White Kittens With Blue Eyes Deaf

About 20 percent of non blue eyed white cats also are deaf.

White kittens with blue eyes deaf. White cats have a genetic makeup similar to albino humans who lack pigment. An estimated 40 percent of white cats with blue eyes. And of course some cats of any colour may be deaf for a completely unrelated reason. Of white cats with one blue eye about 40 percent are deaf in at least one ear.

White cats have always aroused curiosity in humans. Non pedigreed white kittens may have green or yellow eyes. Up to 85 percent of them may be deaf but solid white cats are relatively few to begin with and blue eyed solid white cats are even rarer. Full white kittens will either have blue or amber eyes or possibly one of each called odd eyes or heterochromia.

In a cat with the white spot gene the deafness usually occurs in the ear affected by the spot. 40 percent of odd eyed white cats with one blue eye are deaf. However in white cats with two blue eyes roughly 60 80 are likely to be deaf. Cornell university cites a study that found that 17 to 22 percent of white cats with non blue eyes were born deaf.

It s believed that the ear closest to the oddly colored eye or both ears if both eyes are uniquely colored will be the ear with deafness. Most kittens will be born with blue eyes which change color as they mature. In those with only one blue eye 30 40 will be deaf so the majority will have normal hearing. There is no truth that white cats with blue eyes are blind.

This gives them some vulnerabilities like sensitivity to uv light. And 65 to 85 percent of blue eyed white cats are deaf domesticated cats with blue eyes and white coats are often completely deaf. 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 addition longhaired white cats are 3 times more likely to be bilaterally deaf.

And 65 to 85 percent of white cats with two blue eyes were deaf. In those cats with eyes of another colour only 10 20 are likely to be deaf. 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. The same genetic factors that give white cats their snowy coats and unique eye colors can also cause total or partial deafness in many kitties.

40 percent of white cats with one blue eye were deaf. The deaf ear is usually on the same side as the blue eye. White kitten with blue eyes are often be associated with blindness and deafness. According to the aspca complete guide to cats 17 to 20 percent of white cats with nonblue eyes are deaf.

Why are blue eyed white cats usually deaf.