets 

Cons of the Khao Manee

  • Wants a number of consideration
  • Uncommon, arduous to seek out within the U.S.
  • Very costly

Extra Cat Breeds and Additional Analysis

Should you’re fascinated about comparable breeds, try:

  • Burmese
  • Korat
  • Siamese

In any other case, try all of our different cat breed profiles.

FAQ
  • How a lot does a khao manee cat price?

    This breed is without doubt one of the costliest on the planet; a khao manee kitten might price as a lot as $11,000.

  • Are khao manee cats deaf?

    Not all khao manee cats are deaf, however strong white cats of any breed are liable to deafness on account of a genetic mutation.

  • Are khao manee cats pleasant?

    Khao manee cats are very pleasant and outgoing; they take pleasure in interacting with individuals—even strangers.

Discover extra:
Sources

The Spruce Pets makes use of solely high-quality sources, together with peer-reviewed research, to help the info inside our articles. Learn our editorial course of to be taught extra about how we fact-check and hold our content material correct, dependable, and reliable.
  1. Khaomanee breed. TICA.

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