When choosing a kitten, each potential owner is guided by his own preferences. For some, it is important that the future pet has a wonderful character and gets along with children, others want the animal not to leave tufts of shaggy fur on the carpets and furniture, and others dream of a pet with an expressive, captivating gaze.
Let's figure out what breeds of cats with big eyes there are and whether it is difficult to care for them.
Top 20 cat breeds with big eyes
Big-eyed cats often have a cartoonish appearance. This trait is typical for representatives of several dozen breeds, among which there are both popular and little-known varieties.
British Shorthair
This breed of cats with big eyes was bred in the territory of modern England. It has a long and rather complicated history, and the first images of such animals date back to 700.
Britons are large cats with soft plush fur, full cheeks and huge round eyes of orange, blue or green. The coat of the breed can be painted in almost any color, including white, gray and tabby.
Big-eyed Britons are endowed not only with an interesting appearance, but also with a wonderful character. These plush cats are distinguished by their pedantic, reserved and slightly prim disposition. Big-eyed representatives of the breed are very self-sufficient, non-conflicting and full of self-esteem.
Persian cat
These furry, big-eyed animals were named after their historical homeland. Shaggy cats came to Europe about 4 centuries ago. During the existence of the breed, its representatives changed their appearance many times.
Purebred Persians are difficult to confuse with other cats. They are easy to recognize by their compact, squat body, flattened muzzle, luxurious coat of almost any color and large eyes.
Persians are affectionate and phlegmatic animals. They do not accept training and prefer to while away the time on a cozy sofa. These fluffy cats with big eyes quickly become attached to their owners and get along peacefully with other pets.
Ragdoll
These cats with big eyes appeared in America in the 60s of the last century. They were developed by crossing the Angora and Siamese. The new breed became known as the Ragdoll, which translated from English means “rag doll.” It quickly received official status and recognition from most leading felinological organizations.
The Ragdoll is a large cat with large blue eyes that can weigh up to 10 kg. Due to a special gene, his body, covered with half-length light hair, is able to completely relax in the hands of his owners.
The ragdoll's chic exterior is complemented by a wonderful character. This peace-loving, big-eyed cat quickly becomes attached to its owners and always tries to be closer to them. Due to his affectionate and gentle disposition, he cannot repel the offender. Therefore, physical punishment cannot be applied to this cat with big eyes.
Singapore
The ancestors of these big-eyed animals lived in the sewers of Singapore and would have been completely destroyed if several individuals had not been transported to America.
Thanks to the efforts of local breeders, cats were preserved and popularized. And already in 1981, Singapore had its first standard. And a few years later, big-eyed animals received recognition from many felinological associations.
The Singapore cat is small in size and weighs no more than 3 kg. Its oblong body with a long and flexible tail is covered with a short awn of brown or cream color with light markings. The Singapura's big eyes deserve special attention. They are almond-shaped and amber or greenish in color.
Singaporeans are endowed with high intelligence and active temperament. Cheerful, big-eyed cats are able to jump and play throughout the day.
Devon Rex
This distinctive breed of cats with big eyes was bred in England in the 60s of the last century. Her ancestor was an unusual female with curly hair, found on the streets of Devonshire. The very first purebred representative of the breed is a black cat named Kirli.
The Devon Rex is not large in size and weighs no more than 4.5 kg. Its stocky body with graceful limbs and an elongated head is covered with sparse wavy hair of any color.
Not only the curly fur coat, but also the expressive large eyes can be considered a unique calling card of the Devon Rex. They have a slightly slanted stance and are colored yellow, golden-green or blue.
Devon Rexes have a friendly and sociable disposition. These big-eyed cats are infinitely devoted to their owners, for which they are often compared to dogs.
Munchkin
These short-legged cats with big eyes appeared completely by accident as a result of a stable genetic mutation. Their ancestor is considered to be a black and white female named Blackberry, which means “blackberry” in English.
Due to the peculiarities of their appearance, munchkins can boast of several names at once. Because of their elongated body, the big-eyed animals were dubbed dachshund cats. And due to the habit of standing on their hind legs, representatives of the breed received the nickname kangaroo cat.
