There are several different eye colors a cat can have, but they usually have blue or green eyes. The rarest cat eye color is orange or hazel eye color. If there is a high level of melanin present in the cat’s cells, then the orange color will be more intense.
Feral cats are more likely to have this eye color.
I have to admit that for me, the orange cat eye color is best matched with black fur color, so let’s see which cat breeds can have both.
Keep in mind that there are many other breeds that can either be black, or have orange eyes, but this article provides information exclusively on cats that can be black and also have orange eyes. It is a very striking combination!
Black Cats With Orange Eyes
The first cat that comes to mind when you think of black fur and orange eyes is of course, the beautiful Bombay cat. They truly are a remarkable domestic cat breed, but there are other black cat breeds that can have orange eyes.
The orange eye color was first developed by British cat breeders, because they wanted an eye color which would be more noticeable than other eye colors.
Cats can sometimes have pigmented eyes, where the iris of the eye gets pigment due to melanocytes which are cells that spread all over the iris.
This condition is called iris melanosis and while it is not severe, it should be inspected by the vet. Cats can also have spots on their iris, which may look like their color is changing.
This happens because of hyperpigmentation. In any case, it is good to see a vet just in case there is anything to be concerned about.
Let’s get back on-topic and see which cats can have both black fur and orange eye color.
Read on to find a list of black cats with orange eyes, all of which are recognized by the Cat Fanciers’ Association.
1. Bombay Cat
A panther-looking domestic cat breed, the Bombay cat is the perfect breed for wildlife lovers. It is a mixed breed of American Shorthair and Burmese cat.
The appearance of a Bombay cat can be astonishing; they really resemble the black panther and yet they are a crossbreed of two domestic cats..
Personality Traits
Bombay cats are a great combination of Burmese and American Shorthair cats. The Bombay has picked up all the good traits from both of its parents. Bombay cats are great for families; they are good with seniors, children, and other cats. They are affectionate, loving, and sociable, making them truly a great choice for a pet.
They are also extremely intelligent, and will only speak when they need to. It is easy to train them, and they are more than happy to be lap cats. You are not required to do any special grooming as Bombay cats shed seasonally.
Bombay cats are quite playful but can also be a bit reserved, which makes them great and safe around children.
Size & Lifespan
The height of a Bombay cat ranges from 9 to 13 inches, and they can weigh from 9 to 15 pounds.
The lifespan of Bombay cats is 11 to 20 years.
Coat Patterns & Colors
The length of the Bombay’s coat is short, and has a solid black coat pattern; black or ebony in color. Just like the Russian Blue cat is only blue (gray), the Bombay cat’s coat is only in black/ebony in color.
Bombay cats are a truly beautiful domestic black cat breed that has orange eyes.
2. American Shorthair
All aboard the Mayflower! The American Shorthair is a descendant of the cats that were aboard the Mayflower; they kept the boat clean from rats and other pests.
American Shorthair were bred primarily for their intelligence and hunting abilities. Later on, cat lovers began to appreciate them and they became loving pets and cuddle partners as well.
Personality Traits
The American Shorthair cat is an affectionate, bold, friendly, loyal, and protective cat breed. Their playful instinct comes second to their hunting instinct.
The American Shorthair will only be vocal when they need to be and they are not very demanding. When it comes to grooming, you don’t need to do much as they have short-haired coats.
They are also intelligent and easy to train. As a breed, they are not prone to separation anxiety as they were primarily bred to be outdoor hunters so they have an independent streak.
Despite that, they are good house pets because they are sweet and loving. They will be friendly towards other pets, and they are good with children and the elderly. This is a great choice for a first-time pet, since they are ok to be left alone, do not require much grooming, and will adapt easily to any living changes.
Size & Lifespan
The American Shorthair can grow in height to 8-10 inches. Their weight ranges from 9 to 15 pounds.
The life expectancy of an American Shorthair cat is 15 to 20 years.
Coat Patterns & Colors
As you would expect, the American Shorthair has a short coat and it can come in a bi-color, tri-color, tabby, or solid pattern.
The color of their fur can of course be black, but they can also be white, orange, gray/blue, brown, or cream.
