To all the cat owners

[Lilikins]

Good evening dear escapists,

A question burning in my mind. The following, Ive always wanted a cat...Ive had 3 dogs in the past, a hamster, and a dwarf rabbit, these were all in my younger years, sadly in the last apartment I was in I wasnt allowed to have pets. Since moving I specifically looked at my contracts and the apartments so that I could make sure..that I could have a pet. Ive never had a cat before, and yes I know of their (sometimes) destructive tendencies. Now after searching far and wide, I actually wanted to get a cat from the animal shelter, yet nevertheless a friend of a friend had kittens and I said if there are any of the litter left and they were completely checked out by the vet etc, Id gladly take one.

After all was said and done, there was 1 kitten left, hes now 11 weeks old, and many ppl saw him and said that they dont want a 'broken' cat. Fact taken, the poor little chap is 95% deaf. Now comes the question to the escapists...Im 100% sure Ill take him in...Im prepared to raise him etc and take care of him as if he were a normal cat, yet nevertheless, I was wondering if anyone maybe knows someone who has a deaf cat, or in turn, has a deaf cat themselves.
I went to the vet today to get some pointers, on what I should watch, how I should react etc (no sneaking up on him..seeing as he cant hear me, tapping on tables so he feels vibrations etc etc...). Any sharing of experience from anyone would be amazing I thank you all for your time and eventual answers.

 

[Colour Scientist]

My cat isn't deaf or impaired in any way, apart from occasionally being a total douchenozzle, but I just wanted to post to wish you luck.

That is so adorable. :3

My ovaries...

 

[Able Seacat]

I had a cat who went deaf but only in later life and not when younger. Obviously you'll learn on the job and there's lots of help to find online.

Usually cats adapt pretty well, obviously they will miss some danger noises like cars so I imagine your cat will have to stay indoors. Just being observant will help you get by too, instead of your cat responding to a name call, it might learn to respond to your hand gestures or when you kneel on the floor.

Sorry I can't help more, I wish you the best of luck.

 

[Lilikins]

Aye, she asked me clearly to keep the cat indoors at all times. I live in Germany so its 'rare' to have a complete indoor cat, atleast the region where I live in. I mean...one 'bonus' for me in this aspect anyways...is that Im deathly afraid of mice haha. Zombies/Aliens/Demons..wtv, bring it on, a mouse...Id turn into a sobbing wreck onto my couch haha.
Ive learned to 'cope' with them up to now that I can...shoo them away or..not run away screaming as if I were on fire, but nevertheless they still make me shudder.

 

[Eamar]

I have no relevant experience other than loving cats, but I just wanted to say that you're awesome for doing this

Carry on.

 

[Muspelheim]

Keeping an indoor cat isn't a problem, although it'll give you as an owner some additional responsibilities. For instance, investing in a few cat toys and the likes is a good idea, because the cat will need some stimulation. Exorcise isn't a huge concern when it comes to cats (fortunate creatures) but giving them something to chase and play with is good for them. Plus, bored cats are often troublesome cats.

And the most basic; keep fresh water and a clean litterbox handy at all times, as well as dry pet food. Some cats are more picky than others when it comes to the litterbox, but it's far more healthy for them to keep it clean and neat. Fresh water is also very important. Don't be surprised if the cat likes to drink water from glasses or flowers in a vase, quite a few cats do. It's probably just more luxurious for them.

If scratching becomes a concern and a scratching post doesn't help, you can always get a claw trimmer. It's much better then having the cat de-clawed, and if it's introduced relatively early for them, they'll get reasonably used to it.
Now, there will be shedding. Some seasons, living with indoor cats becomes an exorcise in being flooded with cat fuzz. A sticky-paper clothes roller works wonders, though. Trust me, it'll become very neccessary, because the cat has not been born that doesn't like to rub its face into unguarded clothes.

In brief, all things that are rather easy to sort, and most other little problems can be solved with some know-how. Best of luck to you, and I hope the new cat brings much joy to the household!

