Care of a deaf cat

Cats are very independent domestic animals, so much so that on many occasions their instinct leads them not to attend our call, but this does not imply that they have a hearing problem.

However, cats are also susceptible to deafness and although this is a disability, it is also perfectly compatible with a good quality of life.

If you want to take care of your cat’s best possible way, in this article we show you what the care of a deaf cat.

Deafness in cats

If the cat suffers congenital deafness, that is, from its birth, it is due to the alelo-w gene, which acts as dominant gene in cats with fur completely target and that is also related to the color of blue eyes. However, this does not imply that all white cats with blue eyes suffer from deafness. Deafness can also be due to an infection of the ear, a foreign body lodged in the auditory cavity or the degeneration of old age.

Knowing if a cat is deaf as well as determining the degree of deafness is not something simple, therefore it is important to go to the vet since only he will determine with certainty the hearing status of our pet.

Communicate with a deaf cat

The deaf cat also needs all our attention and presence, and we, as good owners, must keep communicating with him, but obviously we can not do it verbally. It is necessary then to initiate a communication through the gestures and teach the basic orders through them.

This at first may seem complex but it is not so, it is enough repeat the same gesture (brief and clear) in the same situations. When we have had the chance to repeat a gesture several times, we will observe that our pet understands it without any difficulty.

Another important aspect in non-verbal communication is the facial expressionEven if your cat can not hear you, you should speak to him with a firm tone and make sure he can see your face. Over time, your cat will perfectly interpret what you mean when you smile and also that you are angry when you frown.

The importance of vibration for a deaf cat

If your cat does not hear, how are you going to call him by his name and expect him to come to your call? It does not help to scream because in fact this could end up causing disorders in the behavior of your feline.

A good way to come to your call is to enter the house stomping the floor, this will cause a vibration perfectly perceptible by your cat, who will notice that you are claiming their presence.

If this is not useful and the cat has a very disturbed behavior due to hearing loss, we can use vibrating collars that emit small and harmless vibrations to your cat.

Take caution with the outside

For a cat that fully conserves its capabilities and senses, the exterior is still a place that entails dangers and risks, even more so when we are dealing with a deaf cat.

Hearing loss makes the outside environment Too dangerous For our cat, therefore, it is a priority that we keep our exits closed and that we take care that our cat can not slip away. Obviously, within our home we must offer an ideal environment that does not lead to boredom or stress.

However, if you want to let him enjoy the contact with nature, we advise you to teach your cat to walk on a leash to offer a good experience without any risk.

Power your cat’s senses

A deaf cat shows greater development in the senses of sight and smell, and obviously we should take advantage of this fact:

• Play with your cat through visual stimulation, for example, using toys with bold and bright colors. Discover in 8 games for cats to inspire you. The intelligence games such as the kong, are very advisable to stimulate you mentally.
• We also recommend that you always use the same perfume or cologne, in this way, your cat will perfectly recognize your smell in all the places of the house where you have been.

Company and affection

All cats need our love and time, but especially a deaf cat, who you must feel loved Fundamentally through touch, therefore, caresses are an essential part of deaf cat care. We should caress our cat daily, even blow it lightly so that the vibration comes and interprets it as a gesture of affection. Brushing your hair daily can be a great help to make you feel comfortable and loved.

We can also contemplate having the company of another pet, but in this case we must work very hard to achieve an adequate coexistence, since in the case of not getting along, this would be a stressful factor for the cat.

If you want to read more articles similar to Care of a deaf cat, we recommend that you enter in our section of extra care.