Content
- deafness in cats
- How to communicate with a deaf cat
- The Importance of Vibration for a Deaf Cat
- be careful with the outside
- Improve your cat's senses
- company and affection
Cats are very independent domestic animals, so much so that on many occasions their instinct leads them not to heed our call, but this does not mean who have a hearing problem.
However, cats are also susceptible to deafness, and although this assumes a disability, it is also perfectly compatible with a deafness. good quality of life.
If you want to take the best care of your cat, in this article by PeritoAnimal we show how to care for a deaf cat with several tips. Good reading!
deafness in cats
If the cat suffers from congenital deafness, that is, since birth, it is due to the w-allele gene, which acts as dominant gene in cats with full fur White and that is also related to the blue color of the eyes. However, this does not mean that all white cats with blue eyes are deaf. Deafness can also be caused by an ear infection, a foreign body lodged in the ear cavity, or the typical degeneration of old age.
Identifying whether we are facing a deaf cat, as well as determining the degree of deafness, is not simple, therefore, it is important to go to the vet, so he can determine with certainty our pet's hearing status.
In this other article by PeritoAnimal we detail the step by step on how to know if the cat is deaf.
How to communicate with a deaf cat
The deaf cat also needs our full attention and presence, and we, as good guardians, should continue to communicate with him, but obviously we can't do this verbally anymore. It is then necessary to initiate a communication through gestures and teach the basic commands through them.
This may seem complex at first, but it's not that much. For this, just repeat the same gesture (short and clear) in the same situations. When we have the opportunity to repeat a gesture several times, we will see that our pet will understand it without any difficulty.
Another important aspect about how to communicate with a deaf cat with non-verbal communication is in the facial expression. Although your cat cannot hear, you should speak in a firm tone and make sure your cat can see your face. In time, the feline will perfectly interpret what you mean when you smile and also that you are angry or angry when you frown, for example.
The Importance of Vibration for a Deaf Cat
If your cat doesn't hear, how are you going to call it by name and expect it to answer your call? It's not useful to scream because it can actually end. causing trouble in your feline's behavior.
A good way to answer your call is to enter the house. treading heavily on the ground, this will cause a perfectly perceptible vibration for your cat, which will let you know that you are asking him to stay with him.
If this is not helpful and the cat has very altered behavior due to hearing loss, we can use vibrating collars that emit small, harmless vibrations to your cat.
On the other hand, if you are a first-time tutor or tutor, here is an article with 15 things you should not do with your cat that will be very useful.
be careful with the outside
For a cat that fully retains its capabilities and senses, the outdoors remains a place that involves dangers and risks, even more so when dealing with a deaf cat. Then, how to care for a deaf cat who wants to go out on the street continuously?
Hearing loss makes the external environment very dangerous for our cat, therefore, it is a priority that we keep the exits to the outside closed and that we take care that our cat does not escape. Obviously, within our home we must provide an ideal environment that does not give rise to boredom or stress.
However, if you want to let him enjoy contact with nature, we advise you to teach your cat to walk with a guide to offer you a good experience without any risk.
Improve your cat's senses
A deaf cat demonstrates greater development in senses of sight and smell, and obviously we must enjoy this fact:
- Play with your cat through visual stimulation, for example, using brightly colored toys. Discover in PeritoAnimal the best toys for cats to inspire you. Intelligence toys such as kong are highly recommended for mentally stimulating your cat.
- We also recommend that you always use the same perfume or cologne, in this way, your cat will perfectly recognize your odor in all the places in the house where you have been.
In this other article, we talk about caring for an albino cat.
company and affection
All cats need our affection and time, but especially a deaf cat, who must feel loved mainly through touch, so petting is an essential part of caring for a deaf cat. We should caress our feline friend daily, even blowing lightly so that the vibration reaches him and interprets it as a gesture of affection. Brushing his fur daily can be of great help in making him feel comfortable and loved, expanding the connection between the two of you.
We can also think about having the company of another pet, but in this case we must work hard to get a proper relationship, because if they do not get along, this would be a stressful factor for the cat.
Now that you've seen how to take care of a deaf cat with the main tips, maybe you might be interested in our other article on white cat care.
We also have this article on caring for a blind cat that can be very important to help you provide a great quality of life for him.
If you want to read more articles similar to How to care for a deaf cat, we recommend that you enter our Extra Care section.