Khao Manee Breed Information

Group

Short Haired

Weight

3.6-4.5 kg

Length

25-30 cm

Lifespan

10-12 years

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About the Khao Manee

Reviewed by:

Dr. Cristina Alice Vulpe

Veterinarian

With a name that translates to ‘White Gem’, the Khao Manee cat is a beautiful breed originating from Thailand royalty. So beautiful that they even have ancient Buddhist cat book poems written about them!

Want to know how to care for such a rare and beautiful breed and what can you expect from your Khao Manee cat?

Take a look below at our guide for answers to the questions you may have about the Khao Manee cat breed!

What Is the History & Origin of the Khao Manee Cat?

The Khao Manee, or Khao Plort, is an ancient breed originating from Thailand. They were most commonly associated with Thai royalty and can even be found in ancient texts such as the Tamra Maew, an ancient collection of Buddhist cat book poems!

One of the reasons why the Khao Manee breed was so popular amongst royalty is that they were seen to bring good fortune to their owners. This rare breed is easily one of the most respected breeds available!

What Is a Khao Manee Cat Breed?

The Khao Manee is a diamond eye cat originating from Thailand. Their snow-white coats are instantly recognisable, which only works to highlight their incredibly dazzling eyes. An odd-eyed Khao Manee is perhaps the most sought after variety of this breed.

As you might expect from an ex-royalty breed, this cat loves attention and being regularly spoiled. They don’t cope well with being left alone, so they make great companions to other sociable pets.

Who Is a Khao Manee Cat Best For?

Khao Manee’s are best suited for owners who love to spoil their pets. They are an incredibly sociable breed and will offer you just as much affection as you offer them.

Unlike some energetic breeds, they don’t require too much exercise, so they thrive in moderate-sized homes. As they love attention, they are excellent pets for larger families where they will always have someone to play with!

What Does a Khao Manee Cat Look Like?

The appearance of the Khao Manee is perhaps why the breed is so popular. Few breeds can boast a pure-white coat found amongst all Khao Manee’s. However, their coat isn’t the only standout feature of this Thai breed.

Their eyes are another famous trait, with the odd-eyed Khao Manee perhaps being the most popular variant of this breed. They possess a range of eye colours, with gold and light blue eyes being the most prevalent colours!

Coat

Khao Manee’s boast a short-haired snow-white coat once they have fully grown. As kittens, your Khao manee can have slight black markings on their coat, but this will fade as your cat reaches adulthood.

Colours

In terms of coat colours, Khao Manee’s are only available with pure-white coats, so they are known as the White Gem!

If a breeder offers you an adult Khao Manee cat in a non-white coat, it won’t be genuine, so be sure to keep this in mind – only kittens have various coat colours!

Patterns

Due to their pure-white coat, this breed rarely has any patterns on their coat, aside from when they are kittens. As previously mentioned, Khao Manee kittens can boast unique black markings that will fade into the white coat we all know this gorgeous breed for!

Khao Manee Cat Grooming & Shedding

In terms of grooming, Khao Manee’s are fairly easy to take care of. Their short coat rarely sheds but will require a slight brush a couple of times a week. They have a white coat, so they may need frequent baths to ensure that dirt and similar debris don’t stain their fur.

There are a few specialist shampoos available on the market for white cats, so be sure to check those out if you plan on joining the Khao Manee cat club!

Much like any other breed, you should trim your Khao Manee’s nails once every couple of weeks. If you don’t feel comfortable doing so then be sure to bring your pet to a professional pet grooming service.

How Do Khao Manee Cats Behave? A Look at Their Temperament and Personality

Khao Manees love to be the centre of attention. They will constantly try to seek affection from their owners through nuzzles or by performing tricks. However, they still love lots of friends, so you don’t need to worry about them competing with the rest of your pets.

Due to their high energy levels, you will catch your cat playing a lot. Whether this is climbing shelves or chasing their fake mouse around your home, this curious breed will always find something new to play with.

