You may have notice instances when your cat fails to respond to you when you call them. Under normal circumstances, when cats do this, they intentionally want to ignore their owners. However, there can also be the possibility that your pet cat is deaf. Deafness in cats can occur because of a variety of reasons which include, but are not limited to, accumulation of earwax, adverse reaction to medications, presence of a foreign body, and trauma. Deafness in some cats is temporary and can still be reversed with proper treatment. However, some cats are born with either partial or complete deafness, otherwise known as congenital deafness which is irreversible and is most commonly observed in white cats. In most studies, congenital deafness is found in 20% of white cats. An even larger percentage of white cats with blue eyes are deaf at birth. Genetics plays a crucial role in eye color, as well as hair coat color which affects ear function. This explains the association between deafness and decreased or absent eye and hair pigmentation in white cats. White cats can suffer from partial deafness, with only one deaf ear, which is typically seen in those with only one blue eye. The deaf ear would be on the side where the white cat has a blue eye.
If you notice any problems with your cats’ ears and hearing, have them examined by a veterinary clinic San Antonio, TX.
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