White cats and deafness: why it happens, how to tell and how to live with it
It is one of the best-known facts of feline genetics and also one of the most misunderstood: not all white cats are deaf, and not all blue-eyed cats are either. But dominant white is linked to congenital deafness, especially with blue eyes. A deaf cat lives very well with a few adjustments, and white cats face another, less familiar risk: the sun.
Where white comes from
A cat can be white for several different genetic reasons, and not all carry the same risk of deafness. The white most associated with deafness is dominant white, produced by a variant of the KIT gene: a single copy is enough to make the cat completely white, masking the colour it would otherwise have. The gene works by preventing pigment cells, melanocytes, from colonising the skin and other areas during development, including part of the inner ear. Another source of white is white spotting, the gene behind bicolour, van and harlequin cats; at its highest grades it can also be linked to deafness, but less often. True albinism is very rare in cats.
Why it is linked to deafness
The inner ear contains a structure, the stria vascularis, that needs melanocytes to work. In a dominant white cat, if those melanocytes are missing from the ear, the stria vascularis degenerates in the first days or weeks of life and the cells that transmit sound die. The result is congenital sensorineural deafness, present from a very young age and permanent, which may affect one or both ears. It does not hurt, does not progress with age and is not contagious. The same melanocytes missing from the ear are the ones that give colour to the iris, which is why there is a link with blue eyes: a blue eye shows that pigment was also missing in that area.
The link with blue eyes
The classic and later studies agree on the general picture even if the figures vary: among white cats, deafness is considerably more common in those with two blue eyes, intermediate in those with one blue eye and one of another colour, and less common in those whose eyes are another colour. In odd-eyed cats, when deafness is on one side only it is usually on the side of the blue eye. Published percentages vary a lot from one study to another, depending on the population and the breed, so no single number should be taken as exact. The practical conclusion: a blue-eyed white cat has a high risk of deafness, but not all are deaf, and a white cat with yellow eyes is not safe either.
Breeds where it is seen
White appears in many breeds and in the common European shorthair. Breeds in which white cats are traditional or common include the Turkish Angora, with its classic white variety, the Khao Manee, a Thai cat that is always white and much prized with odd eyes, the white Persian and the white British Shorthair. In the Turkish Van, most of the body is white because of the spotting gene rather than dominant white, and the risk is different. Responsible breeders of these breeds have their white kittens’ hearing tested and do not breed from deaf cats. If you are getting a white pedigree cat, ask about the result of that test in the kitten and its parents.
How to tell if your cat can hear
At home you can get an idea, although it is not a reliable test. Make noises when the cat cannot see you and cannot feel vibrations: a click, calling it from another room, the sound of a tin or the treat bag, a clap behind it while it sleeps. A cat that can hear turns its ears or head towards the sound. A cat deaf in both ears does not react, sleeps very deeply, startles when you touch it and often meows very loudly, because it cannot hear itself. Deafness in one ear is almost impossible to detect at home: the cat hears with the other, although it finds it harder to locate where sounds come from.
The definitive test: BAER
The only way to know for certain whether a cat can hear, and with which ear, is the BAER test (brainstem auditory evoked response). Small electrodes are placed under the skin of the head and earphones are fitted, clicks are played into each ear and the test records whether the brain receives the signal. It is quick and painless, is often done under light sedation and can be carried out from five or six weeks of age. It is offered by veterinary neurology services and some referral hospitals. As a guide in Spain in 2026, it costs €100 to €250 depending on the centre and whether sedation is included.
Living with a deaf cat
A deaf cat can have a completely normal, happy life, especially if it was born that way and has never known anything else. It compensates with sight, smell and touch, and is very good at picking up vibrations through the floor. To communicate with it, use visual signals: hand gestures, switching a light on and off to call it for food, a gentle torch. Always approach from the front or make the floor vibrate with your foot before touching it, and do not wake it suddenly by touching it: it may get a fright and scratch without meaning to. You can teach it tricks with signals and treats, just as with a hearing cat. Tell children and visitors that it cannot hear them calling.
Safety: indoors or very controlled outdoor access
A deaf cat cannot hear a car, a dog or a person approaching, so roaming freely outside is very dangerous for it. It is best for it to live indoors or with safe outdoor access, such as a netted balcony, a cat-proof fenced garden or a catio-style outdoor enclosure. Make sure its microchip is registered and the details are up to date, in case it escapes. If you have other cats, the deaf cat often learns to watch them to know when someone is arriving or when food is coming. And take care with appliances such as the washing machine or a robot vacuum, which it cannot hear coming: check where it is before you switch them on.
The other risk for white cats: the sun
The unpigmented skin of white cats, especially on the ear tips, nose and eyelids, is very sensitive to ultraviolet radiation. With sun exposure, year after year, solar dermatitis appears first: redness, scaling and scabs that get worse every summer. Over time, those lesions can turn into squamous cell carcinoma, a skin cancer that on the ears responds well to surgery if caught early, and that on the nose or eyelids is more complicated. Keep it out of the sun in the middle of the day, even behind glass, and have any scab that will not heal on the ears or nose checked.
Myths worth dispelling
“White cats are stupider or more aggressive.” No: a deaf cat may seem to ignore you or be more startled when touched by surprise, but its intelligence and character do not depend on its colour. “All blue-eyed cats are deaf.” No: Siamese and other colourpoint cats have blue eyes because of a different gene, which is not linked to congenital deafness. “A deaf cat is unhappy.” No: it does not miss what it has never known. “If it is deaf, it needs an operation.” No: there is no treatment for congenital deafness, and none is needed for it to live well. What you do need to do is adapt your home and protect its skin.
Dominant white is linked to congenital deafness in cats, much more so with blue eyes, but not all white cats are deaf. The BAER test confirms it. A deaf cat lives very well indoors with visual signals, and every white cat needs protection from the sun.
Educational content from Michipedia, translated from the Spanish original. It does not replace the advice of a vet or a feline behaviour specialist. Every cat is an individual.