Disorder - Waardenburg syndrome

Organ Systems Involved
Nervous/sensory

Alternative disorders described within LIDA

Coat colour, dominant white; Deafness

Alternative Names
Inherited congenital sensorineural deafness

Presenting Signs

Cats with Waardenburg syndrome have pure white hair, unpigmented (pink) skin, either one or two blue eyes and are deaf. Deafness develops within the first few weeks of life so kittens may initially appear normal. Kittens without the ability to hear can be identified by their failure to respond to a sound that comes from a disturbance that they cannot see. Methods of testing include blindfolding the animal and judging response to sound, or making a noise while they are sleeping and seeing if they react.

Cats at Risk

Only pure white cats within the breeds affected are at an increased risk. White cats with blue eyes (both more so then one) are at a further increased risk.

Breeds Affected
British Shorthair
Cornish Rex
Devon Rex
Exotic
Foreign White
Manx
Oriental Shorthair
Persian
Scottish Fold (SH & LH)


PubMed References
Waardenburg syndrome

Contributor
Prue Bellamy