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.

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.

Outside of Thailand, a registration of your kitten is mandatory with one major association to secure it is a real Khao Manee from imported ancestors.

Although the breed is well known in its native land, it has only recently been adopted by Western cat breeders, gaining "registration only" status from TICA in May 2009.

The Khao Manee Cat Club was granted GCCF pre-affiliation at the Council meeting on 26 October 2011.

Khao Manee cats are one of the rarest feline breeds in the world, therefore the prices are relatively high, in some cases reaching up to US$11,000.

In its country of origin, the Khao Manee is very popular because it is associated with the monarchy but also because several legends of extreme felicity and healing were reported by the press.

Known as the "White Gem", the Khao Manee was rumoured to be highly coveted by Thai royalty, and is thought to bring good luck to those fortunate enough to have one.

Though both white cats have a common background, the Siamese cat and the Khao Manee have different genetic structures, bloodlines and breeding policies, thus Khao Manee are considered a completely different breed in the West, as well as in its native home of Thailand.

Khao Manee cats are pure solid-white with a short, smooth, close-lying coat without undercoat.