White Kittens With Blue Eyes Deaf

Non pedigreed white kittens may have green or yellow eyes.

White kittens with blue eyes deaf. Deafness can occur in white cats with yellow green or blue irises although it is mostly likely in white cats with blue irises. Eye color in white cats also relates to the potential for deafness. If deafness occurs it may be either unilateral or bilateral. Albino cats are not linked to deafness.

Overall deaf cats with white coat colour and one or both blue eyes make up around about 1 1 5 of the total cat population. In one 1997 study of white cats 72 of the animals were found to be. White cats can have blue gold green or copper coloured odd eyes. In white cats with mixed coloured eyes odd eyed cats it has been found that deafness is more likely to affect the ear on the blue eyed side.

Unless both ears are affected cats may never show any signs of hearing loss. About 10 20 of normal eyed cats are born deaf or become deaf as part of the feline aging process. However there is no need to be feared to bring a cat with blue eyes home because more than 50 percents of cats who are not pure white their blue eyes are not always related to deafness and blindness. White kitten with blue eyes are often be associated with blindness and deafness.

Cats with the dominant white or white spots gene may suffer from genetic deafness. An estimated 40 percent of white cats with blue eyes are deaf which is high. However the prevalence of white cats does vary in different geographies. If 40 percent of these cats are deaf it means the majority 60 percent can hear.

Solid white cats with blue eyes are often deaf but their eyesight is completely normal. Still look at it this way. Cats who are white with a dominant white gene marked as w are commonly deaf because that gene is associated with deafness. The deaf ear is usually on the same side as the blue eye.

Most kittens will be born with blue eyes which change color as they mature. Of white cats with one blue eye about 40 percent are deaf in at least one ear. For this reason a cat with odd eyes can be deaf from the ear that is on the side of the blue eye. Some of these cats can actually have other colors in their fur often in spots on their head which fade with age.

Why are blue eyed white cats usually deaf. In a cat with the white spot gene the deafness usually occurs in the ear affected by the spot.