White Cats Deafness Blue Eyes

While there is a clear correlation between the blue eye color and deafness in white cats why is this so.

White cats deafness blue eyes. Deafness in blue-eyed white cats. Interestingly most white cats regardless of eye color exhibit a special kind of deafness. Overall statistics indicate that.

All-white cats born with one blue eye experience congenital deafness in 40 of kittens while kittens born with two blue eyes have an 85 chance of being born deaf. A cat with blue eyes in cats will not have a dark coat any more than a cat with light eyes will have a dark coat. Deafness is associated only with the dominant white gene not the white spotting gene says feline geneticist Leslie A.

Do all white cats with blue eyes are deaf. The deafness is linked to the so-called W gene. However the prevalence of white cats does vary in different geographies.

The reason is the aforementioned W genotype. 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. Unlike other white cats blue-eyed white cats have slightly different genetics.

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. Some of the cats were deaf in only one ear - interestingly if a cat had a blue eye on the right side of her head. The blue eyes in a piebald or epistatic white cat indicates a lack of tapetum.

Researchers found that only 17 to 22 percent of white cats with non-blue eyes are born deaf. In the cat world white cats with blue eyes are very special kitties. According to the Cornell Feline Health Center only 17 to 22 percent of white cats with non-blue eyes are born with hearing loss.