Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Deafness in white purebred kittens in the UK - how common is it
By Mari, Lorenzo et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2019·Neurology/Neurosurgery Service, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Prevalence of congenital sensorineural deafness in a population of client-owned purebred kittens in the United Kingdom.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A study found that about 30% of solid white kittens, especially those with blue eyes, were diagnosed with congenital sensorineural deafness (CSD). This condition was more common in certain breeds, like Turkish Vankedisi and Maine Coons, with nearly half of those tested showing signs of deafness. Kittens with one or two blue eyes were significantly more likely to have this hearing issue compared to those without blue eyes. This information is important for owners of white kittens, as early detection can help manage their care effectively.
People also search for: white kitten deafness · blue-eyed cat hearing problems · Maine Coon congenital deafness
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Data about congenital sensorineural deafness (CSD) in white blue-eyed cats derive mainly from research colonies, and information about client-owned cats is limited. OBJECTIVES: To describe the prevalence of CSD in a client-owned population of white purebred kittens and colored littermates in the United Kingdom. ANIMALS: One hundred thirty-two solid white client-owned purebred kittens and 61 colored littermates, 6 to 21 weeks of age. METHODS: Retrospective (56 cases) and prospective (137 cases) study. Hearing was assessed by brainstem auditory evoked response testing, and the entire litter was tested. RESULTS: Congenital sensorineural deafness was diagnosed only in solid white kittens, with a prevalence of 30.3% (15.9% bilateral, 14.4% unilateral). The prevalence of CSD was significantly higher in white kittens with 1 (44.4%) or 2 (50%) blue irises than in those without blue irises (22.2%). Kittens with at least 1 blue iris were 3.2 times more likely to have CSD than kittens without blue irises. In solid white kittens, CSD was diagnosed in 7 of 15 (46.7%) Turkish Vankedisi, 8 of 18 (44.0%) Maine Coon, 18 of 41 (43.9%) Norwegian Forest, 3 of 11 (27.3%) British Shorthair, 2 of 12 (16.7%) Devon Rex, 2 of 12 (8.3%) Persian, 1 of 21 (4.8%) Russian, and 0 of 2 Sphinx. The prevalence of CSD was significantly different in Norwegian Forest, Maine Coon, and Turkish Vankedisi kittens compared with Persian or Russian kittens. CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: We identified a high prevalence of CSD in a population of client-owned purebred white kittens in the United Kingdom and suggest differences in breed-specific prevalence of CSD.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31144374/