Forgive me if this has been asked before, but
are white cats with blue eyes deaf?
if not, sorry then, carry on
http://www.messybeast.com/whitecat.htm
There is an established link between the white coat color, blue eyes and deafness. The deafness is linked to the gene for blue-eye(s) and not to odd-eyed cats. Not all blue-eyed whites will be deaf since there are several different genes causing the same physical attributes (whiteness, blue-eyedness) so it all depends on the cat’s genotype (its genetic make-up) not its phenotype (its physical appearance).
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95% of the general cat population is non-white cats (i.e. not pure white) and congenital deafness is extremely rare in non-white cats.
5% of the general cat population is white cats (i.e. pure white). 15-40% of these pure white cats have one or two blue-eyes.
Of those white cats with one or two blue eyes, 60-80% are deaf; 20-40% have normal hearing; 30-40% had one blue eye and were deaf while 60-70% had one blue eye and normal hearing.
Of the 5% of white cats in the overall population, 60-80% had eyes of other colors (e.g. orange, green). Of those 10- 20% were deaf and 80-90% had normal hearing.
Deaf white cats with one or two blue eyes account for 0.25 - 1.5 of total cat population
Total number of cats with white coat and blue eyes account for 0.75 - 2.0% of total cat population
It is evident from those studies that blue eyed whites exhibit a higher incidence of deafness than do orange/green eyed whites or non-white cats! Butnot all blue eyed whites are deaf and here’s why:-
There is a known link between white coat color, blue eyes and deafness - but since the coat and eye color can be caused by different genes it means that only some blue eyed whites are deaf. There is a gene/gene complex which causes white coat and blue eyes; it is linked to deafness, but not all cats get white coat and blue eyes from this particular gene. These cats have a reflective layer called the tapetum in the eye (green eye with flash photography), differentiating them from the Siamese blue eye.
Thank you for the detailed and informative response.
I ask because on my morning drive, I sometimes see this all-white cat wandering the side streets.
FYI - My blue-eyed white DSH hears just fine.
malcom x, my white blue eyed devil kitty was not only deaf, but he had no balance and was often seen falling off of counters, couches, chairs, and stairs. I miss him
Cats with white ears are also prone to skin cancer. You are supposed to apply the factor 15 before you cat goes out in the sun.
Deadly Nightlight : The congenital deformity which makes some blue-eyed white cats deaf can also cause middle and inner ear malformations, and these structures are important in balance. This is, however, extremely rare.