3. British Shorthair
Even though they are typically blue/gray, the British Shorthair cat can also be black in color. This breed is one of the most popular breeds all around the world, and this is hardly surprising as it makes a great pet.
The orange eye color is the rarest as a British Shorthair usually has blue eyes.
Personality Traits
The British Shorthair is a highly intelligent breed, but not very playful or active. They are mostly calm in nature and they are very trainable, easy to groom, and good for first-time pet owners.
They are also friendly; will be friendly towards other people, pets, and even strangers. They are loyal and they tolerate alone time well.
Size & Lifespan
A British Shorthair can grow up to 14 inches in height and their weight can vary from 7 to 17 pounds. Their lifespan is from 12 to 20 years.
Coat Patterns & Colors
The British Shorthair’s coat length is obviously short, and it can be solid, calico, bi-color, tabby, or color point.
Besides black and gray, possible coat colors include white, lilac, cinnamon, fawn, brown, beige, and orange.
4. Devon Rex
The Devon Rex is one of the most active domestic cat breeds, and it is also incredibly friendly and sociable.
Their eyes can be of any eye color;the rarest one is orange, but it does happen.
Personality Traits
They are highly active, playful cats. The Devon Rex breed is often described as neurotic or hyperactive, because they are far more active than other cat breeds.
A Devon Rex will definitely catch your attention, because they will do anything for it. They love to entertain people, and thrive on their attention. Even though they may sound demanding, they are not very vocal and speak only when they need to, but will get your attention with their actions.
The Devon Rex is also sociable, loving, outgoing, and friendly. This cat breed is as sociable as it is active. A Devon Rex cat is easy to train, easy to groom, will be extremely loyal to its owners and is friendly towards people, kids, and other pets.
Size & Lifespan
The height of a Devon Rex can be a maximum of 12 inches, usually 10 to 12. Their weight can vary from 6 to 9 pounds.
Devon Rex’s life expectancy ranges between 9 to 15 years.
Coat Patterns & Colors
Devon Rex has a short coat which is wavy. The coat patterns can be solid, calico, bi-color, color point, or tabby.
The colors, other than black, can be gray, white, chocolate, lavender, cinnamon, beige/cream, orange/red, fawn, or ebony.
5. Japanese Bobtail
The Japanese Bobtail is a fairly rare cat breed which is extremely adorable. They are known for their short tails and for the fact they can have both short and long coats.
They usually have odd colored or blue eyes, but their eye color can also be various shades of golden, green, or orange.
Personality Traits
A Japanese Bobtail is a loving, sociable, smart, and bold type of cat. They are extremely friendly and good for families. They are also friendly towards other pets; both dogs and cats.
They are easy to groom, trainable, and quite athletic. This is a cat breed that is active from an early age and which stays active almost their entire lives. They love playtime!
You will probably enjoy more playtime activities with this cat breed than any other as they are extremely active and playful. They are sometimes compared to dogs as they like playing fetch and greeting you at the door.
Size & Lifespan
The height of a Japanese Bobtail is 8 or 9 inches, and they can weigh from 6 to 10 pounds.
Their lifespan is from 9 to 15 years.
Coat Patterns & Colors
The Japanese Bobtail is known for its ability to have a short and a long coat. Their coat patterns can be solid, calico, tabby, or bi-color.
Possible fur colors include black, white, brown, beige, gray, silver, and orange.
6. American Wirehair
This is a pretty rare breed of cat. The American Wirehair, as the name suggests, has a wiry coat which has resulted from a natural genetic mutation.
They can have orange, blue, golden, or green eyes. American Wirehair cats are quite independent and they have a strong hunting instinct. The only downside for this cat breed is their tendency to gain weight. However, this doesn’t have to be an issue if you take good care of your cat and watch their diet.
Personality Traits
American Wirehairs are very intelligent, sociable, loving, and bold. They are calm, but active when needed, and will only speak when they have to.
They are easily trained cats, extremely friendly, and will tolerate being left alone. They make a good pet, a good lap cat, and an awesome cuddle buddy. An American Wirehair cat is a great companion; it will be loyal to its owners and will give back all the love it receives.
