Are All White Cats With Blue Eyes Deaf

Are all white cats deaf.

Are all white cats with blue eyes deaf. The deaf ear is usually on the same side as the blue eye. However they do have a higher chance to be deaf and the chance increased when the cat has blue eyes. 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.

The good news is a white cat is not prone to blindness. Some of these cats are deaf in only one ear. The fact is that hereditary deafness does tend to be a serious concern in white cats.

Unilateral and bilateral combined of 85 and 649 in cats with two blue eyes 40 and 391 in cats with one blue eye and 167 and 22 in cats with no blue eyes. Do all white cats with blue eyes are deaf. Albino cats are not linked to deafness.

Cornell University cites a study that found that 17 to 22 percent of white cats with non-blue eyes were born deaf. The gene responsible for the deafness in white cats is dominant and symbolised by the letter W for white obviously. 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.

As we have mentioned previously not all white cats with blue eyes are prone to deafness. For years people believed that white cats are born with blue eyes and deaf. And 65 to 85 percent of white cats with two blue eyes were deaf.

So not all white cats are deaf and not all blue-eyed white cats are deaf but a great many of them are so-affected. Not all white Cats are Deaf. The name Lynx comes from the Greek word to shine and may be in reference to the reflective ability of the cats eyes.