(It'll keep the spiders away, I can attest to that!)

 

[PainInTheAssInternet]

My cat was older when she went deaf, so my experience might be irrelevant.

Really there was no difference. She was a lot easier to sneak up on, though, and we often did it for laughs because she was always so dignified. She was always a talker, but she became much louder. I think she was trying to hear herself, but on the other hand she knew to tone it down when we were in sight.

She was a cute cat and I miss her, the Big Black Bah.

Since you're dealing with a kitten, though, I can offer you this thought. Very little (it any) communication with Simba was verbal, it was all physical. I think your kitten will be just fine.

 

[Lilikins]

Hehe, well my apartment for the most part...is 'childproof' Ill say.
So theres nothing that the little one can...smash etc, Ive already bought quite a few toys etc, and a laser pointer (the glory..that will be had) Im buying a semi 'large' scratching post that I can put in the corner of the living room, so I can hopefully direct him to that area if he wants to claw stuff up. I quite enjoy my couch being in one piece haha, so Id prefer him to go nuts on the post then.

The caring and 'beauty' supplies Im also getting when I get that scratching post, everything in xxl version I spose haha. Hes a Maine Coon so, Im assuming he'll get to the size of a smaller dog when hes fully grown.

For the food itself I was 'assuming' dry food in the morning and dry/wet food in the evening. Im trying to get as much info as I can from the vet in every aspect.

 

[Muspelheim]

Ah, splendid! Standard cat practice. It'll do just fine. Of course, being a Maine Coon, the grooming will be a bit more important. Cats having furballs is an inevitability, but it really does make a difference if you groom them regurally. Most cats tend to rather like it, thankfully.

The food schedule sounds just like mine, and it seems to work rather nicely. Of course, sundown at this time of year is about at half eleven, so the little sweetheart's idea of "evening" has stretched to "most of the day". Sometimes several times, in the hope I've forgotten that I fed them.

 

[shootthebandit]

Exorcise isn't a huge concern when it comes to cats

Very true. I dont think ive ever seen a possessed cat before =P I jest I knew what you meant

On topic: ive known people with deaf dogs. They can be easily startled (as mentioned in the OP) which may lead to getting bitten if you try to stroke them without them seeing you. Roads are pretty dangerous and they cant respond to commands so you need to gesture

I dont know how relevant this is? Ive not got much experience with cats.

The downside to keeping cats in the house is that nasty poop tray. Ive been to peoples houses with cats and its absolutely grim. Ill be using their toilet stood next to a little cat toilet and its putrid. Id much rather pick up a dog turd outside than have it poop in my house.

Its a good thing your doing. Good luck

 

[Silvanus]

I think that you would be wise to keep the cat indoors for longer than you usually would before letting it outside, and perhaps ensure you have it in early at night. Keep it closer, essentially, so that it'll be safely back home without the need to call for him/her.

Cats are such lovely fluffy wuvvable creatures.

 

[The Rogue Wolf]

Well, first:

Spoiler: To the OP

A cat that's been deaf all his life might actually prove to be more able to adapt to getting by than one who lost his hearing later on. If the cat likes to vocalize, then you're going to have to get used to some rather loud meowing, as he'll have no real idea how loud he really is (and Maine Coons come with a good set of lungs). And as others have said, prepare for a lot of grooming ahead of you. I'd also suggest a lot of playtime with visually-stimulating toys, and buying "indoor formula" cat food unless he's extremely active, in order to keep his weight managed. And please, please, keep him indoors, in a safe enclosure, or at least securely leashed. Too many bad things can happen to an outdoors kitty.

Now for the upsides. Maine Coons have a lot of personality, they generally love to play, and they're usually perfectly okay with getting wet. You're probably going to find that he behaves pretty much the same as a cat that can hear, and aside from those attention-getting precautions the vet recommended, there's not too much you'll have to do differently.

Good luck!

