Thompson, it seems that cats with white coats AND blue eyes are the cats subject to deafness. Here's info from the International Cat Care site:

"If a white cat has 2 blue eyes, it is 3-5 times more likely to be deaf than a cat with 2 non-blue eyes, and a cat with 1 blue eye is about twice as likely to be deaf as a cat with 2 non-blue eyes. In addition, longhaired white cats are 3 times more likely to be bilaterally deaf."

Tell us more about 'pet' coming from the Irish.