White Cats With Blue Eyes

the link is below, but this is the clip of the part of the artical referenceing the "white spotting. Its near the end of the artical. The white spotting factor (S) is a dominant mutation with variable expression. Cats that are homozygous (S/S) tend to have more white area than cats that are heterozygous (S/s) for white spotting, but there are other modifying genes that can affect the degree of white spotting. Non-genetic variations have been noted. Some people have observed that the white area may increase as the cat gets older. The white spotting factor can create blue-eyed or odd-eyed cats, if it reaches one or both eyes. The white spotting factor is associated with deafness, if the white areas reach the ears. Since it usually covers the eyes if it covers the ears, the deaf cats caused by white spotting frequently have blue eyes (but not always). The deafness may affect one or both ears. It is caused by a degeneration of the cochlea (inner ear) which begins a few days after birth. The deafness is irreversible. Note that white spotting can be present on a cat that is also a dominant white. Of course, white spotting on white is invisible. http://www.fanciers.com/other-faqs/color-genetics.html

Wow Elic, that's really interesting!! The show Cats 101 didn't say anything about that but then again, being only an hour long, they could only go so far into detail but yeah, thanks for the link, that is really interesting!!

No not all are deaf, 85% are deaf so there's 15% left who aren't however, the cat has to be ALL white, no other color AND has to have blue eyes to be considered in that category. You were lucky that your all white one had yellow eyes for it was able to hear. But it makes me wonder what is that and which is to blame? The eyes or the ears?

Nope not all white cats are deaf....I had a white cat years ago and heard fine but then he had bright yellow eyes...LOL

Bright yellow eyes? I have never seen that before. That must be a beautiful sight.

No no, it has to have blue eyes for them to fit in the 85% category. I'd like to know what the reason is and which affects which or do they? lol Too many questions, I know but I do wonder those things.

Lucky has blue eyes, and he mostly all white, but he is also a red-point or flame point siamese, he has orange ears and an orange tail, the rest of his body is white. Now, Siamese are known for eye problems and being cross-eyed, some can have hearing problems, but it is mostly eye problems. Lucky was feral and has no health problems at all.

Your cat fit in with the lucky 15% then since it can hear. He has a perfect name! lol But I've never heard about flame point or any of the siamese having hearing problems. That's something new for me. But I'm talking about all white white with blue eyes, not the siamese.

Responsible pet owners have them "fixed" to prevent overpopulation, make them better pets, and permit them to live longer, healthier lives. But, any pet owner that plans to breed their cats, should also be a responsible pet "breeder" and "fix" any animal with a genetic defect; even, if they would not normally have the animal "fixed". Responsible pet breeders will have an animal with a genetic defect neutered and then sell or give the animal away as "pet stock" instead of keeping it for "breeding stock" and passing the defect on to future generations.

I didn't know they "fixed" them so that the genetic mutation wouldn't repeat itself. I consider that a good thing for being an animal, it needs to hear in order to survive especially when it's an out door cat. I agree, I wish so many others would be responsible and fix all of their animal friends because it IS the right thing to do. I have 10 cats and 4 dogs, all are fixed except for one, he isn't old enough just yet.

It is amazing, isn't it? It makes me wonder why it is, is it the pigmentation of their skin that affects their hearing or the other way around....? And you're welcome! I'm glad you found it interesting!!

If you would, come and check out the other comments made on here, some knew about it already and some didn't but find it very interesting. Believe it or not, it is true or I wouldn't have posted it but it's only 85% of them that are born deaf, not all of them. 15% are lucky to be born with their hearing intact. Nothing wrong with the deaf ones at all just that they can't hear.

Awwww you're very welcome Polly dear!! lol White cats are beautiful, aren't they? I'd like to get one SOME day, not now because I have 10 now! But some day I'd like to get one and I'd name it Casper just like Casper the friendly ghost!! lol It and Popeye were my two favorite cartoons. So Casper would fit it perfectly, deaf or not. lol

My white kitties name was Casper, he was beautiful.

ROFLMBO!! You're excused dear. lmbo!! Purrrrrr! Yeah, cats can learn sign language but doesn't mean they'll listen. Just as the sayings go, dogs have owners, cats have staff. Very true! Or a dog will come when called, a cat will take a message and call you when it's convenient. LOL But you know, I have a coffee mug that says, "You're nobody important unless you've been ignored by a cat" Now I find that VERY interesting for I must be ROYALTY because I've been ignored soooo many times!! LOL About your dog, I applaud you for not putting him to sleep and instead getting the surgery done for him!! Not many people would go to that expense but I feel this way, they didn't ask to be born, they didn't ask to have the medical problem, they didn't ask for you or who ever to take them in but you did so we all should do right by our furry friends. Thanks pal!!