Living Needs

This breed is known for its high intelligence and curiosity, so ideally, you should set up a range of toys for your Khao Manee to play with. They love to climb, so cat trees and similar platforms are perfect.

They can also be a highly social breed and are happiest when playing with other pets, including cats and cat-friendly dogs. However, not all Khao Manees will need a pet-filled home to thrive; some love to constantly be the centre of attention or even pieces.

What Are Common Habits and Activity Levels of Khao Manee Cats?

Habits

As this beautiful breed originates from mountainous regions of Thailand, they have a habit of climbing onto shelves and similar platforms. You can often find your Khao Plort watching you from the top of a bookcase once they are done playing.

They love to get attention, so Khao Manees are prone to doing tricks and nuzzling their loved ones for strokes!

Activity level

Khao Manees loves to play. Whether with cat toys, young children, or even pieces of paper, they will constantly try to find something new to investigate. They do nap a lot, much like most cat breeds, but they can be an extremely active breed when they’re awake.

Vocalness

If your Khao Manee isn’t getting the attention it craves, they can be vocal. They tend to howl as opposed to meow, but this will depend on how desperate they are to be stroked. Like most breeds, your Khao Manee will softly purr or even chirp when being loved.

What Is the Weight, Height, and Size of a Khao Manee Cat?

Height

This breed tends to be towards the larger end of the medium-sized cat breeds. A fully-grown adult Khao Plort will grow between 25 and 30cm tall!

Weight

As they can grow up to 30cm tall, your average fully-grown cat will weigh anywhere between 3.6 to 4.5kg – which, when you consider their height, is surprisingly light!

Size

The Khao Manee is a medium-sized cat with thin legs and an average amount of muscle. They can be fairly light for their size, but this is perhaps due to their high energy levels and love of climbing.

Are Khao Manee Cats Easy to Train?

Due to their natural curiosity and high levels of intelligence, training your Khao Manee cat should be a breeze. They naturally love learning new things and exploring new environments, so litter training and even tricks can be taught easily!

Although they are reasonably energetic, they aren’t as active as some cat breeds. When training your Khao Manee, always allow your cat to regularly rest!

Does the Khao Manee Cat Have Any Common Health Issues?

In general, Khao Manees are just as healthy as any other pets you may own. However, due to their genetics, they do have a slightly higher chance than other breeds of suffering from potential hearing disorders.

What Is the Lifespan of a Khao Manee Cat?

The lifespan of this breed is extremely similar to a majority of pedigreed cats. On average, your snow-white cat will live for between 10 and 12 years, but it isn’t uncommon for them to live in a healthy environment for up to 14 years.

How Much Does a Khao Manee Cat Need to Be Fed?

The best way to maintain a healthy immune system for your Khao Manee is to ensure they eat enough food regularly when young; your Khao Manee may require 3-to 4 small meals throughout the day, whereas fully grown cats will prefer two larger meals a day.

The average Khao Manee cat can be fussy regarding its food, so you may want to try a few different options when they are young to find what they enjoy.

How Much Can You Expect to Pay for a Khao Manee Cat in Australia?

Khao Manees are not only incredibly rare, but they will also usually need to be imported to Australia. This means you can expect to pay a fairly high price to adopt a genuine Khao Manee. The average cost is anywhere between $7,500 to $10,500.

Khao Manee Cat FAQs

How do you know if your cat is a Khao Manee?

It can be hard to know whether or not you have adopted a genuine Khao Manee, especially when comparing white cat breeds. The easiest way to tell is to always ask your chosen breeder for a certificate of proof.

How rare are Khao Manee cats?

Khao Manees can be exceptionally rare. Much like other rare coloured cats, this scarcity does mean that they can be fairly expensive to adopt, especially when adopting from Western cat breeders.

Are all Khao Manees deaf?

Most Khao Manees are not deaf, but they are fairly prone to hearing disorders. Many white cats, especially breeds where blue eyes are prominent, have a much higher chance of suffering from hearing disorders!