Do White Cats Go Blind – Eye Problems & More

When you’re considering adopting a new cat, there is a lot to consider: price, temperament, and personality. One consideration you might also have is the general health of the cat you’re about to buy. You might look at a white cat and start to wonder, do white cats go blind?

It is not likely that white cats go blind. However, it’s possible that your white cat can go blind, especially as your white cat starts to age. White cats are not predisposed to becoming blind at a higher rate than any other cat. 

Fur color does not dictate whether or not your cat will go blind at a faster or higher rate than a cat of another color. Let’s start to discuss this more in this article so you can understand more about this if you’re adopting a white cat!

Do White Cats Have Eye Problems

White cats do not have a history of eye problems.

When you are thinking about the overall health of a cat, you should not let the color of your cat dictate how healthy your cat will be throughout its life.

If you want to know if your cat will have eye problems in its life, you should look at your cat’s breed, not the color of your cat.

Cat fur is decided by how much melanin your cat has in its body, so it will not affect your cat’s vision, just the color of your cat’s eyes. 

As I mentioned, cat breeds will have specific characteristics or issues that will better indicate if your cat will have eye problems.

A simple Google search or your veterinarian can help you learn what potential eye problems your cat could have. 

Are White Cats All Blind

Not all white cats are blind.

Don’t worry when you adopt a cat that is all white. You do not have to assume that your cat is blind just because they have white fur.

It can be challenging to know if your cat is blind until you notice that they bang into things or can’t see depth well.

Every white cat is not going to be blind. 

White cats are not any more prone to blindness than any other color cat, despite what you may have heard or read on the internet. 

Are White Cats Usually Blind

White cats are not usually blind.

If you adopt a cat that is blind, it is probably not because your cat is white. There are a host of other reasons that your cat could be blind.

The following are some reasons why your cat may be blind that have nothing to do with his fur color:

• Poor health – Your cat may have health problems that lead to eye problems. When adopting a cat, he may not have been treated in the best way possible, meaning that he got sick. Glaucoma is one factor that could cause your cat to go blind. 
• Age – If you adopt an old cat, his vision may not be as good as it once was. This happens to humans, and it can happen to cats too. 
• Diabetes – This goes along with health, but diabetes and hypertension specifically could affect your cat’s vision. Diabetes can affect your cat at any age.

Do White Cats With Blue Eyes Go Blind

Blue-eyed white cats do not go blind more often than cats with any other colored eyes or fur. 

Blue eyes do not mean that your cat will go blind.

The color of your cat’s eyes does not affect how or when your cat will go blind. 

As with the color of your cat’s fur, you should not use eye color to decide or understand when your cat will go blind.

Instead, you should research your cat’s breed if you know it to understand how or why your cat may go blind in its life. 

Some people wrongly believe that a lighter color eye, like blue, will mean that your cat’s vision will not be as good as others.

You should not fall into the trap of thinking that your cat’s physical characteristics will determine how good or poor your cat’s health will be. 

Are Cats With Blue Eyes Blind Or Deaf

White cats have a better chance of being deaf than being blind, regardless of the color of the eyes of your white cat.

Deafness is a trait commonly found in white cats because it is inherited from the parents of the cat. 

You might notice that a white cat is deaf from birth and does not go deaf over time or as he gets older.

The reason for your white cat being or going deaf can be complicated, but let’s try to talk about this in the simplest terms.

The inherited gene causes the auditory parts of the inner ear to not work as it should in a completely healthy cat.

This can happen in either one or both ears. 

White Cat Health Problems

Although cat breed will usually tell you what kind of health issues your cat may have, being white can lead to certain issues for your cat.

These health issues are not necessarily linked to breed but can happen because of the color of your cat.

We’ve already talked about potential deafness in your cat, but let’s cover some other things that could happen to your white cat:

Sunburns

Cats can be sunburned, especially when they are white!

Like humans, your cat can be burned by the sun, which often happens with its light fur.

Your cat can get a sunburn on their:

• Ears
• Eyelids
• Nose
• Legs

Skin Cancer

Since sunburns can happen to white cats, white cats can develop skin cancer.

Skin cancer is not much different in white cats as it is in humans, so that you can think of it in similar ways.

When your cat is burned by the sun at a higher rate than cats of other cats, your cat can get skin cancer in places where they are often burned.

You might notice that your cat can develop skin cancer on its ears, face, and eyelids. 

Light Sensitivity 

Some white cats are white because they have albinism, meaning that they can have light sensitivity.

Light sensitivity is a little different thing than a health problem, but it is important to mention here.

Cats love basking in the sun, but an albino cat may not be able to sit out in the sun as long as cats that are white because they do not have albinism. 

An albino cat will be able to lay in the sun like every other cat, but they may not want to sit in direct sunlight or stay in the sun as long as other cats.