White Cats With Blue Eyes Deaf
An estimated 40 percent of white cats with blue eyes are deaf which is high.
White cats with blue eyes deaf. Congenital sensorineural deafness occurs commonly in domestic cats with a white coat. Eye color in white cats also relates to the potential for deafness. 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.
Researchers found that only 17 to 22 percent of white cats with non blue eyes are born deaf. Cornell university cites a study that found that 17 to 22 percent of white cats with non blue eyes were born deaf. For this reason a cat with odd eyes can be deaf from the ear that is on the side of the blue eye. Why are white cats with blue eyes usually deaf.
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. Of white cats with one blue eye about 40 percent are deaf in at least one ear. In those cats with eyes of another colour only 10 20 are likely to be deaf. 65 to 85 deafness occurs if a white cat s eyes are both blue.
40 percent of white cats with one blue eye were deaf. In a cat with the white spot gene the deafness usually occurs in the ear affected by the spot. And of course some cats of any colour may be deaf for a completely unrelated reason. However in white cats with two blue eyes roughly 60 80 are likely to be deaf.
The common belief is that black and white cats are unique in that they have completely different colored eyes. While there is no truth that all white cats with blue eyes are deaf science has proven that the number of deaf cats with at least one blue eye is high. Unless both ears are affected cats may never show any signs of hearing loss. Still look at it this way.
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. The white color is very striking in full light giving. 17 to 22 odds of auditory impairment if a cat is a pure white with non blue eyes. And 65 to 85 percent of white cats with two blue eyes were 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. About 20 percent of non blue eyed white cats also are deaf. In those with only one blue eye 30 40 will be deaf so the majority will have normal hearing. 40 chance of hearing loss if a cat has only one blue eye.
40 percent of odd eyed white cats with one blue. White cats have always aroused curiosity in humans. Why are blue eyed white cats usually deaf. Some of the cats were deaf in only one ear.
Hereditary deafness is a major concern in white cats and even more so if one or both irises are blue in color. Since the cat eye color can play a huge role in the hearing abilities of a cat finding out the cause. 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. It is a congenital deafness caused by a degeneration of the inner ear.
The deaf ear is usually on the same side as the blue eye.