10 Cats with Copper Eyes

Cats, no matter the color of their eyes and coats, are remarkably beautiful creatures.

They carry themselves with such composure, self-esteem, calmness, and self-love that you almost think they know how striking they look.

Their big, bright eyes complement their beauty in so many ways.

We, humans, love the eyes of felines so much that we have what is called a “cat-eye” make-up routine geared at making the eyes appear like those of the cat.

While all cat eye colors are incredible, there’s something special about a cat with copper eyes.

Perhaps it is the fact that the color is rare. Or the fact that it truly stands out.

Whichever the case, having a kitty with copper eyes is like winning a jackpot.

If you are wondering which cat breeds have copper eyes, we have a list of ten breeds for you.

What Causes The Copper Coloring?

Most people are aware that melanin is the pigment responsible for determining the color of a cat’s coat.

Turns out the same pigment affects the coloring of the eyes as well. The more the cat’s melanocytes produce, the darker the color of the eyes.

The opposite holds true as well. Unlike humans who get brown and black because of melanin abundance, the darkest a cat’s eyes can get is a deep, rich copper.

Therefore, a cat with blue eyes has lower levels of melanin in his iris while the one with lots of melanin develops copper in his eyes.

Yellow, Amber, Gold, Orange, Copper… How Can You Tell The Difference?

If you don’t know much about feline eye colors, it can be pretty hard to distinguish a cat with copper eyes and one with yellow/golden/amber or orange eyes. However, these differ slightly.

Yellow or amber eyes go from yellow to gold then to amber for richness.

An orange-colored feline, on the other hand, bears a bright orange that is rather hard to confuse. This one stands out on its own.

Last but not least, copper eyes are much darker than the first two. Here, you have a cat with anything from light brown with red toned-eyes to orange.

There may be green, orange, or yellow flecks in there as well.

Cat Breeds with Copper Eyes

In general, purebred cat breeds have intense eye colors, one of which is copper. The breed standard demands that the cats have such colors.

Here are 10 breeds with copper eyes.

1. Bombay

The Bombay is a sweet, curious medium-sized cat with an energetic character.

It is a cross between the American Shorthair and Burmese.

The original breeders were looking for a Burmese with a deep, glossy leather black- pretty much like that of the Indian Black Leopard.

True to their desire, the result was a strong, muscular, heavy-boned, and active cat.

At home, this copper-eyed beauty is affectionate, curious, and adaptable. He loves to jump on his owners’ lap and spread his body across it.

2. Persian

This docile and dignified cat is both easy-going but wants to be treated like royalty as well.

He’s not quick to scratch and hiss when there’s noise around him but if you push him, he will get annoyed and show it.

Persians are beautiful, gentle, calm, and affectionate.

They come in a variety of looks—these include coat colors, shape of the face, and eye colors.

In most cases, the color of the coat has an effect on the color of the eyes. For example, golden Persian cats have blue-green or green eyes while solid-colored ones tend to have brilliant copper eyes.

3. Japanese Bobtail

True to the name, the Japanese Bobtails originates from Japan—the Land of the Rising Sun.

This feline is loved and celebrated in Asia and the world over.

His beauty—oval eyes, slender body, wide-set ears, long hind legs, and especially his bobbed tail—is unlike any other.

It is said that no two cats of this breed bear the same exact tails.

Typical eye colors include blue and golden but registries accept other colors including, amber, hazel, odd-eyes, aqua-blue, and copper.

4. British Shorthair

The British Shorthair is one of the most famous cat breeds out there.

They are friendly to kids, adults, and other pets. They are so affectionate towards their owners. They are intelligent, hardy, and independent.

People love them for one or all of these qualities.

While most of the British Shorthairs have blue or green eyes, there are those with copper eyes as well.

5. Chartreux

This breed is unofficially named the ‘national cat’ in France.

It is a sweet, beautiful, and charming kitty with a cool and independent temperament.

Both the British Shorthair and Chartreux bear plush blue-gray coats and round faces.

As a result, one is always mistaken for another.

However, the two kitties are slightly different. The Chartreux also has a narrower head while the British Longhair has a wider one.

6. Cornish Rex

With a small-to-medium stature, large ears, a small narrow head, and long slender legs, the Cornish Rex is a true beauty to behold.

He comes in endless pattern variations including tabby, tortoiseshell, solid color, calico, smoke, shaded, points, and more.

Possible eye colors include amber, blue, aqua, copper, gold, orange, green, yellow, and orange.

As for personality, this is an athletic dog with lots of energy to play in the yard and in the house, run around, and jump all over the place.

He is also loving and enjoys spending time with his human companions.

7. Norwegian Forest

Also known as the national cat of Norway, the Norwegian Forest Cat is another feline with copper eyes.

It is easy to recognize him from a pack of cats, thanks to his unique body shape and a beautiful double coat.

This cat measures 13-22 pounds making him one of the biggest cat breeds around.

He can easily be bigger and way more than your Chihuahua or Pekingese.

8. American Bobtail

The Japanese Bobtail is not the only Bobtail breed to have copper eyes.

The American version just seems to have a few cats with the deep color as well.

Essentially, when the melanin levels rise (which depends on the individual cat), the rich and deep copper eye appears automatically.

With that said, this breed comes in all a number of colors including gold, copper, green, blue, bi-color, and odd-eyes. The breed standard accepts and recognizes all of them.