White Cats Deafness Blue Eyes
As we have mentioned previously not all white cats with blue eyes are prone to deafness.
White cats deafness blue eyes. Cats with blue eyes are often confused with kittens. Cats with white Spots. Overall deaf cats with white coat colour and one or both blue eyes make up around about 1-15 of the total cat population.
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. However the prevalence of white cats does vary in different geographies. A cat with a gene with white spots like the tuxedo cat can have blue eyes or in some cases odd eyes.
Furthermore if a cat has one blue eye and one green the ear on the side of the blue eye is more likely to be deaf than the other. Deafness is associated only with the dominant white gene not the white spotting gene says feline geneticist Leslie A. 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.
Cornell University cites a study that found that 17 to 22 percent of white cats with non-blue eyes were born deaf. 40 percent of cats with one blue eye are deaf and up to 85 percent of all white cats with two blue eyes have deafness. The reason is the aforementioned W genotype.
An estimated 40 percent of white cats with blue eyes are deaf which is high. When one or both eyes are blue anywhere from 60 to. The uphill road to solving polygenic disorders The pure white cat with luminous blue eyes is an attrac-tive image familiar to many.
White cats with blue eyes are more likely to be deaf than white cats with gold or green eyes. The fact is that hereditary deafness does tend to be a serious concern in white cats. Its even more of a concern in white cats when they have one or both irises that are blue.