The Munchkin is a strongly built, squat animal with large eyes and a thick, not too long tail. It weighs no more than 5 kg and has short or long hair, the color of which does not necessarily have to be in harmony with the shade of the iris.
Munchkins are known not only for their interesting appearance, but also for their positive character. These big-eyed representatives of the cat family are endowed with a self-sufficient, unobtrusive disposition and high intelligence.
Scottish fold
The Scottish Fold was bred in the 60s of the last century. British shorthaired and outbred individuals with curved ears took part in the formation of unusual big-eyed animals.
Scottish Folds are cute cats with deep, expressive eyes and small ears, the tips of which are pressed tightly to the round head. The color of their beautiful large eyes strictly depends on the color of their coat. For example, black Scottish Folds have an orange iris, while Harlequins have a tea-colored iris.
In addition to their attractive appearance, Scottish Folds are endowed with a pleasant character. These big-eyed cats are distinguished by their affectionate, friendly disposition and excellent mental abilities.
Exotic
This bug-eyed, flat-faced cat is related to the Persians. It was bred by breeders from the USA, who hoped to expand the color palette of the American Shorthair breed. But contrary to their expectations, non-furry kittens with the appearance of Persians were born.
Exotics are compact snub-nosed cats with plush fur, an expressive forehead and wide-set large eyes. In appearance, they more closely resemble not a living creature, but a soft toy. The most popular representative of the breed was a Chinese cat named Snoopy. He managed to acquire an army of subscribers eagerly awaiting new photos of their favorite.
Exotics are cute cats with big eyes and a touching expression on their faces. They are endowed with a sociable, non-conflict disposition, a lively mind and natural curiosity.
Abyssinian cat
These slender, graceful animals with a long tail and ticked color are distinguished by extraordinary grace and aristocracy. Their short coat can be red, blue or copper in color. And expressive large eyes should be in harmony with the color of the coat.
Abyssinians are endowed with a sociable and playful disposition. These graceful cats with big eyes get along well with other pets and have virtually no behavioral problems. Clean and intelligent Abyssinians are easy to train and easily understand what is required of them.
Japanese Bobtail
This Japanese cat breed with large eyes and a short tail is extremely rare outside of its historical homeland. Its representatives are distinguished by a harmonious build and have a compact wedge-shaped head.
The body of Japanese Bobtails is covered with white hair with black or tan markings on the back and sides. The irises of these big-eyed cats can be blue, green or yellow.
Japanese Bobtails are sociable animals that love to spend time with their owners. These short-tailed cats with large eyes are considered excellent mousecatchers. They are very curious and actively interested in everything that happens around them.
Ukrainian Levkoy
This unusual breed of big-eyed cats was bred quite recently. Its representatives resemble sphinxes in appearance, but have soft cartilage at the tips of their ears. On the elongated triangular head of the Ukrainian Levkoy, large almond-shaped eyes with a sad and intelligent look stand out.
These graceful hairless animals quickly become attached to their owners and need constant communication with people. Big-eyed lefties are moderately cheerful, unforgiving and playful.
Burmese cat
This breed has a long history and Asian roots. Big-eyed Burmese cats are easily recognized by their small, strong body covered with short hair, neat round head and penetrating gaze. The iris color varies from dark amber to bright yellow.
Scottish Straight
These big-eyed cats are very similar to the British. They have a graceful build and weigh between 3.5-5 kg. Scottish Straights can have either short or long hair. Both varieties have developed undercoat. But the real decoration of cats of this breed are their large round eyes, the shade of which depends on the color of the coat.
Turkish Angora
The big-eyed representatives of this breed have soft, fluffy, snow-white fur. Their magnificent coat harmonizes perfectly with the iris of tea, orange, green or blue.
Unlike many other breeds, Turkish Angoras are characterized by heterochromia. And individuals with blue eyes often turn out to be deaf.
Maine Coon
These huge shaggy cats with tufts on their ears have not only an interesting appearance and a wonderful character. They are also distinguished by the expressive look of their large round eyes, the color of which can be rich yellow or green.
Canadian Sphynx
These hairless cats with huge ears look like aliens. And high, well-defined cheekbones and bottomless large eyes only enhance the resemblance to alien creatures.
