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There are several genes that can cause cats to have solid white coats or white fur covering much of their bodies:
•The epistatic white gene (solid white)
•The piebald gene (white patches)
•Albino genes (found in true albinos and certain breeds such as the Siamese and Burmese)
The epistatic gene is dominant, so a kitten must only inherit one copy to be all-white. This means that non-white kittens may be born to white parents, but white kittens must have at least one parent with white fur. The epistatic gene increases the likelihood of deafness.
The piebald gene is dominant, but the amount of white cats with the piebald allele will have in their coats is quite variable. In some cases, it covers most of the coat. The risk of deafness is also increased with this gene if the cat has white ears.
There are a number of different recessive albino alleles, including those that produce all-white albino cats with blue or pink eyes (a rare variant lacking in pigment) and those responsible for the Siamese and Burmese coat patterns. Albino genes are not linked to deafness.
White Cat Breeds
There are a number of cat breeds that can produce solid white individuals, including:
•American Curl
•American Shorthair
•British Shorthair
•Japanese Bobtail
•LaPerm
•Maine Coon
•Manx
•Norwegian Forest Cat
•Oriental Shorthair
•Persian
•Russian White
•Scottish Fold
•Siberian
•Sphynx (a nearly hairless breed that has fine peach-fuzz fur)
•Turkish Angora
•Turkish Van (predominantly white, with just a couple of small patches of colour)
Pointed cats (Siamese, Himalayan, Ragdoll, etc.) are born white or off-white and develop their darker point markings on their tails, faces, ears, and feet in response to temperature later on (warmer environments produce lighter points and colder environments trigger the development of darker points).
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White Cats and Deafness
Up to 80% of non-albino white cats with blue eyes are deaf due to a genetic defect that causes the cochlea (an inner ear organ) to atrophy shortly after white kittens are born. By contrast, only 10-20% of white cats with green or orange eyes are deaf, and deafness is even rarer among non-white cats.
There is a common misconception that white, blue-eyed cats make bad mothers because many don’t hear their kittens calling due to deafness and thus appear to be ignoring their offspring. But most deaf cats compensate well for their disability by learning to hear through their feet via sound vibrations. Their other senses may also be enhanced, enabling them to hunt effectively despite being unable to hear the movements of their prey.
Many white cats are born “odd-eyed,” with one blue eye and one eye of another colour. In such cases, the cat is often deaf on the blue-eyed side but able to hear on the side with the eye of a different colour.
White Cats and Skin Cancer
Because they lack protective pigment, white cats are vulnerable to developing skin cancer, particularly in areas where their fur is sparse such as the ears, eyelids, and nose. When cancerous lesions first appear, they often look crusty or scabby and may resemble pimples or scratches. Over time they become larger and ulcerated (infections, allergies, and other problems can also cause sores or crusty areas on the skin, so don’t automatically assume the worst if your cat develops them – it’s not necessarily cancer).
Treatments for skin cancer in cats include surgery, photodynamic therapy, or radiation therapy. To prevent skin cancer, keep white cats out of intense sunlight (the most dangerous time of the day is between 10 am and 3 pm). Don’t bother with sunblock – cats will usually groom it off and most sunscreens are toxic to them.
Facts About White Cat Breeds:
White cat breeds have blue eyes or odd colored eyes. Your white breed cat may have one blue eye and one green or yellow eye. It is seen that the cat with one blue eye may be deaf in the ear on the same side as the blue eye. Therefore, keep your white cat indoors most of the time as their deafness may lead to an injury or accident.
•The ears of white cat breeds are prone to sunburn. The fur is thinner on the ear and therefore frequent exposure to the sun may cause skin cancer in white breed cats.
•The Oriental White Short Hair cat breed is not prone to deafness like the other blue-eyed cats.
•The deafness factor is seen in cats with white spotting factor (S) and the dominant white (W) cats. Deafness is not seen in albino white cats.
Why Do Cats Have a White Coat?
White breed cats have the absence of melanin pigmentation. There are three genetic mechanisms that lead to solid white coat like:
Albino White:
These cats have complete lack of pigmentation. They have pale blue eyes and this albino gene is a recessive gene.
Complete White Spotting:
The cat may be partly white as the white spotting factor (S) may be incompletely dominant. In case it is complete, it may result in a fully white cat.
Dominant White:
There is a mutation in the gene, that becomes a dominant gene in deciding the color factor. The resultant cat produces a white coat with blue eyes.
It is a superstitious belief in many cultures that white cats are lucky and a sign of good luck. Let us know a bit in more detail about the following white cat breeds.
