Khao Manee Remains A Status Symbol Cat
Khao Manee is a royal cat. Rare natural breed. Gracious. People-loving. Credited with attracting good fortune. Khao Manee remains a status symbol cat.
History of Khao Manee
Appearance of Khao Manee
Health of Khao Manee
Personality of Khao Manee
History of Khao Manee
The Khao Manee (also known as Thai cat, Diamond Eyes, and White Gem) hails from Thailand (formerly Siam). It is Thailand’s most valued cat breed.
The Khao Manee’s history is shrouded in mystery and legend. The breed was first mentioned in writing in the Thai book of cat poems, known as the Tamra Maeo, in the year 1350. The breed was credited with healing and protective powers. It was also believed to bring good fortune to its owners.
Because of its unique appearance and alleged mystical powers, the Khao Manee cat breed (by the way, Khao Manee means White Gem in Thai) was reserved for the royal family, only. According to a legend, the breed was kept a secret from the public for centuries to ensure that only the royals would enjoy the good fortune it brings.
Another legend has it that in the 19th century, when Siam was being colonized by the British and French, Siam’s King Rama V offered other Siamese cats to the foreigners in an effort to hide and protect his beloved Khao Manees. (No wonder the Khao Manee is considered a royal cat and a status symbol cat.)
For centuries, both breeding and exporting the precious Khao Manees was the exclusive domain of the royals.
The ban was first lifted in the 1990s when the Khao Manee breed became endangered in Thailand.
Appearance of Khao Manee
The Khao Manee is a medium-sized cat (6-10 lbs. The male may weigh 8-10 lbs., while the female may weigh 6-8 lbs.). It has a short, pure white coat and a muscular and agile body. (Some Khao Manee kittens are born with grey marks on their heads. The marks disappear as the kittens get older.) The Thai cat’s head is heart-shaped and has striking eyes. The rarest and most valued Khao Manee cats have odd eyes. Most of them have either blue, green, or golden eyes.
Health of Khao Manee
Because the Khao Manee is a natural breed (not man-made), it doesn’t have any breed-specific health problems. It shares however the health risks of other white cats.
Among them are:
Deafness (in one or both ears) caused by the same genes that determine their coat and eye color.
Risk of sunburn and even skin cancer due to sun exposure caused by the naturally low UV protection common in all white cats.
Personality of Khao Manee
The Khao Manee is intelligent, inquisitive, curious, playful, communicative, sociable, loves people, kids, and other pets. Diamond Eyes loves to play, exercise, interact, and be in the company of others. It hates being alone or ignored.
The Khao Manee remains a status symbol cat today. (Home pet quality Khao Manee kittens range from $1,000 to $2,000. Registered / Show quality Khao Manee kittens range from $8,000 to $11,000.) Khao Manee is a rare natural breed. Gracious. People-loving. And its ability to attract good fortune is nothing to sneeze at either….