Some cats, e.g. some blue-eyed whites, are born
deaf. Many other cats are thought to be 'grumpy'
by owners who don't realize that their cat can't
hear. Deafness can be congenital or related to
age, illness or physical injury. Many cats lose
their hearing gradually as they age (as do many
humans), sudden loss of hearing is normally the
result of illness or injury and may be temporary
or permanent.
Where hearing loss is gradual, it can be ages
before you realize that Puss is deaf because the
cat compensates for its lack of hearing. Where
hearing loss is sudden, the cat may appear
confused, irritable, over-attached to the owner,
insecure or exhibit other 'unusual' behaviors in
response to the sudden loss of this sense. Some
deaf cats call out more often and more loudly
(they cannot regulate their own volume) while
others may become mute.
As with blindness, deafness varies in degree.
In most older cats, hearing loss is gradual and
not apparent until the later stages since cats do
not always respond to being called. A cat with
unilateral deafness may turn its head more often
to increase the chance of picking up sounds with
the hearing ear. Poor hearing makes cats defensive - they strike
out first and ask questions later. Click your
finger nails close to each ear in turn (make sure
that it can't see your hands though) - does it
respond? Is it easily startled if you approach it
from behind and touch it?
Some deaf cats learn to respond to hand signals
similar to those used in distance control of dogs.
At close range, sharp handclaps might provide
enough vibration in the air to get the cat's
attention. Flashing a torch (flashlight), shone in
the direction of the cat, on and off can be used
to call it in from the garden at dusk (this also
works with hearing cats) especially if it the
flashing light is followed by a tasty incentive.
Deaf cats cannot hear warning sounds such as
car engines, lawnmowers or barking dogs. If it
goes outdoors, make sure it is wearing a collar
(in case it is startled by something and bolts)
and write 'I AM DEAF' on the collar to help people
who wonder why the cat fails to react to shouts,
car horns etc. A noisy bell on its collar will help you to
locate its whereabouts when it is in motion. It is
safest to confine a deaf cat to a safely fenced
garden unless, like me, you are in a quiet area
with no aggressive dogs and plenty of cat-lovers
pre pared to take extra care.
A caring owner can think of other ways in which
to help a disabled feline companion, but beware of
being overprotective. A disabled cat still
requires some semblance of independence to allow
it to fulfill that inner 'catness' that we love in
our feline friends. Most seem unaware of their
disabilities and they do not expect life to make
allowances, but a helping hand and some
adjustments to their lifestyle and perhaps your
own lifestyle will ensure a disabled cat has a
healthy, happy and safe life.
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