Ojos Azules: temperament, price, health, and breeders

The Ojos Azules is a recent and very rare feline breed, which appeared in the United States in the early 1980s. Its history begins in New Mexico with a tortoiseshell female cat named Cornflower, remarkable for her blue eyes even though she was neither white, nor colourpoint, nor of Siamese type. The hereditary nature of this eye color was then confirmed, notably after a cross with an American Shorthair, and a first breed standard was established in 1984.

The Ojos Azules is a semi-foreign cat, well-proportioned, supple and elegant rather than massive. Its head forms a well-defined triangle, with prominent cheekbones, a square muzzle and a slight stop. The eyes are large, round, slightly slanted and above all a vivid blue that makes the breed’s uniqueness. The ears are medium and set high, the legs have a fine bone structure, and the breed exists in short-haired and semi-long-haired varieties, always with a silky coat.

The Ojos Azules is a gentle, demonstrative and calm cat, while still keeping a real desire to play and to burn off energy. It enjoys human presence and copes poorly with prolonged solitude. Its delicate, attentive and affectionate temperament makes it a pleasant companion on a daily basis, capable of moments of tenderness as well as phases of more lively activity.

This cat adapts well to indoor life provided it has a stimulating environment, with a cat tree, observation posts and games. It can also enjoy a secure garden when it has one. It cohabits fairly well with other animals if its space is respected, and it often likes to play with children when interactions remain calm and respectful.

The education of the Ojos Azules is based on gentleness, consistency and environmental enrichment. Like many sensitive and intelligent cats, it learns better with stable routines, encouragement and short but frequent activities. It is useful to get it used from a young age to handling, transport, brushing and the rules of the house in order to preserve its balance and confidence.

The Ojos Azules is a very rare breed, which strongly affects its availability and purchase price. The cost depends mainly on the rarity of the bloodline, the seriousness of the breeding program, and the quality of the health and genealogical monitoring offered.

The Ojos Azules is generally considered a robust cat. Current individuals show no known predisposition to deafness, despite their blue eyes, and no major hereditary pathology has been clearly identified to date. As with any cat, preventive follow-up, vaccination and weight monitoring remain essential.

The Ojos Azules needs a complete and balanced diet, chosen according to its age, its weight, its activity level and its physiological status. Protein quality, digestibility and control of energy intake matter more than quantity alone.

Its name literally means blue eyes in Spanish, even though the breed was born in the United States. The Ojos Azules remains one of the rarest feline breeds, and its famous iris color attracted the attention of breeders because it appeared in cats that did not have the usual profiles associated with blue eyes.