I have a white adopted cat and a couple of vans (high white). The only thing that they are more prone to than other cats is deafness and cancer in the ears. You have to watch for them going out in bright sunshine and protect the ears if it is necessary for them to go out. I would think the same goes for dogs and rabbits. C.x.

Agreed,and noses,sunblocks good goes for horses also

Historically white cats were prone to being deaf (I am not referring to pedigrees). Deafness doesn't shorten their lifespan but an outdoor cat is extremely vulnerable to the elements.

I am not sure but I think it was an inherited problem.

Sue

oh i hope not! my 7 month old is just like yours having a left blue eye and right brown eye, i wondered at first if she would be deaf but she seems to hear everything, i'm sure this will be an old wives tale.

We had a rescued white mog who lived to be 17 (our 2nd longest survivng cat, the oldest was a ginger & white rescue who got to 3 months short of 20)and currently have 2 other white rescues, both aged 11 - one of them has been Best LH Non-Ped at the Supreme in his last 3 apperarances in 2004, 2008 (when he also won Supreme Non-Pedigree) and this year! We used to haver another who we only got when he was 11 and he lived to be 13 but had been an outdoor cat before we got him and, sadly, had cancer on his ears which later spread to his liver. If you look after them and take care if they go out in the sun then there is no reason they should not live to the same age as any other colour cat.

Carol