 

[Sniper Team 4]

The cat will be fine. Since it was born deaf, it will quickly learn to adapt. Cats are brilliant, and hearing is not they only sense they have. As you've already said, their whiskers are important, and since he has them he will make do. Keeping him indoors is a good idea to be sure, or at least going outside and watching him when he does go out.

He will learn to recognize you in other ways. The specific vibrations you make while you walk, your scent, and of course his sight when he does see you. He will be like owning a normal cat in nearly every way except that his head and ears won't be turning quickly when you call to him. But you should still talk to him, still call him, because doing so will change your body language and he will start to pick up on that as well.
He is going to be a big lovable ball of fur, trust me.

 

[sextus the crazy]

deaf cat

I've had one for a few years now. He functions like a normal cat, only he gets startled from behind and doesn't mind the loud vacuuming. You should be fine as long as you don't have him/her as an outdoor cat, where he/she is vulnerable.

 

[jademunky]

Cat owner here. Mine are not deaf (although I am convinced that one of them is the feline equivalent to a man-child) but one thing I can suggest is that he be an indoor cat. Since you live in an apartment that is probably a given.

The only other thing I can think of is what others have said about not accidently sneaking up on him/her. Have at it, just make sure that you do the regular stuff. Have a separate room for the litter box,you need to clean it as often as possible, the smell is just awful otherwise.

Good for you on thinking about taking in a rescue.

 

[Rose and Thorn]

I actually own a deaf cat interestingly enough. She is a white cat with blue eyes, and if you look up cats with those characteristics, apparently it is pretty common for white cats with blue eyes to be deaf, and not only she is the loveliest cat I have ever known, but one of the best friends I have ever had.

So I would say, just remember she is deaf, but deaf cats act like normal cats. My cat is 100% deaf, but she still hears things other ways, like vibrations from the floor and motion in the air. Just be sure to always keep the cat indoors. Deaf cats are still very perceptive, and aren't much easier to sneak up on, they just sleep more soundly.

They certainly aren't "broken" and I have nothing bad to say about a cat being deaf. I have had her for 7 years and I've never known a cat with so much love to give.

I've had 3 cats so far, and the deaf one is by far the friendliest, but all cats can be great as long as treated properly from a young age. My deaf cat was also a shelter cat.

*Oh and my cat doesn't get easily startled, most people don't even realise she is deaf until I tell them, and she still meows, so it isn't like they don't know how to make sound.

 

[Lil devils x_v1legacy]

Since you are a first time cat owner, I would like to make some suggestions that many do not think about until it is too late and something bad happened.

1. Make sure all your house plants are cat friendly, and anytime you bring flowers or plants into the house, be sure to keep them locked up in a room where your cat cannot get to them until you check the internet to make sure they are safe for cats. Something as simple as a Lilly can cause kidney failure in cats, so it is better to be safe than sorry until you know if a plant is safe.

2. Be careful with fake plants and trees (Christmas trees, tinsel, Easter grass, or other stringy plastics). If cats eat that stuff it can kill them because they have difficulty passing it.

3. Although most cats do not chew on wires, make sure to watch and check wires to be sure your cat does not chew them. If you have issues with that look up how to stop a cat from chewing wires and you will find plenty of good suggestions.

4. Be sure to get cat scratchers. Cardboard ones like this: http://cdn.instructables.com/FKB/2BF9/FMZAFMCM/FKB2BF9FMZAFMCM.MEDIUM.jpg
are really great. If your cat tries to scratch furniture, you can attach these to the spot to get them to scratch it instead. These do have to be replaced as they get worn, but these are a really good option because the cat is allowed to tear them up. It is better to give your cat options so they do not try to tear up things you do not want them to instead.

5. If they have not already, you really need to get the cat neutered asap. If you do it young enough before the cat starts to spray, often the cat may never spray. I have 3 male cats and they do not spray because I had them neutered as soon as they were old enough. Waiting until after they start spraying, they may never stop so this is pretty much mandatory for an indoor cat unless you want him peeing on everything you own.

I hope that helps and good luck! Cats are awesome, and will provide you countless hours of entertainment. I have had many different types of pets and cats will always be hands down my favorite.

