English: Lazuli, a cat with the Dominant Blue Eyed Celestial-gene (DBE^CEL), owned by Aerlin Cattery (Chatterie d'Aerlin) from Ukraine. This DBE-type is also known as the Celestial British (blue-eyed British longhair), Roxi DBE^CEL, and Celestial Dominant Blue Eyes. This is a DBE similar (but a different gene) to the one found in the now extinct Ojos Azules breed [1]

A study found that a mutation of Paired Box 3 (PAX3) on chromosome C1 causes the minimal white spotting (sometimes no visible white spotting) and dominant blue eyes (DBE) in the French Celestial breed. PAX3 is a key regulator of MITF (Melanocyte-Inducing Transcription Factor) and PAX3 mutations cause white spotting with or without blue eyes in other species. An endogenous retrovirus LTR (long terminal repeat) insertion within PAX3 intron 4 was found.[2]

Information website breeder:
For several years I was looking for such a cat, without finding it since the only breed with this particularity, the Ojos Azules, had officially disappeared, cats presenting too many health concerns (cranial malformations).
But I have never given up and since 2008 I have scoured millions of sites, various and varied pages, until I came across by chance in 2015 on a Ukrainian breeder who owned a blue-eyed tabby cat, and that this cat seemed to transmit her eyes to her kittens. I didn't hesitate much and I booked the first kitten available, namely my Lazuli clown, who has been with us since June 2015.

After having hesitated a little about how I was going to have it reproduced, and after having been refused by the breed clubs to introduce it into the British at the LOOF (recognition is underway in other federations, by other breeders), we are now very proud to be able to announce that the Celestial is recognised in PRE-PRIAL RACE by the LOOF! [3]