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People with deaf cats, help please??!!

post #1 of 22
8/9/10 at 4:48pm
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Second Post

So do other people have trouble introducing their deaf cats to other cats? Do you have any suggestions for it?

I really hate having my deaf kitty comfined to a room, she's so sweet. I just tried putting my resident cat in the room and letting my new deaf kitty come out and wander around, but resident kitty jumped through the ceiling tiles and came out in the kitchen -_-, so much for that
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post #2 of 22
8/9/10 at 5:40pm
Sorry. I have no experience with deaf cats, but I sure would like to meet your escape artist kitty.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Cassiopeiae13 View Post
but resident kitty jumped through the ceiling tiles and came out in the kitchen -_-, so much for that
He reminds me of that episode of the US version of The Office when Angela throws the drawer cat up into the ceiling to escape during a fire emergency and the cat just falls through the ceiling a few feet away.

You have one clever kitty.

~~

After reading your earlier posts, I wonder if this is just normal feline dominance and play.

Quote:
When she's in the room, he stays up high and watches her, but if he gets down, she'll pounce.
Have you tried gently scruffing her when she pounces (if the situation wouldn't make that dangerous for you of course)? Or throwing a pillow at/near her? I have one large cat that I scruff as soon as I see him getting that look in his eye that I have come to know means "I am going to wipe the floor with you" when he sees a smaller cat. That way I preempt the behavior. After I scruff, I distract him with something else like a toy.
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post #3 of 22
8/9/10 at 6:00pm
Thread Starter 
I spritz her with water, when she gets that look in her eye and he tail twitches. I have her on the outside again and him on the inside (he ran in on his own) and I'm just waiting for him to come out of the ceiling. I actually leave a tile over the fridge open a little because otherwise he jumps through the tiles and can't get out... -_-

It might not be as aggressive as I think, but I know that resident kitty doesn't like her pouncing on him *heh* and that's enough for me to want her to stop. He's usually a real playful boy but when she's out he hides on top of the fridge and glares at her.
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post #4 of 22
8/9/10 at 8:37pm
I have 2 deaf cats - and no they do not relate "normally" to other cats. IMO, they can be more jumpy, nervous, esp during introductions.

One of my cats, in fact, hates other animals with a passion! Introductions with deaf cats sometimes need to be handled differently. They have to see to be aware the other cat is there. Sometimes it is different, as they have to read other cat's body language to know what they other cat is feeling, rather than relying on both sight/sound (like hissing, growling, etc).

Have you tried feeding them a meal together, in the same room? Or playing interactively with a wand toy?

Be careful using a water spray bottle, as you can easily get water in their ears & cause harm.
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post #5 of 22
8/9/10 at 8:55pm
Like white cat lover, I have two deaf cats.

One is very jumpy and everything needs to be handled with care for him or he gets upset and runs off.

The other is not jumpy at all - she is different.

But differences aside, they do need to be able to see each other - they do not like getting frights.

Often when they play, they cannot recognise that the other cat has had enough and by then it ends up in a real fight. I suggest that when the cues occur, try removing the deaf cat from the area and pray that they calm down

My deaf kitten - well she is 1 1/2 years old now but the size of a kitten, doesn't hear the cues and ends up getting bopped on the head by the much bigger cats - she is very persistent. So I have to pick her up and distract her with something else to give the other cat a break.
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post #6 of 22
8/9/10 at 9:55pm
Thread Starter 
I try that. I try to distract her when she sees the resident cat so she doesn't pounce on him.

Cailan (my resident cat) is the size of a kitten, he's very small and he's 6. He's very curious about her, but very scared also. He's kindda skittish anyway, hides from anyone who walks into my house, or even people who walk past the window. So he sees her and runs

Meda (new deaf kitty) is about twice his size, and she doesn't like that he's there. If she sees him, she will chase, claws out and poofed. She actually ended up cutting him (and me) at one point, with her claws, but thankfully no bites.

I just have to make sure that when she's walking around, I pay attention. Cailan tries to slowly go up to her, sniffing, wanting to check her out, but she's not really down with that yet.
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post #7 of 22
8/10/10 at 6:16pm
Thread Starter 
I think I'm going to have to give her back. I really don't want to, she's so sweet usually and beautiful and just wants to snuggle, but when she sees the other cat she freaks out. My arm is now all ripped up because I was sitting on the floor next to her when she looked up and saw resident kitty and spazzed.

I just don't know what to do. I'm sitting here crying cause I don't want to give her back, but what else can I do? I can't have her scaring Resident Kitty every time he wants to walk on the floor. And I can't have her spaz every time she sees him.
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post #8 of 22
8/10/10 at 6:24pm
Have you tried rescue remedy or feliway?
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post #9 of 22
8/10/10 at 6:27pm
Thread Starter 
Yep. She's also on prescription from the doctor. I have defusers one in my living room and one in her room.
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post #10 of 22
8/10/10 at 6:28pm
Oh no...

I have a suggestion instead of giving her back.

Can you contact the Deaf community in your area and ask if they can give her a good home? Believe me, Deaf people love deaf animals - I am Deaf myself and have two deaf cats.

PM me your location and I will find out where you can contact.
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post #11 of 22
8/10/10 at 6:32pm
Thread Starter 
I got her from a foster, so she wouldn't be going to a shelter. I'd never give an animal to a shelter.

I hate those people that get animals and give them back. I really do. The woman who was fostering her had SEVEN cats, and I figured she was just aggressive because she'd been an only cat, and is deaf and well I'd be scared too.

