Caring for a deaf cat may seem overwhelming at first, whether you’re adopting one or your cat has recently lost their hearing. You might wonder how to keep your cat safe, if they’ll need special care, and how to communicate with them.
Cats have a remarkable ability to adapt to changes in their physical state. Deaf cats can learn to rely on their other senses, and you can support them by teaching hand signals and using sign language.
Causes of Deafness in Cats
Aging and deafness in cats
Just like humans, cats can slowly lose their hearing as they age. As they grow older, the hair cells in their inner ear deteriorate, making it harder for cats to detect soundhttps://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7612127/. This form of gradual hearing loss is common in senior cats and is a natural part of the aging process.
It can be difficult to tell if or when a cat has lost their hearing. As your cat ages, there are small behavioral changes you can look out for that indicate hearing loss. These changes can include startling more easily, not coming when called, not noticing when you get home, and other things that a hearing cat would normally notice and respond to.
Ear infection and injury
Cats can also become deaf later in life due to an ear infection or injury. Bacterial or fungal infections can cause inflammation and damage within the ear, potentially affecting hearing. Chronic or severe infections may result in permanent deafness.
Congenital deafness in cats
Congenital deafness, a genetic condition, is believed to be responsible for some cats being born completely or partially deaf. Researchers estimate that 65 to 85 percent of white cats with blue eyes are born deaf or partially deaf due to this genetic condition.
Deafness in these cats is linked to the white (W) pigment gene. When white cats are born partially deaf and have dichromatic eyes, the ear that is deaf is invariably on the side of the head where the blue eye is.
Deaf cats still have an excellent quality of life despite being unable to hear. If they’ve never been able to hear, they simply grow up learning to rely on their sense of sight, smell, and touch.
How to know if your cat is deaf
Having another cat in the home can be quite beneficial as the deaf cat may look to the other cat for guidance via visual cues. If you suspect your cat may be deaf, you’ll want to try to call out for your cat when the cat is facing away from you. If your cat doesn’t respond or react to this, try clapping your hands or making a loud commotion. If your cat still doesn’t respond or react, you either have a very brave kitty on your hands, or your cat may not be able to hear. To confirm your suspicions, you’ll want to take your kitty to the vet to get a diagnosis.
How to get your deaf cat’s attention
Before any training can begin, you’ll need to find an effective way of getting your cat’s attention, and ideally, without startling the cat too much. Deaf cats are usually highly attuned to their surroundings, but sometimes you’ll still need to let them know you are approaching or that you need to “speak” with them, so to speak!
Though they may not be able to hear, deaf cats can still feel and sense touch and vibrations. Try stomping your foot on the ground to get your cat’s attention. Ideally, your cat will feel the floor beneath it when you stomp your foot and turn towards you to investigate.
Cat Explore is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
You could even use a laser pointer to get your kitty’s attention. Using a laser can be especially helpful if they are misbehaving, as this will distract them from their mischievous activities! Just make sure you don’t aim the light from the laser directly into your cat’s eyes or anyone else’s eyes.
With a deaf cat, you need to be more purposeful in how you initiate contact with your cat. Before petting your cat, you’ll want to get your cat’s attention by taking your hand and patting the floor near them to tell them you are near. Doing this before you touch or pet your cat will help prevent them from being quite so startled by your presence.
Communicating with a deaf cat
Aside from stomping your feet or patting the ground to get your cat’s attention, the best way to communicate with your deaf cat will be to teach them sign language. It may sound tricky, but with the right motivation (such as using treats), cats can easily be trained, even if they can’t hear.
To do this, you can use an established language like American Sign Language (ASL) or whatever hand signals feel best for you. The important thing is to remember to always be consistent. One of the first basic commands to teach a cat is to come when called. Determine a hand signal that you’ll want to use to tell your kitty to come to you.
Teaching your deaf cat to come to you
When you are ready to start training, get your cat’s attention by stomping your feet or patting the floor near the cat. Once your cat looks at you, use the hand signal you chose and then try to encourage your cat to come by patting the floor next to you. Once your deaf cat comes to you, reward them by either providing a treat (if they are food motivated) or some affection or play time.
Provide positive reinforcement during training sessions
Search has show that cats can recognize human facial expressions and will look to their owners for context. Smile and act excited when you are signaling for your cat to come to you, as this will help encourage them.
If you are trying to teach your cat the word “no,” for when they are doing something you don’t want them to do, try frowning or scowling a little to make your dissatisfaction known as you are giving your hand signal for “no.” You may even need to make the signal bigger, like waving your arms around. This bigger movement might help encourage the cat to abandon their endeavors. Make sure you don’t stare intensely at your cat and point directly at them as this is considered a sign of aggression and will make them uncomfortable.
You may also want to teach your deaf cat sigh language phrases like “time for dinner” or “time for breakfast” so they know their meal is ready for them. And of course, you can teach your cat the fun tricks, too! Hand signals for sit, lay-down, high-five, and even roll over are all things a deaf cat can learn if they are motivated enough!.
“Clicker” Cat Training
You can even use the same concept as clicker training to train a deaf cat. Of course, you can’t use an actual clicker since the kitty won’t hear it, but the same principle still applies.
Instead of a clicker, you can use a tiny keychain-sized flashlight! When your cat does the desired behavior, turn the flashlight on and quickly give your cat their favorite treat. The flash of light is a faster way to indicate to the cat that they did a good job and achieved what you asked them to achieve.
First, though, you’ll want to teach your cat that the flash of light from the flashlight is a good thing. Simply switch the flashlight to the on position and quickly provide your cat with a treat. It won’t take long for your cat to learn to associate the flashlight with good things. Never shine the light directly into your cat’s face.
Keep in mind that most cats have very short attention spans. Keep training sessions short-five to ten minutes maximum at a time. Doing this will ensure that the cat doesn’t get bored or get so full from treats that they starts to lose focus (and potentially overeat).
One last reminder
It’s important to remember that deaf cats don’t get startled by the sounds they make. For instance, if your cat is walking across the kitchen island and knocks over a centerpiece, a hearing cat would likely be startled by the loud crash, run away, and may even avoid the counters in the future.
A deaf cat, on the other hand, won’t hear the noise of the shattering centerpiece and is less likely to be deterred from similar behavior. If you have a deaf cat, it’s a good idea to keep breakable or valuable items out of their reach.
Conclusion
Deaf cats can live happy, content lives with a loving and patient owner. While teaching a deaf cat may take time, the experience can be incredibly rewarding and will lead to a closer, stronger bond with your cat.
References
Clicker training deaf cats. (2021, March 27). Deaf Darlings. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/teaching-and-training-a-deaf-cat
Llera, R., & Downing, R. (n.d.). Inner ear infection otitis Interna in cats. VCA animal hospital. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/inner-ear-infection-otitis-interna-in-cats
Llera, R., & Downing, R. (n.d.). Teaching and training a deaf cat. VCA animal hospital. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/teaching-and-training-a-deaf-cat
Strain, G. M. (2007). Deafness in blue-eyed white cats: the uphill road to solving polygenic disorders. Veterinary Journal, 173(3), 471-472. DOI: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2006.01.015
This article was originally written on July 8, 2022 and contains contributions from Julianna Rokusek.
