Ojos Azules

Semi-Foreign

Coat

Solid:
Tabby: Any of the tabby combinations, including silver and golden tabby.
Tortoishell: Any of the tortoiseshell combinations. This breed often has larger patches on the head/neck than the body; this is not a fault.
Torbie: Any of the torbie combinations of the allowed tabby combinations. This breed often has larger patches on the head/neck than the body; this is not a fault.
Smoke/Shaded/Chinchilla: Any of the above listed colours in any of the patterns, silver or gold base.
Colourpoint/Himalayan: Any of the colourpoint patterns.
Mink: Any of the mink patterns.
Burmese: Any of the burmese patterns.
White Patterns: Any of the above colours or patterns with tuxedo, bicolour, harlequin, or van white markings.
All colours may have "Ojos trait markings" which include markings on the tail tip, face, muzzle, and/or toes. It is not required for trait markings to include all of these areas; also, trait markings can be unevenly distributed as they do not follow typical white distribution rules.
Catz with more white than tuxedo must have a white tail tip and four white feet; they may also have 50% or more white on the tail. Colourpoint and mink catz must have at least trait markings. A white chest spot is faulted on an otherwise solid or only trait-marked cat.
Bicolours are slightly less preferred than catz with only trait markings.

Eyes


Predominantly white cats may have one eye or

Nose

Matches surrounding coat.

Faults

Lockets and belly spots in otherwise solid catz. Lack of white tailtip in pointed and mink catz. Solid white.

Disqualifications

Neither eye blue. Lack of trait markings to any extent in pointed and mink catz. Lack of white tailtip and toes in white spotted catz.

Varieties

None

Notes

The Ojos Azules is one of the most popular breeds to never exist. Although at one point accepted by TICA as an experimental new breed, it is likely that registrations never exceeded a hundred cats. The simple description of them – a solid-coloured cat with brilliant blue eyes – appeals to many cat lovers. And yet the actual Ojos Azules (Spanish for “blue eyes”) is as elusive and mysterious as ever. Little is known about the breed’s origin and development. Lore says the first Ojos was a blue-eyed cat named Cornflower, found in a feral colony in New Mexico in 1984 – but the owner and breeder is unknown. What is known is that the breed came to the attention of TICA geneticist Dr. Solveig Pflueger in the early 1990s, who supported their advancement to Preliminary New Breed in 1991. Pflueger was tasked with investigating the genetic makeup of the new breed, and sadly determined that the breed’s unique eye colour was associated with a number of genetic health issues. While the breed existed until at least 2004, which was the most recent year a TICA standard for the breed was produced, with only 10 cats known in 1992 it’s unsure whether the breed survived even long enough to reach the 21st century. At this point, TICA has rescinded their Preliminary New Breed status due to inactivity. The Ojos Azules seems to have vanished like a mirage back into the desert it was found in.

Type & judging remarks
The breed was of a moderate, semi-foreign type as befitting a desert breed. The head style is triangular, with a slight nose break. The eyes are large and round, to better display their outstanding colour. Typical of the breed is a slightly flattened tail tip. White markings (Ojos trait markings) on the tail tip, muzzle, and/or paws are typical. Brilliant blue eyes are preferred.

Breed Files

Filename: Ojos azules
Offset: 3ED3
Base: Tabby
SCP: Tabby
Accepted: January 22, 2008
Notes: Version 2 of the Supernova file.

Filename: Ojos azules
Offset: 3ED3
Base: Tabby
SCP: Tabby
Accepted: November 24, 2004
Notes: