Is it true white blue-eyed cats are always deaf? What are the chances?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! White cats are not blind but can be deaf. Deafness in white cats can occur with any eye color but is more prevalent in white cats with blue eyes. It is a very high percent chance that white cats will be deaf (70%). If they are deaf they may not be able to hear cars or predators which may cause their lives to be shorter. White outdoor cats are also more sensitive to the sun like pale skinned people are are at a higher risk to develop skin cancer. If you can not keep the abnormal kitten indoors then try to place it in a new home that can keep it indoors. It is not wrong to find other homes for all the kittens. If you can not find the abnormal kitten a new home then do the best that you can. If it can not run away from predators it will be at a higher risk. It is normal for 2 week old kittens to not be able to walk normally. They will get stronger and more coordinated in the next week or 2. I wish you the best!

To my knowledge, there is no breed of cat that is always deaf. Turkish Angora cats have a higher chance of being deaf because the gene for deafness is carried with the gene for a white coat. However, the Angora breed has been bred to try and reduce the chance of deafness. Any blue-eyed white cats tend to be deaf and if a white cat has two different colored eyes, often the ear on the same side as the blue eye will be deaf.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! There are definitely dogs that are deaf. Some dogs are born deaf, either due to a genetic mutation or malformation of the hearing apparatus. There are other dogs who can become deaf over time, due to damage to the ear drum, damage to certain cells within the ear, or chronic treatment with certain medications. I hope this answers your question!

Albinism has been reported in cats, and there are a few different types. Complete albinism would result in red irises with no pigment and has been reported in domestic shorthair cats. It's a little tough to see the irises in your picture, and another possibility would be that this cat has pigmented (blue or yellow) irises but dilated pupils and no pigment at the back of the eye, which cases a red 'flash' rather than the typical green 'flash'. Luckily I don't believe true albinism has been linked to other genetic problems. The dominant white coat gene that also typically results in blue eyes has also been linked to deafness.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! They are all super cute regardless! It is too hard to tell in the kittens as they are so young. As for the mother. Unfortunately there is no way for us to distinguish between those 3 breeds from a picture. If you have pure bred papers then I would trust that or you can look in to DNA testing. I wouldn't buy a pure bred animal with out proof they are what the breeder says they are. I wish you the best!

I would be concerned that a blind and a deaf cat may clash simply because they would not be able to predict each others movements by being unable to see/hear the other coming and could both be more reactive as a result. It may be worth fostering the new kitten for a trial period but I would recommend insisting that a swab is tested for infectious causes of eye disease prior to bringing her in as any condition which could be transmitted affect the vision of your blind cat would have a serious impact on her quality of life. Not all kitten eye conditions are infectious as birth defects are also possible

HI, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Snow is very very cute!! 5 weeks is very young. In the US we do not recommend puppies be removed from their mothers that young. Snow is to young to learn commands and come when called. I promise you with time and as he grows he will learn his name and come. Just practice a few times per day for only a few minutes. Puppies tire easily. It is very common at 5 weeks to appear deaf and like they can't see. It is just immaturity! I hope this helps and have fun with your new puppy!