Oriental cat
Representatives of this breed are close relatives of the Siamese. They attract the eye with their exquisite, sophisticated silhouette, huge ears that look like fans, and large eyes of a rich emerald hue.
Siamese cat
These graceful natives of Thailand have a long history, but in Europe they learned about them only in the 19th century. They are distinguished by a graceful physique, large eyes and a characteristic color-point color.
Cornish Rex
These big-eyed cats have an extravagant appearance. Unlike representatives of many other breeds, they do not have the usual awn. The traditional coat is replaced by a wavy undercoat, which, along with large ears and large eyes, is considered a unique calling card of the Cornish Rex.
Burmese cat
The history of these big-eyed animals began in Southeast Asia. In ancient times, Burma was considered sacred and was believed to be the reincarnation of Buddhist monks.
Persian bicolor cat
Persian cats have a wide variety of colors - black, blue, chocolate, cream, lilac, tortoiseshell and other shades of the same color. However, relatively recently, a special breed of two-colored Persian cats, the so-called Persian bicolor, appeared.
These two-colored Persians have long been like the fly in the ointment of their breed. They appeared by chance in the litters of White Persians. It would seem, what's wrong with that? Excellent big-eyed cute kittens. However, they were considered too unattractive and were long considered a genetic defect and were not allowed to participate in exhibitions. And only in the 70s of the twentieth century this injustice was corrected. Bicolors have gained well-deserved fame.
At the first exhibitions, black and white Persians were judged not only on what part of the body the spots should be, but also on what size. Such requirements could not satisfy breeders for a long time, until, finally, an international commission changed the too strict standards in favor of the Persian cats themselves.
Now purebred big-eyed Persians can boast of a beautiful two-tone color. Moreover, the spots can be of any shape, but symmetrically located and identical. At first, bicolor Persians were only black and white, white and blue, and creamy blue. Today these are a variety of colors and shades - lilac, chocolate, smoky, kameo and tabby. And most importantly, the eyes of these wonderful cats are simply mesmerizing. Because the color of their beautiful eyes, combined with two-tone coloring, leaves an indelible impression on the souls of connoisseurs of feline beauty. Judge for yourself - the eyes of bicolor Persians can be dark blue, dark orange and copper in color.
The American standard for a bicolor Persian requires that the paws, belly and chest of this marvelous cat be exclusively white. And on the muzzle the shape of the white spot should be in the form of an inverted letter V. The Persian is allowed to have a white spot under the tail.
The British were not so strict with bicolor Persian cats, so they decided that this type of Persian could have dark-colored spots, which should occupy no more than 2/3 of the surface area of the entire body. In this case, the spots must be clearly limited and have pure colors.
This is how the varieties of the breed appeared:
- VAN – dark spots can be located only on the head and tail.
- Harlequin - dark spots are located on the back, head and tail. White color in color should not exceed 50% of the body surface area.
Features of caring for cats with large eyes
Representatives of breeds with bulging eyes are predisposed to ophthalmological diseases. Therefore, they need special attention and care. A kitten with big eyes should be accustomed to hygiene procedures from an early age.
The glands of such an animal produce a lot of tear fluid, which leads to the formation of crusts. To prevent this from happening, the eyes are washed daily with special lotions in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations. Otherwise, the nuances of caring for such animals depend on the characteristics of a particular breed.
Big-eyed cats differ from each other both in appearance and in character. But they all have an expressive look that gives them a unique charm and charm.
No. 9. Turkish Angora
Among other cats with big eyes, we can highlight the Turkish snow-white angora - the owner of the softest airy coat. Other breeds also have representatives with white fur, such as Persians.
The color of the huge eyes of white animals can vary; there are even cats with different eyes. But the blue-eyed ones were out of luck. They are born deaf, regardless of breed or gender.
Snoopy
Despite the fact that this breed is considered Japanese, however, it has nothing to do with this country. Its historical homeland and main habitat is China, but it turned out the way it did.
The Japanese Snoopy cat breed has a unique but pretty appearance. They have very funny faces and thick cheeks. The cats are shorthaired and have a rather exotic color called “red tabby van”. The breed appeared in the middle of the 20th century thanks to American breeders by crossing Persians and American Shorthairs.
