Olive the Cat Has Two-Toned Eyes

Some cats have one eye color on the left and another on the right. Bowie the rescue kitten is one example.

Olive, a white Oriental Shorthair, has two colors in each eye. Look closely and you’ll see deep blue and warm amber side by side in both eyes.

Each of Olive’s eyes looks as though it’s split down the middle. The half closest to her nose is blue, while the outer half is amber.

This color pattern comes from a genetic condition called sectoral heterochromia. It gives the iris, the colored part of the eye, two distinct shades. More about heterochromia

People often wonder whether white cats with blue eyes are more likely to be deaf. The Cornell Feline Health Center explains how coat color, eye color, and hearing are linked. Cornell Feline Health Center

“Blue-eyed, white cats are not more prone to blindness, either hereditary or acquired, than other cats.” 

Among white cats with eyes of a color other than blue, about 17–22% are born deaf. For white cats with two blue eyes, that figure rises to about 65–85%. Cornell Feline Health Center

Olive has blue and amber in both eyes, and she hears just fine.

Kim was looking for a new pet to welcome into her family. She had no idea she’d end up bringing Olive home.

“I was looking for another kitty to join the family to make it four. I wanted a lively kitten to fit in with my others.”

Kim hoped to find a playful kitten who would fit in with her other cats. Olive’s two-toned eyes caught her attention right away, and there was more about the kitten that drew her in.

“It was quite dark when I picked her, the lady lifted her into the light and said she may have odd-looking eyes.”

The woman at the shelter had called it.

Kim started sharing photos of Olive on Instagram in 2017. Since then, more and more people have followed along. Want to see more of Olive and her two-toned eyes? Follow Olive on Instagram.

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