Khao Manee

By 1000 Ventures · Last reviewed

A pure white cat from Thailand, famous for odd eyes, one blue and one gold.

A Khao Manee cat sitting, full body
Size
Medium
Weight
6 to 12 lb (2.7 to 5.4 kg)
Lifespan
10 to 15 years
Coat
Short, smooth and glossy
Colors
White only
Origin
Thailand, an ancient breed
100% of the time, our scanner puts a Khao Manee in its top three. It names it first 93% of the time. How we tested

What does a Khao Manee look like?

Khao Manee means 'white gem'. The coat is short, smooth and pure white. The eyes can be blue, gold, green or odd-eyed, and the odd-eyed 'diamond eye' cats are the most prized. The body is medium and athletic with a slightly rounded head and fairly large, upright ears.

Khao Manee personality

Khao Manees are outgoing, chatty and playful. They tend to be very attached to their people.

How to care for a Khao Manee

The coat needs a weekly brush. White cats with blue eyes are more often deaf, so ask a vet to check hearing.

How do I know if my cat is a Khao Manee?

A short-haired, pure white cat with odd eyes might be a Khao Manee, but white house cats with odd eyes exist too. A Turkish Angora has a longer, silky coat and a plumed tail.

A photo can only tell you what your cat looks like. Pedigree papers from a breeder, or a cat DNA test, are the only ways to prove a breed. For a quick first answer, upload a photo to our free cat breed identifier. It compares your cat with 31 breeds and the ordinary house cat and shows the three closest matches.

Curious which breed your own cat looks like? Upload one photo to the free cat breed identifier and see the three closest matches in seconds.

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Breeds that look like the Khao Manee

Turkish Angora Turkish AngoraA fine-boned, graceful cat with a silky coat, a plumed tail and often odd eyes. House cat House catA mixed-breed cat, called a domestic shorthair or longhair. Most pet cats in the world are house cats, not purebreds. Oriental Shorthair Oriental ShorthairA Siamese in every color but points: very slim, huge ears and a loud voice.

Or browse all 31 cat breeds side by side.

Frequently asked questions

Are all odd-eyed white cats Khao Manees?
No. Odd eyes come with the white gene and appear in many white house cats and other breeds.
Are Khao Manee cats deaf?
Some are. Deafness is more common in white cats with blue eyes, often on the side of the blue eye.

What breed is your cat?

Upload one photo and the free cat breed identifier shows the three closest breeds in seconds, or tells you it is a classic house cat.

Identify my cat