Anisocoria in cats may be caused by congenital genetic influences, heredity, pigment loss or uneven distribution, retinal dysplasia or injury, etc. Understanding these reasons can help you better care for and understand these special cats. If you are considering getting a cat with different pupils, it is recommended to learn about possible health problems and special needs in advance to ensure that the cat can live a healthy and happy life.
1. Congenital genetic influence:
This is the main reason for the formation of heterocoria in cats. During a cat's development, stem cells migrate to different parts of the body and differentiate into specialized types of cells at specific locations. Sometimes there is a problem with the migration of these stem cells in the eye, preventing the melanocytes from reaching one eye, causing the two eyes to be different colors.
2. Heredity:
Heredity is another important factor in the formation of heterocoria. If one of the parents has a cat with different pupils, the offspring may also have different pupils. This genetic phenomenon may be related to certain chromosomal variations or genetic defects.
3. Pigment is missing or unevenly distributed:
The color of a cat’s eyes is determined by melanin. If the pigment is missing or unevenly distributed, it may also lead to heterocoria. The white gene is an important factor because it prevents melanin from entering the cat's other eye, causing the two eyes to be different colors.
4. Retinal dysplasia or injury:
If the cat's retina is adversely affected during development or damaged later in life, it may lead to the phenomenon of heterocoria. This damage may be caused by disease, trauma, or other factors.
It is worth noting that although cats with anisocoria may have unique visual beauty, some cats with anisocoria may be accompanied by hearing impairment or other health problems. This is usually due to a genetic defect associated with heterocoria. Therefore, when selecting and raising cats with heterochromia, special attention needs to be paid to their health and regular examination and care are required.
