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Cat Facts: Bringing Up Kitty: When Kitty's Sick Understanding Deafness From the Editors of Cat Facts |
 Deafness or partial hearing loss is not an insurmountable problem. In fact, with a few simple management tools, it may not present a problem at all. Deafness may be present at birth or it may be acquired through trauma, illness, or aging. Treatment differs slightly with the onset and duration of hearing loss, but several measures can be generalized for all hearing-impaired pets. Most important is the safety of the animal. If you anticipate circumstances in which a voice signal would be life-saving -- such as letting your cat out to roam in high-traffic areas -- such situations should be avoided.
Voice commands should be replaced by hand signals. Such signals can be anything distinct and easy to see as long as they are consistent. Hand signals are useful even for hearing cats that may one day lose their sensory abilities as they age. Also useful are vibrations, such as a foot stomped on the ground. For example, when first teaching a deaf cat to make eye contact, reward him quickly when he turns around in response to hand signals or floor-stomping. Eye contact should be encouraged and periodically reinforced even after it is well established. Finally, remember that deaf cats do not perceive sounds that we all take for granted. Because the hisses, threats or approaches of other animals are not heard, there is a slightly increased potential for inter-cat or inter-dog conflicts. With some planning and physical control, however, these can be minimized. |
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