Ukrainian Levkoy
The first association when seeing a representative of this young breed is the fold-eared Sphynx. Pets have a muzzle with clearly defined cheekbones, high, forward-curled ears and a slender, graceful body. Really huge eyes are filled with sadness and sadness. They often have a green, less often blue tint, and are shaped like human ones. Levkoys are distinguished by their affectionate nature and are always devoted to their owner.
What to feed
So what do you need to know about this? Experts say that the diet of Japanese Bobtail cats should be of high quality and balanced. Therefore, it is better to feed not homemade food, but premium purchased dry food. If you want to start planning the menu yourself, then you need to take into account the fact that cats are carnivorous animals, so meat must be present in their life. But plant foods, which are a source of vitamins, minerals and carbohydrates, are no less important.
When feeding homemade food, it is necessary to add vitamin complexes to it. But it’s still better to stick to dry food, since they are perfectly balanced, contain all the nutrients necessary for normal growth and good health, and will also cost less than buying food in a store.
Scottish Fold cat (Scottish Fold)
Miniature forward-curved ears and large round eyes with a surprised expression give these cats a touching and touching appearance. They have a calm, balanced character and are even trainable; they especially like to stand on their hind legs. But they will never forget to remind you with their voice that they forgot to feed or caress them.
Shorthair exotics
The cat with the biggest eyes named Snoopy today has more than one million fans around the world. He has his own pages on Instagram and Facebook. The popularity of this cute cat is just off the charts. And all thanks to those beautiful huge honey-colored eyes and amazing little nose. Snoopy was born in 2011, his owner named Ning posted pictures of her pet on Weibo. Just two months later, this sweet cat became a celebrity. Snoopy lives in China. His breed is simply wonderful - he is a short-haired exotic.
Thanks to Snoopy, this breed has become simply super popular today in different countries of the world. For the uninitiated, the shorthaired exotic is like a cute soft toy that you can happily cuddle. However, you should not treat this breed so familiarly. The cat with big eyes, the photo of which you see in the article, is a direct relative of the Persians, and therefore has a very serious character, which does not always fit with a doll-like appearance.
Snoopy's fellow tribesmen will never allow a man to impose his will. They are independent and proud, and have an excellent sense of self-esteem. At the same time, surprisingly, they are distinguished by excellent obedience and high intelligence. These cats are not the type to spoil their owners' favorite things. They tolerate loneliness well and will always be able to occupy themselves with pleasant games in the absence of the owner, but they still really need communication with a loved one. They treat guests and other animals with the equanimity of Buddhist monks; they even get along well with parrots and hamsters.
Persians: a look from time immemorial
Big-eyed and fluffy Persian cats are a gift from the East: they came to Europe from Persia (present-day Iran) about 400 years ago.
Large and round, like saucers, widely spaced bright eyes are one of the signs of the Persian breed. Depending on the color of the animal, they can be orange, copper, bright green or blue. Breeders all over the world strive to ensure that the eyes of a purebred Persian are large, round, expressive and shine like stars. And honestly, their efforts were crowned with success, you can see this for yourself - we have collected for you a selection of photographs of the most titled Persian cats. Admire their luxurious coat and incredibly beautiful eyes.
Health and Diseases of Japanese Bobtails
Japanese bobtails are cats with excellent health, strong and strong, with good immunity, rarely get sick, and do not have genetic diseases that are found in hybrids. No special diseases specific to this breed have been identified either. 3-4 kittens are born in a litter, the mortality rate among kittens is very low. With good care they can live 17-20 years.
Animals are distinguished by good health and stable functioning of the immune system. They do not have hereditary diseases; most of the problems are associated with the tendency of cats to catch colds from temperature changes and cold winds.
With proper care, the Japanese Bobtail will remain healthy for a long time.
With proper care, a balanced diet and timely vaccinations, pets practically do not get sick. A lack of nutrients can cause massive hair loss and decreased immune function.
Singapore
A rare breed of cats from Asia, the representatives of which look like small lions. Rounded ears and round eyes of amber or muted green add expressiveness to their appearance. A distinctive feature is the almond-shaped eyes, which is rarely found in large-eyed breeds. Cats have a gentle voice and a cheerful disposition; they love to move and play a lot.