Yes, did hear what they said about the value of the house going down because of the 'remodel' guess it would take another cat lover to appreciate. I thought it was neat but not sure I could live with the colors - which were to benifit the cats not the humans.

Ooooh yeah!! I saw that one too and couldn't believe all that these people have done for their kitties!! I thought it was so cool!! But do you know that their house value went DOWN because of that?! Down?!! That's plain stupid because it could easily be fixed and all that stuff would be taken down to the next place if they did sell their house. Makes no sense but yeah, that was really cool to see.

oh my god-you must get run over with 10. opening cans when i had 6 was enough.i used to kid i was gonna get a horse trough for them LOL

That's what was done to me before I had hearing aids, people who knew it would tap on things to get my attention so I know alllll about that. LOL I have 10 cats now and every one of them can hear just fine and a couple of them can hear a can open a ways away too and come screaming!! lol Of course none of them are white so they all can hear perfectly well.

Hey roberten! You're a big cat lover too?! Cool!! We need more of you around!! lol Yeah, that show is really interesting, isn't it? It was my first time ever seeing it and found it really cool to watch and believe it or not, so did my hubby!! lol

Awwwww, he sounds like a real love!! But I have to say that I agree with you totally! Your daughter shouldn't hold him all the time or he'll expect it every time he hollers. He has to learn to entertain himself some or he'll be forever dependent on her. She has to have a life too and won't always be there. The poor cat won't understand why, all of the sudden, when she's gone.

Yes, it's very true. 85% of white cats with blue eyes are deaf. 15% of them are not so it's rare to find a white cat with blue eyes that can hear but they are out there. As for your sweet one, sounds like she had some damage done to either her brain or her hearing and vocal cords. How sad!! I'm glad she's doing better though, bless her heart!!

Not all of them but 85% of white cats with blue eyes are deaf. They can learn sign language if one were to teach them. I would love to have one myself for they're beautiful cats and if any body would understand them, I know I would for I'm legally deaf myself and wear hearing aids. There's nothing wrong with them health wise, just that they're deaf. However one might be lucky and find one that fits in the 15% category and having perfect hearing. If you need to know something about a cat, any cat, let me know and I'll tell you all I know. Being that I've had cats since BEFORE I was born, lol, I know A LOT about them. They make such WONDERFUL pets!! They ask for so little and give so much!!

That's great that you BOTH like cats!! You're very lucky!! My hubby likes cats too and so far we have 10 cats but maybe even 12 if we don't find their rightful homes for these other two that show up at our place from time to time. Now remember, only 85% of white cats with blue eyes are deaf and if they have two different eye colors then it's the side with the blue eye. I'd like to know what that is though. I wonder if it has to do with the pigmentation of their skin that affects their hearing or the other way around. Who knows but yeah, very interesting.

I have a few mixed breed siamese cats too and they all hear perfectly fine. But no, I'm not talking about these cats but the solid white ones with blue eyes. It makes me wonder why it is, whether it's their skin pigmentation or their ears that causes one or the other to go the way it does. No, I don't think a cat can be fitted with a hearing aid, that was just a joke on my part. lol

I adore cats too!! I have 10 of them right now and wouldn't give them away for anything in this world! lol No, not all of the white cats with blue eyes are deaf, just 85% of them. The other 15% are the lucky ones who were born with their hearing intact. I'd love to have a deaf cat myself for there's nothing wrong with them other than they can't hear. I mean, I can't hear well either so I would understand their situation. You could too if you gave it a try.

You've got a heart of gold Opal!! You really do!! I agree with you, I'd take a cat no matter what it looks like, deaf or not, lost limb or not, doesn't matter to me at all. All cats have a right to live. I had a black and white cat named Bandit. Someone had shot him in the leg and it had to be amputated. He survived and it took some time for him to adjust but once he got it, that sucker could run just as good as he could when he had all four legs!! lol I saw him run one time and I screamed for my mom to look look!! He had his head down and ears back and he was flying after something!! LMBO!! He was my buddy and he knew it. God rest his soul. He was an awesome cat....

That's probably why you never noticed it. White cats with blue eyes are the most prominent ones to have the deafness but not all of them though, only 85% are that way. The other 15% are the lucky ones and are born with their hearing intact.

What do you mean by that? No, it's NOT the other way around at all. Most white cats with blue eyes are deaf. NOT all of them but 85% of them are deaf. Are you insulting me or is it that you're still learning English?