All-white, blue-eyed cats will usually go blind at an early age. True or false?
FALSE! All-white cats are prone to being deaf but not blind. It is inherited deafness. This seems to be due to the multiple effect of the dominant white (DW) gene which removes colour from the coat and eyes and causes deafness through a degeneration of the inner ear. An alternative reason: I have read that the DW gene resides on the same chromosome as the genetic mutation causing deafness which is why cats with all-white coats are sometimes deaf. Depending on the source, a study carried out in 1971 revealed: 25% of white cats had golden eyes and normal hearing; 7% had golden eyes and were deaf; 31% had blue eyes and normal hearing and 37% had blue eyes and were deaf. Some cats are deaf in one ear and if this happens after one year and if they have odd-eye colour the deaf ear is on the same side as the blue (colourless) eye. Many cats are partially white. Click the link below to read about their special names.
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Photo and breeding: Irina Maxi Milary of Saint Petersburg, Russia.
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Male white British Longhair cat bred in Russia by the Golden Leris cattery. Photo: Питомник британских кошек Golden Leris located in Moscow, Russia.
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