© noprati / stock.adobe.com
Different coloured eyes are allowed in Khao Manee cats. Often, these particular animals are highly sought after because they're believed to bring good luck.
Pronounced Kau Manie, the Khao Manee is a shorthair breed of cat hailing from Thailand. Adorned in snow-white fur and dazzling eyes, its name translates to “White Jewel”, a nod to its enchanting appearance. Beyond its homeland, this breed remains a rarity.
The Khao Manee is a medium-sized shorthair from Thailand. It boasts an athletic build with snow-white, glossy fur. The coat is dense, sleek, and has sparse undercoat. Males tend to be more muscular and robust than females and can weigh up to 6.5 kilograms.
A distinctive characteristic of the Khao Manee is also its large, almond-shaped eyes, which may be blue, gold, or green. Due to their pale eyelids, their eyes particularly stand out as clear, open and radiant.
In Thailand, Khao Manee cats with two different eye colours are highly sought after and commonly given as lucky charms. The breed’s name, meaning “White Jewel” or “White Gem”, reflects both the cat’s pure white fur and its twinkling eyes.
The ears of the Khao Manee are relatively large with rounded tips. The pale skin and hair colour of this breed render the ears slightly translucent. With a nose and paw pads tinged pink and a wedge or heart-shaped head with high cheekbones, these features emphasize the breed’s noble appearance.
© noprati / stock.adobe.com
The Khao Manee is a medium-sized shorthair from Thailand. It boasts an athletic build with snow-white, glossy fur. The coat is dense, sleek, and has sparse undercoat. Males tend to be more muscular and robust than females and can weigh up to 6.5 kilograms.
A distinctive characteristic of the Khao Manee is also its large, almond-shaped eyes, which may be blue, gold, or green. Due to their pale eyelids, their eyes particularly stand out as clear, open and radiant.
In Thailand, Khao Manee cats with two different eye colours are highly sought after and commonly given as lucky charms. The breed’s name, meaning “White Jewel” or “White Gem”, reflects both the cat’s pure white fur and its twinkling eyes.
The ears of the Khao Manee are relatively large with rounded tips. The pale skin and hair colour of this breed render the ears slightly translucent. With a nose and paw pads tinged pink and a wedge or heart-shaped head with high cheekbones, these features emphasize the breed’s noble appearance.
The Khao Manee is known for being intelligent, playful, and people-oriented. It forms close bonds with its human companion and revels in shared moments of cuddling and play. As with other Asian cat breeds, the Khao Manee is quite vocal and many individuals meow quite often.
Given its sociable nature, this velvet-pawed creature should not be kept solo if possible. It generally gets along well with other cats and even dogs after an initial adjustment period. While not specifically known as a family cat, many Khao Manees do well with children.
A smart cat like the Khao Manee requires mental and physical engagement. Owners should set aside at least an hour a day for playtime. This active cat enjoys various climbing and entertainment options such as scratching posts, puzzle feeders, felt mice, and fishing rod toys.
Due to its high intelligence, the Khao Manee is also an ideal candidate for clicker training. It often quickly grasps what its owner wants and is swift to learn new tricks and behaviours.
Originating from the tropical Southeast Asia, the Khao Manee’s short coat is adapted to warmer climates. It is thus less equipped for the European winter, and is better suited to life as an indoor cat.
As a devoted indoor cat, it prefers to stay close to “its” human and does not necessarily need outdoor access. However, it greatly appreciates a secured balcony or garden.
The Khao Manee’s short, dense fur only requires minimal grooming. This fastidious cat largely maintains its coat by constant self-grooming. However, it does enjoy occasional brushing – especially if acclimatised to this shared grooming ritual from kittenhood.
The Khao Manee is not very fussy about its diet, much like other cats it requires high-quality, protein-rich food.
Unique factors such as age, activity level, and health should be considered when deciding on the individual nutritional composition of the food. For advice, your vet is the best point of contact.
Generally, the Khao Manee is considered a hardy breed. However, studies have shown that white cats with blue eyes have an increased risk of deafness due to a genetic defect that leads to degeneration in the inner ear.
This, however, is not exclusive to the Khao Manee but affects all breeds with snow-white fur and blue eyes, such as the British Shorthair and Persian cat. Responsible breeders exclude affected cats from breeding to reduce the risk of deafness in offspring.
With proper care, a Khao Manee can live up to 15 years. Regular check-ups, vaccinations, and appropriate parasite protection are key to ensuring a long, healthy feline life.
Reports of this breed date back to the 14th century in a Thai manuscript called “The Book of Poems about Cats”, where it was referred to as “Khao Plort” which means “All White”.
For a long time, ownership and breeding of the Khao Manee was restricted to royalty. Rumour has it that King Rama V of Siam cherished this breed so much that he hid them from Europeans. In fact, these snow-white creatures were only permitted for export since 1999, making them a rarity on the international stage even today.
There was a time when the Khao Manee was categorized as endangered. Particularly in America, efforts have been underway since the 1990s to conserve the “White Jewel” through dedicated breeding efforts. Yet, it remains one of the rarest cat breeds in the world.
Outside of Thailand, this breed is scarcely distributed. Hence, finding reputable breeders can be challenging. This scarcity invites unscrupulous dealers to pass off other mixed white cats as purebred.
Since healthy, purebred specimens of this breed are not readily available in many regions, many interested buyers have to import their desired cat from abroad. Prices ranging from 1,000 to 3,000 euros are not uncommon.
Some kittens of this breed are born with a coloured patch between their ears, known as the “ghost mark”, which eventually fades.
In the litter, there may also be coloured kittens which are not recognised as Khao Manee but are still suitable for breeding. As per genetics, pairing them with a white Khao Manee will produce white kittens.
The Khao Manee is a rare breed that delights cat lovers with its exceptional looks and endearing character. Prospective buyers should reach out to breeders’ associations for guidance in finding a trustworthy breeder and avoid being duped by imposters.
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