Size & Lifespan
The height of an American Wirehair is 9 to 11 inches, and their weight ranges from 8 to 12 pounds. Their lifespan is 10 to 18 years.
Coat Patterns & Colors
The American Wirehair is easy to groom. Their coat length is short, and it can have different patterns: solid, calico, tabby, bi-color, and color point.
Possible coat colors include black, white, fawn, cream, silver, gray/blue, orange, and ebony.
7. Maine Coon
Majestic Maine Coons are large, long-haired domestic cats; they’re the largest domestic breed. All Maine Coons are truly beautiful, but a black Maine Coon is not only beautiful, it is also extremely rare.
Maine Coon cats usually have yellow eyes, but they can also have orange, green, gold, or a mixture of green and gold colors.
Personality Traits
Maine Coons are good with kids, seniors, other cats, dogs, and are really good as a family pet. They are sociable, loving, easily trained, extremely loyal, and very cuddly.
They will form strong bonds and love their humans unconditionally. They are quite playful and very intelligent. Maine Coons make great family pets, and their fluffy bodies are too cuddly.
They make great sleeping partners and snuggle buddies. One of the rare cat breeds that you can really snuggle up to; other cats snuggle us but with Maine Coons, we snuggle the cat.
Size & Lifespan
Maine Coons are large cats, their height varies from 10 to 16 inches, and weight may range from 8 to 18 pounds. If you take a look at the Japanese Bobtail’s traits, you will see that the Maine Coon is almost twice its size.
When they stretch, you can see that the length of their bodies can be up to 40 inches.
The life expectancy of a Maine Coon is 10 to 15 years.
Coat Patterns & Colors
The Main Coon has a long coat, and it can be solid, bi-color, tri-color, tabby, or color point. Their fur can be a variety of colors.
Other than black, their fur can be white, orange, ebony, brown, beige, and gray.
8. Persian Cat
Persian cats are fluffy, sweet, loving creatures which are best known for their round, almost flat faces.
A Persian cat’s coat can be different colors, and a black Persian cat is extremely rare. They usually have lovely orange eyes, but they can also have a green or blue eye color.
Personality Traits
Persian cats are pretty quiet, moderately playful, curious, and loving pets. They love to cuddle, are extremely friendly, and they make a good lap cat. They are fantastic family pets.
Persian cats are good with kids and other pets. They make loving companions and are always prepared for cuddle time.
Size & Lifespan
The height of a Persian cat can vary from 10 to 15 inches, and their weight varies from 7 to 13 pounds.
The life expectancy of a Persian cat is 10 to 17 years.
Coat Patterns & Colors
Their long-haired coats can be solid, calico, color point, bi-color, or tabby. Their fur can be various different colors, and black is the mostrare. Other colors include white, ebony, orange, lilac, fawn, cinnamon, brown, beige, gray, and lavender.
Persian cats need a lot of grooming; they have to be brushed once a day at least. You need to brush their fur to prevent tangling and also to keep it clean. You will be required to bathe them as well, more than other cat breeds.
It is a good thing to start bathing them while they’re kittens so they get used to it, and you won’t have problems bathing them when they’re adults.
9. Cornish Rex
The Cornish Rex, like the Egyptian Mau, resembles those Pharaoh cats we read about. Cornish Rex cats have a unique appearance; large eyes, big ears, and a slim body.
Personality Traits
The Cornish Rex breed of cat is highly intelligent, extremely playful, and hyperactive. Next to their appearance, their active and outgoing personalities will capture anyone’s attention.
They are easy to groom, incredibly loyal, and they love to spend time with their owners. They will be friendly towards other pets, and make a good family pet.
Size & Lifespan
The height of a Cornish Rex cat can vary from 8 to 12 inches, and weigh from 6 to pounds. Their life span is 11 to 15 years.
Coat Patterns & Colors
The Cornish Rex has a short coat; they do not have an outer coat but their under-coat is soft and curly. Their coat pattern can be color point, bi-color, or tabby.
Possible coat colors include black, ebony, white, red, chocolate, beige/cream, and gray/blue.
