Persian Cats White Deaf

Interested in deaf white Persian cats? Find out why the long haired white feline is prone to develop deafness in our breed information guide..
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The white Persian is one of the world’s favorite pets. It is admired for its long haired brilliant white coat and a personality to match its sweet looks. Although the white Persian is genetically a very healthy cat it is prone to develop one major problem; and that is deafness.

Deafness in white cats

Deafness is a problem attributed to the white Persian. But let it be known this problem is not unique to the white Persian. In fact any white colored cat can develop this problem be it a Devon Rex or any other breed of white cat. Yet there is very little information regarding the disease of deafness in white cats.

People generally believe deafness in white cats is caused due to a special gene termed as the deafness gene inherent in the white Persian cat. Contrary to popular belief there is no such thing as the deafness gene. In fact it is the white gene itself that causes the problem in all white cats and not just the white Persian.

This however does not make the white cat any inferior to other colored cats. Nor can it be termed as a serious defect. This is because white Persians have the ability to survive under all conditions favorable for the Persian in general.

Ban on white Persian

There are some European countries where talks of placing a ban on the breeding of white cats are taking place. This ban is not restricted to white cats only but rather a number of different cat breeds are included in the ban.

There has been severe opposition to these bans because the white Persian is a hot favorite amongst the cat lovers. Further they are also extremely important for the breeders. The inclusion of the white Persian in the breeding pool helps to bring about diversity in the Persian cat. It is also necessary to include the white cat in the gene pool to ensure the good health of the Persian and avoid inbreeding.

The W gene phenomenon

Another interesting point to notice is that the presence the W gene which causes the deafness in white Persian cats is also found in other colored cats. It can be in the form of the white spotting gene.

Another common misconception associated with the presence of the W gene is that it causes reproductive and visual defects. This is something that occurs in dogs that posses the same gene but it is not so the case with the white Persian.

Unfortunately though long haired cats, which is perhaps the most appreciated quality of the white Persian are more prone to develop deafness. This is why deafness is specifically associated with white Persian cats. The deafness may occur unilateral or bilateral. As a result of the deafness the white Persian also develops blue irises. Statistics also go to show that mixed breed white cats are far more likely to develop deafness as compared to the purebred white cat.