Dog ate chocolate?

 ask a vet

Heterochromia in a cat.

Species: Cat
Breed: no breed
Age: 1-2 years
I recently got a cat as a rescue. She is white, with light grey and yellow splotches.My question is about her eyes. I have searched all over the internet and asked my vet today but he didn't seem to think her eyes were anything special nor did he give me a term for it. Her eyes are blue and green. Not one blue eye and one green eye. Each eye is split perfect down the middle, vertically. The outside of each eye is blue and the inside of each eye is green. Is there a term for this?


Online vet, Dr. Marie

Dr. Marie replied:

There is a name for this! It is called heterochromia.

There are a few types of heterochromia:

  • Complete heterochromia - where an animal has two different colored eyes (like one green and one blue.)

  • Partial heterochromia - where one eye will have more than one color.

  • Central heterochromia - where there is a ring of a different color surrounding the pupil.



It sounds like your cat has partial heterochromia.

In most cases this is something that an animal is born with and it is nothing to worry about. It doesn't affect their vision.

In dogs it is more common with a merle coat color. In cats it is more common in white Persians, Japanese Bobtails, and Turkish Angoras but can happen to any breed. Sometimes when an animal is born with heterochromia there can be other defects in the eye but not always.

If an animal had normal eyes and then started to develop heterochromia this can mean that there is a medical problem such as inflammation, injury or a tumor.

Thanks for a great question!

Dr. Marie.

---This question was asked in our Ask A Vet For Free section.---


Do you have a pet website? Interested in learning more about SEO for Wix?

Check out our dog age calculator and cat age calculator.

Want to receive pet coupons, vet advice and info on new pet products in your inbox?

* indicates required

We'll only send you great stuff, never spam. Unsubscribe any time.

Disclaimer: Although Dr. Marie is a qualified veterinarian, the information found on this site is not meant to replace the advice of your own veterinarian. AskAVetQuestion.com and Dr. Marie do not accept any responsibility for any loss, damage, injury, death, or disease which may arise from reliance on information contained on this site. Do not use information found on this site for diagnosing or treating your pet. Anything you read here is for information only.

Search for similar questions:

ask a vet

Popular questions...

Yorkie with diarrhea. Hello, I have a yorkshire terrier that 1 year old and weighs 5.5 pounds. He is a... (11759 views)

Puppy won't eat or drink. My puppy has not been feeling good for the past 2 days. She doesn't eat or drink... (103067 views)

Aggressive cat My cat attacked me out of the blue today. This is very much out of character for... (24651 views)

Expensive fecal exam. Hello Dr. Marie, My question is about a vet bill that I got yesterday and I... (40210 views)

Weak legs on Coton deTulear. Hi! I have an 8 month old Coton de Tulear that I acquired through a very... (7361 views)

Should I get a guinea pig? Dear Dr. Marie, I live in Seattle, Washington, USA. I'm interested in having two... (8243 views)

Puppy doesn't want to eat. It has been over a week since my Sheltie has lost her appetite. She hardly touches... (10175 views)

Guinea pig biting. How I can gently dissuade my guinea pig from nibbling and nipping me? Recently my... (8781 views)

Best cat foods. One cat is 13 pounds and 7 years old. He is heavy, but it doesn't look or feel like... (5287 views)

Wobbly boxer My 3 year old male boxer has several issues. A couple weeks ago he was lethargic... (18402 views)

See all questions...

Dr. MarieDr. Marie is a veterinarian who practices in a busy animal hospital in Ottawa, Ontario. She created Ask A Vet Question as a resource for good, accurate veterinary advice online. Dr. Marie treats dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, and rats. She has been a vet since 1999.

Is an online vet visit just as good as a trip to your veterinarian? No! But, many times, asking an online veterinarian a question can help save you money. While Dr. Marie can't officially diagnose your pet or prescribe medications, she can often advise you on whether a vet visit is necessary. You can also ask Dr. Marie for a second opinion on your pet's condition.