10. Scottish Fold
The Scottish Fold cat breed is very cute-looking and has a unique appearance. A Scottish Fold cat usually has orange or copper eyes, but they may also have blue or golden eyes.
They usually have heterochromia or odd-colored eyes, where one eye is orange or golden and the other is blue.
Personality Traits
A Scottish Fold looks extremely huggable, and in this case you can judge a cat by its looks. They are, indeed, very huggable and cuddly cats. They are sweet, smart, loving cats who love to play.
A Scottish Fold loves playing with its owners, and will appreciate all the love and attention you provide. They are easily trained and easily groomed; the only thing you need to pay special attention to is their weight. They are prone to weight gain, so it is important to watch their diet carefully.
Scottish Folds are friendly, playful, affectionate cats who are good for families, seniors, kids and other pets including dogs. They are simply great for families.
Size & Lifespan
The size of a Scottish Fold cat varies in height from 8 to 10 inches, and in weight females differ from males. Females weigh from 6 to 9 pounds, and males from 9 to 13 pounds.
A Scottish Fold’s lifespan ranges from 11 to 14 years.
Coat Patterns & Colors
A Scottish Fold can grow up to have either a short or a long coat. Either way, it will not require special grooming sessions.
Their coat patterns can be tabby, calico, solid, and bi-color.
Colors include black, gray, white, red, cream, silver, and fawn.
11. Oriental Shorthair
Oriental Shorthairs are cats who love to spend time with both humans and other cats. Their interesting looks will catch anyone’s attention and surely put a smile on your face.
Personality Traits
Oriental Shorthair cats are friendly, sociable, loving, very active, and highly intelligent. They are also quite talkative, so be prepared to talk back!
They are easy to take care of, friendly to other cats, and to humans. They will be extremely loyal to their owners and will always be ready for a talking session. It seems like they always want to talk; they will meow to you when they need something but also when they don’t (lol).
They are very energetic cats so it is normal for them to spend most of their time being busy, but that doesn’t mean that they won’t snuggle up in your lap occasionally.
Size & Lifespan
The weight of an Oriental Shorthair varies from 8 to 12 pounds, and their height can range from 9 to 11 inches. Their lifespan is 12 to 15 years.
Coat Patterns & Colors
An Oriental Shorthair cat has a short coat that may be in various patterns: tabby, marbled, calico, bi-color, or solid.
Colors include chocolate, black, white, orange, lilac, ebony, cream, cinnamon, fawn, silver, and gray.
Their eye color is usually green, but they can be odd colored, blue, green, or orange.
12. Norwegian Forest Cat
Norwegian Forest cats are more typically bi-colored, but this breed can also be black with orange eyes.
Norwegian Forest cats are big and their fur makes them appear bigger. They are fluffy, soft-looking, beautiful creatures.
Personality Traits
Norwegian Forest cats are very sociable, loving, smart, and bold. These cats are good with kids, older people, and other cats and dogs.
They are easily trained, very friendly, highly playful, and yet calm by nature. Most people recognize Norwegian Forest cats as soon as they set eyes on them; they are known as big, fluffy, tranquil cats.
Norwegian Forest cats form strong bonds with their owners, and make great family pets. They love attention, but will not be demanding or annoying about it. They are extremely friendly towards everyone, and will adapt to their surroundings pretty quickly.
Size & Lifespan
Their height ranges from 9 to 12 inches, but they are considered big because of their enormous coats.
The weight of Norwegian Forest cats can range from 11 to 16 pounds. Their lifespan is 14 to 16 years.
Coat Patterns & Colors
The Norwegian Forest Cat’s beautiful long coat may be in one of several patterns including solid, tabby, calico, or bi-color.
Colors include black, white, red, ebony, cream, lavender, and gray.
Final Thoughts
A cat’s eye color depends on the amount of melanin present; if there is a lot of melanin, then their eyes are likely to be copper or orange.
I have done the research and picked out some black cat breeds which can have orange eyes. I hope this has been helpful to you, and that you learned a lot. The only problem you might have now, is choosing which of these adorable cats you want to adopt.
Good luck and remember that whichever cat you choose, it will love you unconditionally and you will be happier than ever before. 🙂