I thought perhaps once she was in a house with only ONE cat, she'd calm down. Especially my wimpy cat who doesn't like anyone but me and hides when people walk past the window.

But I don't know if I can deal with it maybe taking 6 months for her to acclimate...

I feel so horrible, we've bonded, you know? I love snuggling with her. I'm so careful about not startling her when she's sleeping... but I just think she'd be better as an only cat. Like I said, she's real playful and snuggly. She was at my parents house for the weekend and slept on the bed between them with her head on the pillow. I had to laugh.
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post #12 of 22
8/10/10 at 6:34pm
How long have you had her? Maybe you need to start the introduction process all over again?

I wish I knew what to do. I will ask someone who is very knowledgeable about these things.
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post #13 of 22
8/10/10 at 7:11pm
Thread Starter 
Maybe, I mean I could give it a try. I've had her a month.

I feel so horrible with her stuck in the room though.
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post #14 of 22
8/10/10 at 7:36pm
Have you tried scenting them with different scents so that can be the identifier? This would mean putting breakaway collars on them both, and choosing a non-toxic scent to put (spray) rub or attach to each collar?

This way they can smell each other coming and there won't be surprises. I would try guiding them with scent before giving them up, especially if there hasn't been outright mean aggression from either one of them, they haven't ended up at the vet hospital or put you in the ER
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post #15 of 22
8/10/10 at 7:42pm
Thread Starter 
I just got scratched pretty bad, but not bad enough for ER. Cailan did have a rather nasty nose scratch, but it was healing so I didn't take him to the vet. Cailan isn't aggressive at all, he just hides mostly. He hasn't even TRIED to take a swipe at her.

Cailan also takes his collars off, even non-breakaway collars, he takes off. He is Houdini!Cat. I have had him in collars before because he liked romping around Nashville, but he would take them off. I had him in the spre room yesterday thinking maybe his scent can get into that room and she'll calm down, but he jumped through the ceiling tile and exited over my fridge. -_-

HoudiniCat
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post #16 of 22
8/12/10 at 10:32am
You can put a drop of lavender oil on the bottom of his chin. That's what we did when we found a deaf kitten on the side of the road when I was younger.

Mom saw a fluffy white tiny kitten all alone on the side of the road and just HAD to stop to rescue it. (Gee, I guess I know where I get it from.) We didn't realize that white-furred, blue eyed Snowfluff was deaf until we took him to the vet -- we thought he was just feral.

At any rate, the vet suggested scenting too. We put a drop of lavender essential oil on our finger, then rubbed it under the chins of our other cats. Once Snowfluff could smell the others coming, he was much more comfortable. Of course, he was also a kitten, so he adjusted better.

Rose oil should also be safe.
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post #17 of 22
8/12/10 at 3:54pm
Thread Starter 
I'll give that a try, but cat noses are really sensitive, are you sure it doesn't bother them?

I'm trying the babygates idea. I have 3 gates stacked up on the door so that they can see one another, though while I was putting them up, resident kitty ran into the room and there was a tumble before I could get the gates off to get him. He's not rather terrified, but he'll bounce back quick. I'm not TOO worried. She didn't draw blood which is good. Though that might have to do with me cutting her nails more than anything else...
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post #18 of 22
8/12/10 at 4:01pm
Thread Starter 
She keeps breaking out! >_<

How do you keep them from jumping through the gaps?!
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post #19 of 22
8/12/10 at 4:24pm
I don't have a deaf cat, but I have a blind kitten that I had to recently introduce to my 7 cats. It took some time....some still are not fully used to the blind baby even though he has been here for almost 2 months I think... it was slow to do but we had no attacks and no freak outs.
We let the blind kitten have its own room, than we would sit off to the side of it, and let another cat come in and sniff around. We wouldn't let them get too close at first, until they didn't hiss or growl from opposite sides of the room. After a few days of this, they would get nose to nose and sniff each other.
I don't know the difference in attitudes for a blind and deaf cat, so I am not sure if deaf cats are more skittish?
Sorry I can''t really be of help, but good luck.
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post #20 of 22
8/12/10 at 4:31pm
Thread Starter 
She's not real interested in his scent. I've been doing that for about a month and she pretty much ignores it. If he puts a paw under the door she'll go after the paw. I think she really needs to see him, hopefully this will work. We'll see...
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post #21 of 22
8/12/10 at 8:24pm
As for the baby gates, I don't think there's any way to keep either of them from going over the gates. Have you considered buying a cheap screen door & installing it? You can find them in Menards for like $25. I wish I would've gotten one for my last intro, it would've gone much smoother given it took several months for all to adjust.

I wish I could offer more help. One of my deaf cats lives almost solely on her own in my office (800sq ft). She has proven to be a complicated kitty. All she has to do is see another cat (or their paw under the door) to go into full on attack mode. And don't get between her & her "prey", for she will get them whether you are in the way or not!

That said, one of my cats, Dory, has the right purr-sonality to woo her over. It took a lot of time to get her to accept him, & he did get slapped senseless many times.

Pictures of the two of them - the sock has nothing to do with it!



(Dory's like "don't hit me, please?")



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post #22 of 22
8/12/10 at 8:42pm
Thread Starter 
I have three gates, actually. So there's no place for her to go over the top. Cailan had gone under cause I left to much space under the gate for him to squeeze (he's very tiny) and then got his ass handed to him.

I'm hoping in time, even if it takes a few months she'll calm down. I'm hoping that if maybe she SEES him and that he isn't a threat that maybe she'll calm down and be allowed out of the room

If I get to 6 months and she still hasn't calmed, I'll have to find her another home. I just really don't want to, she's so snuggly
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