How Rare Are White Cats – Factors, History, & More

Everyone has their favorite colored cat. Your best friend might love entirely black cats, but you might adore all-white cats, even if you’ve never really seen them before. When you think about how many white cats you’ve seen in your life, you might ask: how rare are white cats?

White cats are one of the rarest cats that you will find. Several cats have white somewhere on them, but entirely white cats make up a tiny percentage of all cats.

You’re not going to find many white cats when you go searching. All white cats are relatively rare, so you’re going to see cats of just about every color before you see a white cat. If you’re wondering why this is, read until the end!

How Rare Are Fully White Cats

Entirely white cats are very rare.

White cats with no other coloring are very rare, so you’re not going to see them all the time. 

White cats don’t have any melanin. Melanin is a pigment that gives cats their coloring in both their hair and skin. 

Since there is no melanin, a cat can’t have brown, black, or orange fur. Instead, their fur has no color, thus making it white. 

Most cats have at least some melanin in them, which means they have some spots that are a different color. 

What Percentage Of Cats Are White

Only about 5% of all cats are entirely white.

Let’s do a small exercise. Think about the last ten cats that you’ve seen in your life. How many of them were white?

If you don’t think you’ve seen a white cat recently, the chances are that you haven’t.

Less than 10% of cats are all white. The number is closer to about 5% of cats.

With a number so low, there is a chance that none of the last ten cats you’ve seen have white fur.

You would have to think a little further back to the last 20 cats you’ve seen. There is a chance that one of those cats is white, but there is still a very low chance that any of them will be white.

Putting it into perspective like this shows how few cats are indeed white.

Are White Cats Special

All cats are special!

Every cat owner thinks that their cat is special in its own unique way. This may be because of your cat’s quirks, his physical appearance, or how he meows. Every cat is different with its own personality.

White cats, like all other cats, are unique. Being white, however, does not make them any more special than any other cat that you may own. 

I’m not about to talk to you and tell you that your cat isn’t special because he is. Think what you’d like about your cat – after all, your beliefs about your cat aren’t hurting anyone else! 

How Rare Are White Cats With Green Eyes

White cats with green eyes are not very rare.

When you find a white cat with green eyes, you haven’t found a rare combination. Most cats that are entirely white have green eyes.

Almost eight out of 10 white cats have green eyes, so the overwhelming majority of white cats will have green eyes.

This number is relatively impressive given the fact that there are so few all-white cats in the world. 

Your white cat may have fully green eyes, but some of them will have green eyes with a gold or copper hue. 

This is to say that there is also a range of green eyes, not simply bright emerald green that you might expect.

How Rare Are White Cats With Blue Eyes

White cats with blue eyes are rarer than cats with green eyes.

Some white cats will have blue, though fewer than 50% of white cats will have blue eyes.

White cats can also have one blue eye and one eye that is another color, such as green or copper. 

One of the most common white cat breeds with blue eyes is the White Persian, with white fur and blue eyes. While this is a great breed to look at if you want a white cat with blue eyes, it may be challenging to find a Persian that is entirely white.

However, it is not impossible to find a white cat with blue eyes; you might have a better chance of finding a white cat with green eyes. 

What Kind Of Breed Is A White Cat

Since white cats are so rare in the world, let’s focus on some cat breeds that will be white.

Here are a few cat breeds that are white:

• Turkish Angora
• Turkish Van
• Khao Manee
• American Shorthair
• Devon Rex

You can find all white cats in other breeds, but these are some that you can easily find. 

Now let’s go in-depth with three of these often white breeds.

Turkish Angora

The Turkish Angora is a long-haired cat that often comes to mind when someone thinks about a white cat, even if they don’t realize it.

Turkish Angoras are intelligent and affectionate cats that are a great choice for families with children. This breed gets along great with people of all ages.

American Shorthair

An American Shorthair is a great choice if you are looking for a white cat.

Most American Shorthairs have black or grey markings, but entirely white American Shorthairs can be found.

The American Shorthair is a different kind of breed with a strong, muscular body that is more stout than other cats.

Despite the different body shapes of this cat, you’ll also find that American Shorthairs are friendly and calm. 

Devon Rex

The Devon Rex is a breed that you can find in all white.

A Devon Rex is a unique looking cat with large ears.

Your Devon Rex will probably be smart and friendly, based on the breed’s characteristics. 

They have a lot of energy, so if you are looking for a cat that loves to play, you’re in for a lot of fun!

What Is The Rarest Color Of A Cat

The rarest color of a cat is albino.

When posed with a question like this, you might start to think about how many black, brown, or white cats you’ve seen in your life. Have you seen more orange cats than spotted cats in your life, or are you just imagining that?

If you chose one of the normal colors, you’d be wrong.

The rarest color of a cat is albino.

When looking at an albino cat, the cat will be white, but it is not your average, run of the mill white cat.

Albino cats have pink skin, making their fur without melanin look almost pink.