You probably already know that white cats with blue eyes are prone to deafness, but gorgeous Jules, above, is the perfect kitty helper to assist in illustrating another very important note about special health concerns for white cats: beware the sun! See how his delicate ears and pink nose have almost no melanin pigmentation to protect them from burning UV rays? White and light cats are particularly prone to skin cancer, especially on their tender ears, noses and eyelids. There has been some conversation about this very topic in Flickr's White Cats photo pool, here and here. (Some sad stories, but quite eye-opening about how gravely serious this problem can be.)
While some advise using a high SPF sunblock on your white/light cat's sensitive spots, it's important to remember that cats clean themselves all the time, so yes, such precaution might last a short while as you let your wee snowball bask a bit in the sun under your watchful eye -- but the only reliable preventative measure is to keep your white cat out of direct sunlight from 10 AM to 2-3 PM. If you do use a sunscreen, be sure to choose something that blocks UVA and UVB rays and is specifically nontoxic for pets.
eHow: How to Detect Skin Cancer in Cats; All about: White Cats, Eye Colours and Deafness; Flickr: White Cats Pool.
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