Appearance, Personality, History, Care, & Helpful Information for Pet Owners
The pure white Khao Manee cat is also known as the Khaomanee, the White Gem, or the Diamond Eye Cat due to its remarkable jewel-like eyes that can be blue, green, gold, or “weird” (two eyes of different colors; for instance, one green and one blue). The Khao Manee in Thailand has been naturally evolving for a very long time.

The hot, tropical climate of Thailand is ideal for the Khao Manee’s body type. Its athletic, supple body is never huge or excessive; it is always moderate. The usual coat of the Khao Manee is short, silky, fine, and slightly open haired with a meager to moderate undercoat. In hotter climates, a medium-length nose is preferable to a short or snub nose.
The lively, inquisitive, and even slightly naughty Khao Manee cat does everything in good fun. The mischievous conduct of Khao Manee cats is always curbed by a welcoming manner, as their owners are well aware. The breed is amiable and social even with strangers, and it will run to greet guests with a smile. They get along well with children who are well-behaved and are open to becoming friends with both the family dog and other cats. Between times of curiosity and play, the Khao Manee will be delighted to curl up on your lap and give you a warm hug. The gregarious Khao Manee cat species wants a lot of attention and involvement from its human family and is not happy to be left alone for extended periods of time every day.

Breed Overview
- OTHER NAMES: Khaomanee, White Gem, Diamond Eye
- PERSONALITY: Playful, curious, friendly, and outgoing.
- WEIGHT: About 8 to 10 pounds.
- LENGTH: About 18 inches.
- COAT LENGTH: Short, smooth and fine, with a sparse to moderate undercoat.
- COAT COLOR: Pure, glistening white.
- EYE COLOR: Any shade of blue (including aqua), gold (including shades of brown, copper, amber, yellow and hazel) or green; eyes may also be odd (multiple colors or shades between eyes or within an eye).
- LIFE EXPECTANCY: 10 to 12 years.
- HYPOALLERGENIC: No
- ORIGIN: Thailand
Features of Khao Manee Cat
The Khano Manee is a great option for an owner looking for a small pet because it only gets to be about 10 pounds when fully grown. This kind of cat is particularly lively and sociable, making it a great choice for a family with young children.
With other cats, the Khano Manee gets along well. The Khao Manee should have minimal trouble adjusting to living alongside other animals, while it is still important to socialize your cats in accordance with veterinary advice. If you’re looking for a cat that can be left alone for extended periods of time without attention, this one is probably not the cat for you. Khao Manee, an outgoing pet, wants continuous interaction.
Affection Level | High |
Friendliness | High |
Kid-Friendly | High |
Pet-Friendly | High |
Exercise Needs | Medium |
Playfulness | High |
Energy Level | Medium |
Intelligence | High |
Tendency to Vocalize | Medium |
Amount of Shedding | Medium |

History of the Khao Manee Cat
Thailand gave birth to a wide variety of cat breeds, some of which are now extinct and others which are still cherished house pets. Some cat species have scant histories, but the Tamra Maew, also known as the Treatise on Cats or Cat Book Poems, a collection of cat illustrations and poetic descriptions that was likely written around 1350 A.D., has taught us a lot about the many Thai cat types. More than 20 different historical cat breeds are included in the Tamra Maew, but only five of them—the Siamese Wichien Maat, the Burmese Suphalak, the silver-blue Korat, the all-black Konja, and the all-white Khao Manee—are still in existence today.
The Tamra Maew covers a variety of cat breeds, some of which were thought to be fortunate and others to be unlucky. In the middle of the fourteenth century, most likely. The white Khao Manee was one of the cats believed to bring good fortune to those around it. It is believed that Khao Manee with uncommon eyes—one blue and one green or one blue and one gold—are especially lucky. Due to the inclusion of cat photos and physical traits, some people believe that the Tamra Maew may have been an early publishing of breed standards, which are textual descriptions of the ideal cat of a certain breed.
The Khao Manee cat is exceedingly uncommon outside of Thailand. The initial shipment of Khao Manee entered the nation in 1999. The breed is recognized as a distinct organism by both the Cat Fanciers Association (CFA) and the International Cat Association (TICA), which spells the breed as Khaomanee.

Khao Manee offers cat care
Grooming
The Khao Manee cat has a short, lustrous coat that is easy to keep and sheds very little. Brush the coat once or twice a week to keep it lustrous and smooth and to get rid of any stray hair. Give the coat a bath every few months to keep it smelling, feeling, and looking nice. To keep the coat’s sparkling white appearance, use a brightening shampoo made specifically for white cats. Like all cats, the Khao Manee has its nails trimmed every two weeks. If your pet’s ears seem dirty, clean them once a week with a pet-safe ear cleaner. If you notice redness or incredibly unclean ears, schedule a checkup appointment with your veterinarian.
Exercise
A playful cat who likes to climb and explore, Khao Manee. As well as a selection of amusing toys including feather wands, bell-equipped balls, fuzzy mice, and puzzle toys, give your Khao Manee cat towers or cat trees to climb and perch on. Khao Manee reportedly enjoys playing fetch.
Common Health Problems
The Khao Manee cat is typically regarded as being healthy, and the breed is not particularly known to be predisposed to any genetic health problems. In all-white cats like the Khao Manee, deafness can be bilateral or unilateral (affecting just one ear) (deafness in both ears).
Appearance
The Khao Manee are medium-sized, slender-built cats. They are large-eared white cats that are fluffy. As implied by their name, they frequently have jewel-toned eyes, such as blue, gold, or green. One of each will be in Khao Manee’s possession thanks to his unusual eye, which is lucky.
Food intake and diet
Metered meals should be given to your Khao Manee cat on a regular basis (kittens usually need three to four meals a day, but adults generally eat twice a day-morning and evening). Regular mealtimes help avoid gaining weight, which might happen if food is constantly left out (called free feeding). Diabetes, heart disease, and arthritis are just a few of the weight-related health issues that obese or overweight cats are more prone to face. Consult your veterinarian or the breeder for advice on the best foods to feed your Khao Manee cat.
Where you may buy or adopt a Khao Manee cat
Due to the Khao Manee cat’s extreme rarity, it could be difficult to locate a breeder with available kittens. Your best bet is to go to a local cat exhibition, where you might run into several moral breeders. Viewers enjoy watching cat shows because they get to witness a large range of cat breeds all in one place. To find a cat show nearby, use an internet search for “cat show near me” or visit https://www.catfoodsite.com. Khao Manee cats are quite rare, thus they rarely end up in shelters. The majority of the time, a network of breeders is used to rescue Khao Manee cats if they ever need it.
Summary of Breeds
The Khao Manee is a social, intelligent breed that is great in homes with kids and other pets. They are white, modestly built cats that range in size from medium to large. They will prosper in an active household with lots of toys and owners who have the time to keep them entertained. The Khao Manee breed, which has a long history and is frequently among the earliest breeds to be recorded, is mentioned in the Tamra Maew, an ancient record of cat breeds.
Pros
- A loving and gentle character
- Moderate workout requirement; animal-friendly
Cons
- Performs poorly when neglected.
- Demands careful effort; unusual or hard to find
Breeds of Cats Not Listed Here and More Research
If you like Khao Manee cats, you might also like these cat breeds:
- Siamese, Korat, and Burmese
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