Conference misery::feline_v1

    Zach & Chloe, my first cats were both both deaf (they were grey
    and black respectively).  Scott put them through a battery of "tests"
    separately.  He brought each one to the back room, and did things
    like blow whistles, clap loudly, call them by name and drop objects
    on the deskstop to see if there was any response at all. The final
    test was to hold them under a chirping bird in a cage.  No response.
    I should have picked up on the fact that they were "different",
    as they loved to follow the light of the upright vacuum cleaner.
    Who would have thought kittens with that coat color would be deaf?
    Both of the kids were vocal (especially Zach) and we developed our
    own form of communication. Unfortunately, their deafness was genetic,
    and they also developed Progressive Retinal Atrophy which caused
    blindness.  It will be a year in August that they have been gone.
    They were so special.  Now I have Bailey that can hear a tortilla
    chip fall on a carpet!  ;-)
    
    
    In August it will be a year since they have been gone.  

    re -1 
    is the PRA inevitable in deaf cats?  
    
    Win twitches his ears when me husband whistles in a very high pitch,
    at least it seems he is reacting..clapping and calling don't seem
    to get a reaction.... he also reacts to the sound of the hiss that
    the TV makes when it is shut off...but it could be the change of
    lighting that catches his eyes.
    
    Fay
    

    
    No, all deaf cats do not get PRA.  When they were diagnosed Scott
    felt that they would continue on to live a happy and healthy life.
    Little did we know what was to come.  Concensus seems to be that
    their mum & dad may have been brother and sister, hence the genetic
    problems.
    
    

    
    Do they respond to the  CAN OPENER  ??  My friend has a deaf cat
    that can feel vibrations on the floor and will respond to those.
    
    E.T.

    I haven't tried the can opener yet as he is on moistened kitten
    food still.  I have noticed, though, that he doesnt respnd to
    foot thumping...sometimes we wonder if he is simply ignoring us:-)
    
    Fay
    

    Fay,
    
    What do you want to bet that the grey spots on his head go away
    as he gets older??  Sounds like he may be a dominant white, and
    those spots show what color he is masking.
    
    I would think that being deaf wouldn't affect him adversely as an
    indoor only cat, but it would be a big handicap if he were to go
    outside.  He wouldnt' be able to hear predators, or cars, and could
    be injured.
    
    Jo

    R -1
    Win is an indoor only guy - five of the six in the litter were white
    and
    blue eyed..the sixth was a tiger cat..Momma cat is all white and green
    eyed
    .
    He seems to  be holding his own with the rest of the gang.  Surpisingly
    he is the eaiset kitten I have raised as it ssem that the older cats
    are actually teacjing him the house rules..But he does mind them better
    than he does
    me :-))
    
    Fay
    
    

    According to my Cat trivia book there is a genetic relationship to
    white cats with blue eyes and deafness.  The book goes on to say that
    if the cat is odd eye-ed and white it will be deaf on the side with
    the blue eye.
    
    He may not be totally deaf - perhaps he can hear sounds in one range
    e.g. high tones - but not in others.
      Nancy DC

    A problem we are having with Win that we have never had with the 
    others when they were kittens is that hos sense of smell is
    incredibly acute whcih has resulted in him knowing when we are
    eating supper and I hve found him running down the hallway leaping
    onto the kitchen table and plunking himself right in the dinner plate.
    
    I twas funny the first time and only the first time..problem being
    is how do you discipine a deaf cat?  a loud NO works with the others
    but I haven't a clue how to teach Win not to do certain things.
    
    thnks,
    Fay
    

    Fay, 
    
    Use your handy dandy squirt bottle to train him not to do this.
    When he lands on the table, give him a squirt and he will most likely
    fly right back off the table.  After several squirt sessions, he
    should figure out that getting up on the table results in wet fur,
    and stop doing it.  
    
    Jo

    My Tristan is deaf, and no, he's not mute.  He's got the loudest meow
    of any cat I've ever heard.  We tease that it's because he can't hear
    how silly he sounds.
    
    We use a squirt bottle, or stomping on the floor to stop bad behavior.
    
    He's 7 years old now, and he's one of the best cats I've ever known.
    His deafness hasn't handicapped him at all.  After awhile he learned
    that if the other cats looked interested, something was up and he'd
    follow them to see.
    
    The one "problem" we've had is that he sleeps very soundly, so if he's
    on the floor we have some near misses in the dark.
    
    Karen, Tristan, Tenzing and Max.

    I have a deaf cat too....Tricia is a Copper-eyed white persian that I
    adopted from another breeder.  She is very vocal, and purrs up a storm. 
    I have found though, that she has a hard time dealing with other cats. 
    She gets very defensive, probably because she can't hear the others. 
    
    Unfortunately, when I adopted Tricia, she had never walked on a floor. 
    She had been caged all her life.  She didn't know how to deal with
    having alot of space, and meeting other cats.  In fact, the first night
    I brought her home, I put her in a spare bedroom.  I hadn't thought
    about the full length mirror on the back of the door!  But, as soon as
    she saw her reflection, she tried to attack it.  
    
    Tricy is sweet as pie, when she can live alone.  Right now, I have her
    living in the work-out area of our basement.  I moved her out of the
    cattery several weeks ago, after a very serious battle that resulted in
    an injury to one of her eyes (which is all better now).  I could not
    believe the change in this kitty's personality when she can be by
    herself.  My husband has trouble working out, she's always trying to
    jump on him!  This was a kitty that about a month ago, could hardly be
    handled!
    
    If Tricy is asleep, no noise will wake her up....but she feels
    vibrations really well, and has a great sense of smell.  
    
    She's really a sweetie...
    
    She's also looking for a home with no other cats.  Since the work-out
    area isn't heated, I'm not sure I can keep her down there through the
    winter, and I hate to make her go back in the cattery.
    
    If anyone knows anyone who doesn't have any cats, that might want to
    open their home to a special kitty, just let me know.
    
    Love my deaf kitty...
    cin
    

    ..  Ah yes the Lovely Tricia....
    Kate.. who thinks that she is such a sweet baby..

    Boy, is she ever!  Such a cuddle bug - purrrrrrr nonstop - I couldn't
    believe the difference in her from being in the cattery and being
    on the outside with no other cats around.  Unreal!  I thought it
    was a different cat - so amazing!
    
    E.