History
In the 1980s cats with dark blue eyes were discovered among feral cat populations inRegistration and popularity
Ojos Azules have always been a very rare breed. In 1992, only ten cats were known. The breed, in both short and long hair variety, was accepted for registration by The International Cat Association, TICA in 1991. The TICA Ojos Azules Breed Group Standard is dated 5 January 2004. Only cats descending from the original foundation female ''Cornflower'' and expressing the deep blue eye gene have been called Ojos Azules. It was discovered that cranial defects may be linked to the gene, and breeding was temporarily suspended. Eventually, breeders stopped working with cats bearing this blue eye mutation and the breed became officially extinct.Ojos Azules-gene
Ojos Azules were remarkable for their deep blue eyes. Unlike the blue eyes seen linked to the genes in White spotting gene, solid white, Bicolor cat, bicolour, and point (coat color), colourpoint, all of which suppress pigmentation, this gene is not linked to any certain fur colour or pattern, giving the opportunity to have cats with dark coats and blue eyes. The depth of colour in the eyes is described as being greater even than that seen in a Siamese (cat) and does not cause squinting, deafness or Esotropia, cross-eye. One indicator of the Ojos gene was a flattened, white tail-tip. Following a genetic investigation by Solveig Pflueger, breeding resumed in a small way with attempts to breed Ojos Azules without the lethal genetic defects. It was discovered that when the gene is homozygous it caused cranial deformities, white fur, a small curled tail, and stillbirth. However, when the gene was heterozygous, those lethal genetic mutations did not manifest. The result was that breeders crossed the blue-eyed cats with non-blue-eyed cats, assuring a litter of about 50/50 blue/non-blue-eyed kittens. The blue eye colour seen in cats such as the Siamese and the Ojos Azules is due to the same physical phenomenon, the absence of melanin in the iris.THIBOS L, N; LEVICK W, R; MORSTYN R. “OCULAR PIGMENTATION IN WHITE AND SIAMESE CATS.” Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, v. 19 issue 5, 1980, p. 475-486. Although, the cause of the absence of pigment differs between Siamese, white cats, and Ojos, the end result is pigment loss and blue eyes. The depth of colour of the blue eyes in Ojos Azules is due to currently unknown polygenetic variations.Description
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 colour. All colours were allowed. 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. In particular, they had a white tail tip. 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 Congenital sensorineural deafness in cats, white blue-eyed cats without the mutation.Behaviour
Little is known about this breed, due to its rarity, but some had been known to be active, friendly, and affectionate. They were also easy to groom and did not require much brushing.Revival of dominant blue eyed breeds
Apart from the extinct Ojos Azules, several other dominant blue eye-genes have been found in cats worldwide. These are not Ojos Azules, as they are not descending from ''Cornflower''. The cats bear dominant blue eye mutations, and are developed into new cat breeds or approved as eye colouration in existing breeds by certain Cat registry, cat registries.References
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