While cats generally deal quite well with deafness, it’s still important you help your pet avoid potential hazards. Make life easier for your deaf cat with these helpful hints.
Coping with deafness
Hereditary or degenerative factors, as well as diseases of the inner ear, can produce permanent deafness. Many white cats are often deaf from birth. Deafness caused by infections of the outer and middle ear, wax, or parasites, on the other hand, may just be temporary.
If you’re concerned about your cat’s hearing, look at the way she reacts to sound closely. Cats with normal hearing will turn their heads in the direction of a sound, moving their ears around to locate the exact position of the noise. If your cat doesn’t do this, she may have hearing problems.
If your cat is deaf, don’t be alarmed. Generally, cats cope very well with deafness and there are a number of things you can do to help her live comfortably.
- Try to prevent your cat getting into a situation where its lack of hearing could be dangerous. For example, do not allow your cat to roam areas with lots of traffic, lawnmowers or barking dogs.
- Replace voice commands with hand signals that are distinct, easy to see and consistent. Use a torch to call your cat in for meals at night.
- Try using vibrations, such as a foot stomped on the ground, or sharp clap of the hands, at close range. When your cat turns around, offer a reward.
- Encourage eye contact.
- Keep your cat away from other cats and dogs to avoid potential conflict. Deaf cats aren’t able to hear the hisses or threats from approaching animals.
- Put a quick release collar on your cat showing your address, your vet's phone number and a note which says, 'I am deaf'.
- It may be safer to confine your cat to a fenced garden.