A few statistics:
5 percent of the general cat population is white. 15-40 percent of these pure white cats have one or two blue-eyes.
Of those white cats with one or two blue eyes, 60-80 percent are deaf; 20-40 percent have normal hearing; 30-40 percent had one blue eye and were deaf while 60-70 percent had one blue eye and normal hearing.
We had a gorgeous white cat named Whiskers who had perfect hearing. In fact, she was the best hunter I’ve ever witnessed – including myself at a mall sale. She had three kittens who looked a lot like her (Krystal, General, Snoopy, and Scoobie. General was hit by a car when he was fairly young – and had never been particularly sociable. He always seemed pretty scared…and a little ticked off. Looking back, I think he was probably deaf. At the time, we lived in the country with over 12 cats outside – so it’s possible that it would have gone unnoticed at the time.
Sadly, it makes sense now why he got hit on a road that saw very little traffic – and extremely slow, farmers-headed-into-town traffic, at that. I always wondered how the little guy managed to get hit when none of the others did.
I’m pretty sure I know now.
If I had been older and more “in the know”, I’d have checked him out and, then if he were in fact deaf – moved him inside…attitude and all! I can remember so many times trying so hard to baby talk him and win him over – every other cat in three counties would jump in my lap but General! (He must have thought I was a complete fool.)
