6-7 week old kittens, eyes still blue, will they stay?

I have a few different batches of kittens right now.  The youngest are probably 5 weeks old and their eyes are mostly green now rather than kitten blue.  Another batch is 6 or 7 weeks old, and they are orange tabbies with vivid blue eyes.  I was expecting them to change, but they haven't.  Either I've misaged them severely, or they're blue-eyed for good?

Pictures: the girl, Guinevere, and the boy, Galahad.  They are not outdoor kittens; they went outside for a photo-shoot.



Guinevere's eyes in particular are very blue.

They are bigger than the Seuss litter, who I believe to be younger, and whose eyes have already changed color.

Ex:


Eyes are bluish, but more green.

I just don't know how orange tabbies could have blue eyes in adulthood, genetically speaking.

Galahad [very nice photo!]  seems older, more mature than Guinevere.  Which he cant be, if they are littermates...  Anyways, I get the impression its his permanent color.  and he isnt a misunderstood point either, which is the most common explanation.

They seems to be red tabbies with blue eyes for real...    I dont think eye color and fur color is connected, with  points as the big exception.  another exception are white cats, whom often has blue eyes.

So, although blue eyes arent exclusive to these above, but they are rare in the broad population. Surely a case of  recessive genes whom must meet in the same individual.

The twitch is, its not lack of other pigmentation, but actively blue coloration.

How are their eyes when you shine on them in darkness?  Do they get red, or?? How many are they in that litter?  Have they all blue eyes or?  Do you know anything about their parents?   You are a rescuer, and as such, you often wont know anything about the parents.*

To tell the truth, Im not entirely sure on anything, but I think you have got here something less usual, yes perhaps even more or less unique.

Galahad and Guinevere are definitely littermates.  Mom was an orange tabby but nothing was said about blue eyes.  I only know that the police picked up mom, G and G, and took them to county shelter. By the time I got there, kittens had either been judged old enough to leave mom, or had been separated from mom for another reason.  So I never saw her.  Approx. 36 hours later I got a message from the kennel supervisor that the police had found two more orange kittens in the same area and brought them in.  Those two males were also orange tabbies but clearly not doing well.  Both died in my care.

So I only have these two of the litter, and they definitely both have blue eyes.  I will check for signs of albinism but truthfully it seems to me albino blue would present lighter than these.  It's possible they are inbred; since mom was an orange tabby and for her to have had only orange tabby kittens, one of which is female, dad for at least that one had to be orange tabby as well.

I have just never seen a non-Siamese or non-white marked cat with adult blue eyes, I guess I assumed they were linked.

If it is a recessive trait, both sire and dam must have the gene for blue eyes, but it does not have to be expressed, just like in humans.  The parents could have gold or green eyes, but have blue eyed parents or grand parents, themselves.

I am so sorry that you lost two of the litter.  i know it broke your heart, and that you did your very best for them.  Congrats on keeping these two healthy and happy!