All White Cats With Blue Eyes Are Deaf

The common belief is that black and white cats are unique in that they have completely different colored eyes.

All white cats with blue eyes are deaf. Interestingly if a white cat with one blue eye is deaf in only one ear that ear will invariably be on the same side of the head as the blue eye. While there is no treatment for hereditary deafness in cats most cats adapt well to their condition. Not all white cats are deaf. Deafness is far more common in white cats than in those with other coat colors.

A white cat with one blue eye has a 39 chance of at least partial deafness and a white cat with two blue eyes may have a 65 chance. Felines with a single blue eye are often deaf in one hear usually the ear on the same side as their blue eye while two blue eyes make an ivory cat likely to suffer total deafness in both ears. While this could be true to some extent it doesn t make black and white cats that much different from other cats of the same breed. If a white cat has 2 blue eyes it is 3 5 times more likely to be deaf than a cat with 2 non blue eyes and a cat with 1 blue eye is about twice as likely to be deaf as a cat with 2 non blue eyes.

In those with only one blue eye 30 40 will be deaf so the majority will have normal hearing. Some of the cats were deaf in only one ear. Since the cat eye color can play a huge role in the hearing abilities of a cat finding out the cause. 40 percent of white cats with one blue eye were deaf.

In addition longhaired white cats are 3 times more likely to be bilaterally deaf. Congenital sensorineural deafness occurs commonly in domestic cats with a white coat. Why are white cats with blue eyes usually deaf. According to the aspca complete guide to cats 17 to 20 percent of white cats with nonblue eyes are deaf.

And 65 to 85 percent of white cats with two blue eyes were deaf. Assuming that all cats with blue eyes which are not nearly as prevalent as yellowish or green eyes in cats are deaf is a common misconception says feline geneticist dr. In a feral situation deaf white cats experience strong negative. The percentage rises to 40 percent if the cat has one blue eye while upwards of 65 to 85 percent of all white cats with both eyes blue are deaf.

Eye color in white cats also relates to the potential for deafness. However in white cats with two blue eyes roughly 60 80 are likely to be deaf. Interestingly deaf cats who are white and have blue eyes make up around just 1 1 5 of the total cat population. White color of the coat occurs in cats in the following three ways.

40 percent of odd eyed white cats with one blue. It is a congenital deafness caused by a degeneration of the inner ear. In those cats with eyes of another colour only 10 20 are likely to be deaf. Some of these cats are deaf in only one ear.

And of course some cats of any colour may be deaf for a completely unrelated reason. Cats with just one deaf ear may appear perfectly normal.