White cats more timid than other colors?

white cat lover

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I was reading yet another book my grandma bought me(I have sheleves of them) on cats.
There was a mention of white cats w/ blue eys being deaf(duh!). The book also mentioned that white cats tend to be more timid that other colors, whether they are deaf or not.

Does that seem weird to you? Basing timidness/personality on coloring?
 

aries

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I don't know about all white cats, but Snowball is not what I would call timid. He growls like a dog whenever he gets annoyed and that is pretty frequent. He would rather be outside than indoor most of the time. He loves to romp and chase birds and roll in the dust.

Timid? This kitten was sitting on the white line of a busy highway when I first saw him. I pulled over and went back for him. As soon as I got out of the car and called, he came running and jumped into my arms literally.

Timid? I don't think it has anything to do with color. IMHO
 

goo

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Originally Posted by white cat lover

I was reading yet another book my grandma bought me(I have sheleves of them) on cats.
There was a mention of white cats w/ blue eys being deaf(duh!). The book also mentioned that white cats tend to be more timid that other colors, whether they are deaf or not.

Does that seem weird to you? Basing timidness/personality on coloring?
Yes pure white cat + blue eyes(both) = deaf. I know because I have one.

Mine is very friendly as long as you don't pick him up, I won't say timid but a bit sensitive.
 

eilcon

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Claire is pretty timid, but that's because she was bounced around to so many different homes before ending up with me. She has three solid white litter mates - Bianca, Mr. Fluffy and Smudge, who were all adopted into the same home as kittens and are as friendly as can be.
 

larke

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My pure white cat with two gorgeous light blue eyes has better hearing than my other 3 put together, and while he's timid about going outside (doesn't like cars), he's extremely rambunctious inside, and giving us fits half the time. The deaf thing is more likely to show up in cats with two different color eyes, I believe.
 

petnurse2265

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Originally Posted by Larke

My pure white cat with two gorgeous light blue eyes has better hearing than my other 3 put together, and while he's timid about going outside (doesn't like cars), he's extremely rambunctious inside, and giving us fits half the time. The deaf thing is more likely to show up in cats with two different color eyes, I believe.
It is common in white cats with both blue eyes too, I grew up with one, but her eyes were a darker shade of blue.

I have had 4 white cats since childhood 2 of them (milo inclede could not be called shy at all. The other 2 brother and sister were a little shy, but the were born outside to a feral mother, so that is to expected.
 

beckiboo

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It sounds silly, but I have always heard that orange or ginger toms are the friendliest. And that torties are full of attitude, also known as tortitude! My my black kitty is definitely the shy one in my bunch...she was born feral! Her sister, also jet black, became a total lovebug!

So I think it may be possible that colors indicate some personality, but that is the first time I heard of white cats being shy!
 

enigma

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I highly doubt the color of a cat determines the personality of a cat, last i heard those are two seperate genes???? but the breed of a cat may have something more to do with personality, as well as the enviorment, with the latter being the most. I have a white cat with one blue eye, one yellow/gold. fortunately, she is not deaf. Timid? Not by a long shot. (My black cat is more timid.) In fact, she is the queen of the house, or at least she thinks so. I don't see this being true, as many breeds of cats can be white. Therefore, everywhite cat in that breed should be timid? Doesnt make sense.
 

nekokaasan

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Hah, Cotton (pure white with beautiful light blue crossed eyes) is like, the anti-timid. Having him is like having a pet raccoon. He's fearless and into everything.

He's also a little evil genius! It's like his little kitty brain is making up for his deafness by turning him into a master escape artist and mischief planner extraordinaire. His brother, who is some kind of flame point mix (they are rescues) is the more laid back of the two.
 

andeshan

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I had a young female turkish angora (pregnant) that was the most beautiful pure white with crystal ice blue eyes. If you have ever read anything about the Turkish Angoras you would find that 90% of breeders breed for pure whites. Hardly any of them are deaf and they are also called a clown cat since they tend to bounce off the walls. Anyways back to my story, Samon (Turkish Angora mother) was neither shy nor deaf, She had a litter of 5 boys 3 pure white, 2 orange and white. Lightning (pure white with green eyes) was a bit shy but had problems when he was young so I tended to baby him but he is in a great home now. He is not deaf but perfers one or two people around than alot of people. Boots (Orange and white with yellow eyes) is a mean little snake that has a happy life with my Aunt and Uncle. Mirajuu (pure white with yellow eyes) is at my best friends house and never saw a stranger in his life. Aristotle (Ari from Help - My Meowmy Is Trying To Starve Me!! owner gemlady) can tell you of his tales from the dark side lol. And Stitch (orange and white with yellow eyes) was a big baby that was quite loveable.