 

[Hairless Mammoth]

Hearing someone call that kitten broken makes me angry. My family has several Boston Terriers, one of which was born with a crippled front leg. He might look funny when he runs and has to keep the one paw hanging in the air while sitting because of the way the bone is shaped, but he can keep up with the rest of the dogs with no trouble. We also have a English Bulldog with heterochromia(he looks like Winston Churchill with a monocle, so we named him Winston). I was worried he might had been blind in the one eye, though he seems fine. I also was worried he was deaf since he takes forever to respond to me calling him yet he does look up when I'm in the same room, but he comes right up to someone opening a cheese wrapper after hearing it and will run over to the neighbors dogs when they come out. He is just incredibly stubborn, so "Winston" really fits his looks and personality.

We also have a indoor cat. The younger ones like being occupied with something all the time, while the older ones just like attention when they come over to you and the occasional scratching post when they're not lounging around. Lilikins, get that kitten if you're ready for any cat. Just be careful not to leave doors or windows open. Cats can get really curious and might take an opportunity to go outside if given the chance. They'll usually come back, but he'll be especially vulnerable to dangers outside.

 

[mecegirl]

Aww good luck with the kitty!

Mine is not deaf, but since owning her I have had to deal with some complications that I'd never dealt with before. My cat has a habit of ripping and chewing things. It's really odd. If I leave any paper on the floor she will find it and tear it to sherds. She does the same with cardboard boxes. I had to replace the blinds in the apartment that I lived in before my current one because she chewed on them. On the horizontal blinds in my living room she filled the bottom with teeth marks and holes. I had a roommate with a dog at the time and the main office wanted to blame her dog. I had to explain, to my embarrassment, that it was my cat doing all the damage. And in my bedroom there was a window that looked out onto the courtyard. Before I knew it there was a cat shaped hole bitten into the vertical blinds. Just so that she could sit upright in the window without the blinds in the way. On the bright side I keep my current apartment's floor as clean as possible. But I've given up on the idea of having blinds, curtains all the way.

 

[Lilikins]

Its very nice to see so many folks answering and giving me hints and tips etc hehe, I thank you all very much for that

To clarify some things,

As spoken, he will be 100% indoor. Even though I do live on the outskirts of town and itd actually be very 'safe' for a cat to run around freely outside where my apartment is (no cars or such things) I am aware that there are larger predators such as hawks and foxes etc.

The thing about plants, even though I do like having flowers or plants in my apartment, Ive already gotten rid of a few that I deemed 'not fit' for him, gave them to family and friends. As a reaction to that, I bought a small catnip plant and am setting that by his 'area' so that he can...nudge it if he wishes. Ill see how he reacts to it first and if he starts wanting to 'OD' it...Ill have to take it away from him for a bit haha.

I do have a form of a cat scratcher, good thing about moving is if theres one thing you have enough of afterwards...its boxes haha. So I basically just took a whole bunch of boxes and layered them ontop of eachother and cut them into smaller 'bricks'. Im pretty sure he'll be happy with that.

The things about cables, after having a dwarf rabbit who loved to nibble on anything that even looked like a cable... (he was allowed to run around freely in my apartment quite often, knew where his restroom/food/sleeping place was, so he didnt have a prob of having mistakes in the house etc.) and personally not liking the looks of 'cables' running through my apartment I usually 'tuck' them away neatly in places etc if possible. So Ill have for instance, some hollowed out books that I glued together and stored all the cables inside. First of all it looks nice, and second of all, no cable jungle haha .

The neutering part, Ill be visiting the vet with him a bit more often at the start anyways, seeing as he is now 11 weeks old..I still want to make sure he cant 'hear' even though this friend has told me so. Plus of course regular check up sto see if theres anything else (which I highly doubt). So once the vet tells me that she thinks its a good time...I hope the little guy wont be all too cross with me.

Once again, thank you all for your answers up to this point and the reassurances/stories your giving me to make this a bit easier for me !