Khao Manee

Other names : Khao Plort, White Gem, Diamond eye

Literally the ‘White Gems’ of Thailand, Khao Manees are both rare and mysterious. They are an ancient breed, mentioned in literature dating back to the 14th century. They’re considered lucky, and were once reserved for Siam’s (Thai) royalty. Khao Manees are named after their immaculate white coats, and their other name, ‘Diamond Eye’ is based upon their sparkling eyes, which resemble two precious stones (ideally of two different colours).

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Life expectancy	The Khao Manee has a life expectancy of between 10 and 15 years
Temperament	Affectionate Playful Intelligent
Adult size	Female Between 10 and 12 in Male Between 12 and 14 in
Adult weight	Female Between 4 and 11 lb Male Between 7 and 11 lb
Coat colour	White
Type of coat	Short
Eye colour	Blue Green Yellow Odd-eyed
Purchase price	The Khao Manee costs approximately 500£

Good to know

White Khao Manee can produce coloured kittens. They are not recognized as Khao Manee, but are still kept in breeding programs. These coloured kittens appear from time to time because the gene responsible for their white coat (W) is a dominant gene, whose function is to mask the true colour of their hair. White is not a colour, but rather an absence of color in feline genetics. True White Gems are either homozygous (WW) or heterozygous (Ww). By breeding two heterozygous parents, a small percentage of kittens will not inherit the (W) gene and their colour will be unmasked. Breeders will then breed these cats with white individuals to get back to the white "colour" of the breed.

More details about the Khao Manee

Khao Manee: Origins and history

In the fourteenth century a Thai collection of poems about cats, the Tamra Maew appeared. Little, completely white cats with mercury eyes are mentioned. This is the first evidence of Khao Manee, then known as Khao Plort. The breed is therefore very old, despite our current ignorance of them.
Legend has it that the King of Siam (Thailand), Chulalongkorn (or Rama V), hid the very existence of these beautiful cats from the prying eyes of British and French travellers. Instead, referring to Siamese as the cats of the kings in their place. Whether this is true or not, the Khao Manee remained confined within Thailand's borders until 1999. At that time, it was threatened with extinction. An endangered species specialist, Colleen Freymouth, imported the first individuals from Thailand to the United States and set up a breeding and conservation program. Even today, very few catteries breed Khao Manees.

Khao Manee: Characteristics

Very affectionate

After a busy day of playing, you can expect Khao Manees to show you heaps of love and affection!

Very playful

These cats are very active and energetic, and absolutely love to play. They can even play fetch!

More or less calm

These energetic cats balance their moments of madness with more gentle moments of calm.

High intelligence

Just like other Thai breeds, their curiosity rivals their playfulness, making them very intelligent cats.

Not fearful of strangers

Due to their sociable nature, most Khao Manees will go and meet visitors/strangers.

Not very independent

These little rascals want to be involved in all household activities, even those in the bathroom...

Khao Manee: Behaviour

Tends to be very vocal

Despite being only distant cousins of Siamese cats, they share their chatty nature.

Needs a lot of exercise

These White Gems, (as they are sometimes known) need exercise to stimulate themselves and to maintain their agility.

Has a moderate tendency to run away

They are probably too attached to their humans to want to run away, but do not underestimate their curiosity!

Not very food motivated

In general, they are not known as greedy cats.

Breed compatibility Khao Manee

Moderately compatible with other cats

Although in general they prefer humans, they can get on well with other cats.

Compatible with dogs

As they are very sociable cats, they can get on incredibly well with dogs if proper introductions are made.

Compatible with children

As long as children are respectful, Khao Manees love playing with children.

Moderately compatible with senior owners

The White Gems’ high energy levels can be a bit much for elderly people!

Khao Manee: Purchase price

The rarity of this breed explains their high price! They cost approximately £500 (for a neutered adult with non-optimal competition characteristics) and can cost up a lot of money for a kitten imported directly from Thailand. It will also cost around £25/month to support them.

Khao Manee: Shedding

None

They don’t shed much fur as they have no undercoat.

Khao Manee: Grooming

A simple weekly brush is all they need. It is also a good idea to clean their eyes when necessary.

Khao Manee: Health

Life expectancy

These ‘lucky’ cats live between 10 and 15 years.

Strong / robust

As they come from a hot country, they aren’t particularly well adapted to the cold.

Tendency to put on weight

They have a very low tendency to put on weight. However these Diamond Eye cats are not immune to obesity if their diet and daily exercise are not adapted correctly.

Common illnesses

Periodontal diseases and other ‘alley cat’ diseases and illness are quite possible in this breed, as with all breeds. White cats with one or two blue eyes, often have a higher tendency for deafness than other cats, and is considered a common problem. However, although it is possible for Khao Manees to be deaf, it is less common than in all other blue-eyed white cats. This illustrates the meticulous work of early breeders of these cats.

Reproduction

Breeding White Jewels is not easy. Once jealously guarded in their country of origin, there are still very few breeders in the West. The breed is only recognized by TICA and the GCCF. Despite crossbreeding being forbidden, several tricksters have attempted to pass off ordinary white cats for Diamond Eye cats. Future buyers must be vigilant.