Khao Manee
The Khao Manee cat (, , lit. "white jewel"), or Khao Plort (, lit. "complete white"), also known as the Diamond Eye cat, is a rare, natural breed of domestic cat originating in Thailand, which has an ancient ancestry tracing back hundreds of years. They are mentioned in the Tamra Maew (Cat Book Poems ). Khao Manee cats are short-haired solid-white cats. History The Khao Manee is an ancient cat breed comparable to the Siamese, Thai, Korat, Suphalak, and other natural cat breeds from Thailand. The Khao Manee is mentioned in the Tamra Maew (Cat Book Poems ) that also mention the Siamese cat breed and other different coat coloured cats endemic to Thailand, or Siam, as it was previously known. Ayutthaya Kingdom In the Ayutthaya Kingdom (AD 1351-1767) there are many books about ancient Siam cats recording cats such as the Siamese/Thai, Korat, Suphalak, Konja, etc.. There are 23 species in Ayutthaya. 17 species were fed at the Ayutthaya royal palace, but there are no records about the Khao Manee. There are a few records about white cats, but no specific records about the Khao Manee. Only 23 species have been recorded. Thonburi Kingdom After the Ayutthaya Kingdom collapsed during the Burmese-Siamese War (AD 1765-67), the Siamese people emigrated to the Thonburi kingdom (AD 1768-1782). One of the most important temples in Bangkok is in the Wat Arun. A Buddhist temple had existed at the site of Wat Arun since the time of the Ayutthaya Kingdom. When King Taksin established his new capital of Thonburi near the temple after the fall of Ayutthaya, the Khao Manee's historical records were found there. Rattanakosin Kingdom (Bangkok) In the reign of King Nangklao (AD 1824-1851), the Khao Manee is more frequently mentioned. Khao Manee cats are famed and there have been paintings found of them at temples. The white cat was originally known as the ‘Khao Plort’, then became known as the Khao Manee in the reign of King Chulalongkorn (1868-1910 AD). Introduction worldwide The Khao Manee was said to be kept and bred initially by Siam royals, as was the case with other rare coloured cats such as the Siamese. Breeders in Thailand are promoting and breeding the Khao Manee in the effort of preserving its lineage and breed standard. The first Khao Manee cat imported to the United States arrived in 1999 when Colleen Freymuth imported 12 Khao Manees. In 2004, she was joined by Frédéric Lachaud-Goedert in France who began another breeding program. With the help of Janet Poulsen, an edifying contributor to the establishment of the breed, they worked to have the breed recognised in all the world's cat registries. Breeders in the West are still working to promote and establish foundation lines for the Khao Manee. The Thai breeders used to breed only white to white Khao Manees. This is the most distinctive trait of the breed. While most western breeders perpetuate this heritage by screening their genetic informations, other breeders prefer to cross their subjects with