As for other colors I have had my Blue point traditional Siamese (Isis) is a psyco cat that has split personalities (mean one minute nice the next) Jazz is a black calico that knows she is queen of the roost. I had a torti that was all miss attitude. A pure black 6th generation evil cat that hated men lol he was born feral. Smokey grey cats that all seems pleasent and a grey tiger that never saw an enemy. Pale orange (almost color of sand) females that were scared of their own shadows, Grey Calicos that thought they were all that.
 

catsallover

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I have a long haired white cat who is definitely not timid! When we brought home a 1 yr old boxer 6 weeks ago, the other 3 scattered, but Butterbean looked at the dog as if to say "It's my house, back off!"
We figured our "born spoiled" (she was a barn/yard cat until she was 6 months old-I think that is a gene thing too!
) cat would have the biggest problem with the dog-we were wrong!

But in your generic domestic cat world, white cats with blue eyes do have more of a tendency to be deaf, just like white Boxers-weird, huh?
 

kluchetta

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I've had 3 white or mostly white cats, and I would say the main thing about their personalities is that they KNEW they were BEE-YOO-TI-FUL. In spades. The females seem to walk with a swish - kind of like Jessica Rabbit from Who Framed Roger Rabbit (remember her?) LOL.


I would also say my black cats are a bit more timid, and my tuxie cats were clowns.
 
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white cat lover

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I didn't know anyone else on here has a deaf white cat with blue eyes! I've got 2, BTW.

Twitch isn't timid, but she was for the first year and a half of her life. I attribute that to adapting to her surroundings(it took her a long time to settle in). Ophelia is timid, but she had very little human contact & other cats attacked her.

This book also said that white cats with blue eyes are silent. They can talk but never do. Ophie is wailing away at my feet! I always love the books grandma gets me because they have these zany ideas!

kluchetta, Of course they know they are gorgeous. Didn't Smudge swish his tail around like he knew he was hot stuff?
 

eilcon

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kluchetta said:
I've had 3 white or mostly white cats, and I would say the main thing about their personalities is that they KNEW they were BEE-YOO-TI-FUL. In spades. The females seem to walk with a swish - kind of like Jessica Rabbit from Who Framed Roger Rabbit (remember her?) LOL.


Now, that IS true. My Claire is shy, but she KNOWS she's a beauty. Of course, she gets told that everyday!
 

krazy kat2

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My Pearl is the most timid kitty I have ever seen, but I think that is because she has never gotten over being abused as a kitten. She was yanked from her mum at 4 weeks and abused daily for the next 4 months until I got her. Her brother, Cotton, also pure white, is just the opposite. He is sweet, friendly, and very mellow. He has never met anyone he did not want a tummy rub from.
 

goldenkitty45

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I've had a few whites - all 3 eye colors (blue/gold/odd-eye). and NONE of them were shy. In fact the little odd-eye was queen of the house (and the smallest cat too).

Of course, none of my whites were deaf. I think sometimes deaf cats might be a little more shy then normal.


About the book saying whites don't talk - tell that to ALL my whites. I did notice that deaf whites will talk "off key and louder" then normal cats cause they cannot hear.
 

jennyr

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I have three white cats and none of them are timid in the least! Persil, despite being much smaller than her foster brothers, loves to stalk them and pick fights, though she often gets the worst of it. They do all make up though, then she grooms them to death. They also chase each other up and down all the trees in the field, and Napoleon has worked out how to jump off my balcony! SO timid?
 

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Sampson has one blue and one gold eye and his is deaf. He can talk your ear off. He loves to chatter when I arrive home.
What I enjoy about Sampson is he watches my face very closely. To me I feel like he is reading me lips.
Weird but it makes me feel like a I have an extra special bond between us.
 
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white cat lover

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Originally Posted by GoldenKitty45

About the book saying whites don't talk - tell that to ALL my whites. I did notice that deaf whites will talk "off key and louder" then normal cats cause they cannot hear.
That is an understatement with Ohpelia. My uncle stayed at our house this last weekend & wanted to know what we were doing to the cat screaming in the basement.


Eva, I didn't know Sampson was deaf! Are he & Vanna bro/sis?

Sorry, I just find white cats with blue eyes & the deafness/not deaf so fascinating.
 
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