Cat Breeds with White Coat
Cats can have different coat colors that includes pure white or white with another color, that is, bi-colored. However, as seen from the preceding paragraphs, there are cats that are born as albinos. Some cats like the Birman cat, are born pure white and develop color as they mature. This is true for most of the colourpoint kittens, who are white when born and then develop the colors. Some of the recognized cat breeds that have natural white color coats are discussed below.
White Persian Cat:
These are the most popular cats and widely sought after white cat breeds. These royal divas are short and round with heads that are larger than most cats. They have the longest and bushiest coats within the long-hair group. These regal white Persian cats require extensive grooming, brushing and regular baths to keep their white coats free from matting and knotting. White Persian cats have loving personalities that prefer living in quiet and peaceful homes.
Tuxedo Cats:
A Tuxedo cat must have solid black color throughout the entire body with few white patches on the chin, chest, belly and paws. The percentage of black color should be more than white. These white cat breeds look like they are wearing a tuxedo, hence the name. One should keep in mind that not all black white cats come under Tuxedo cats. They may be bi-colored, having more of white than black or maybe half black and half white. Even those with a few black patches on white body are not considered Tuxedo cats.
White Siamese Cat:
These white Siamese cats are breeds of the Oriental cats. These cats come from Thailand, known as Siam in the ancient world. Thus, the name Siamese cats. These cats have elegant, slim, flexible and well muscled body. The white Siamese cats have short, sleek hair and blue eyes. These cats love to be cuddled and can get very vocal when there needs are not met. These cats bond well with the owner and will remain loyal pets for life. These attention seekers are full of energy. White Siamese cat require less grooming compared to white Persian cats.
White Bengal Cat:
These white Bengal cat breeds are medium to large, well muscled cats. They have short and dense coat. They are a cross between the Asian Leopard cat and a domestic cat. Their bellies are white and has spots. These intelligent, active and energetic cats love water. They mix along well with people and other pets. They have a penchant for climbing and a distinct voice that can be very vocal.
Turkish Angora
Said to have first bred in Turkey, the Turkish Angora are long-haired cats. Initially, only pure white cats were accepted as purebred Turkish Angoras. However, today Angoras in different colors are being accepted as a purebred cat. These pure white Angoras are blue-eyed and can be partially or totally deaf. However, these cats adapt to their loss of hearing very well.
Cornish Rex
Looking for a highly active, sociable cat as pet? Cornish Rex are cats that love to joke around and take part in every activity around the house. These cats are extremely affectionate and love to play the retrieving game like a dog! Just toss an object and the cat will get it back to you. If you want a cat to remain a kitten (nature wise!) then a Cornish Rex should be your first choice. They love people and are extremely friendly with other animals too. These cats come in white colored coats as well as other coats like black, lilac, cream, chocolate and many more.
Few Famous White Cats
There have been quite a few white cats that have been lucky enough to gather some limelight on themselves. These fictional and non-fictional cats are famous and loved by everyone around the world. •Enjoras, a black kitten of white cat parents from Gautier's La Ménagerie Intime.
•Jess, was the black and white cat belonging to Postman Pat.
•Seraphita, a pure white cat who has a love for perfumes and the mother of three of Gautier's cats with Don Pierrot.
•Sylvester, the black and white cartoon Tuxedo cat who sputtered the words "Sufferin' succotash!" when he was thwarted by his main adversary, Tweety Pie, the canary. We all love his million tricks that he keeps trying to get hold of the canary.
•Snowbell, from the movie Stuart Little who was a white Persian cat who was embarrassed to have a mouse as the member of the family.
•Felix the Cat , a true star of the silent era, he is one of the most famous cartoons worldwide.
•Socks, the pet cat of Chelsea Clinton, who is the daughter of the former US President Bill Clinton.
•Bob, a black and white cat who was a pet of Sir Winston Churchill, the former British Prime Minister.
White Cat Names
There are many popular cat names you can use to call your fluffy white cat breed. You can try calling your cat Cloud, Cotton, Casper. You can even try Snowy, Snowball, Snow White. How about, Vanilla, Vodka or Talcum? Moonlight, Milky and Mystique sound good too. You can come up with any traditional, elegant, sophisticated or funny cat names to call your white cat.
The fluffy white cat breeds are real heart stoppers, who are able to melt the hardest of the hard hearts. There are many white cat breeds that you can choose from as a pet. Few of the cat breeds mentioned above, also have coat colors other than white. A white cat will need more grooming and care as their coats tend to get dirty more quickly. Although cats are clean creatures, who keep licking their coats clean, you should not be lenient when it comes to pet care. You should take care of cat health as these animals are prone to many illnesses. Enjoy having these intelligent pets with distinct personalities as your pet with an attitude!
By Batul Nafisa Baxamusa
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