While most domestic cats do not need to be trained very much, there are usually a few ground rules most cat parents will try to establish with their feline children. Some cat parents might make the kitchen counters or the dinner table off limits to their beloved cat, while others may attempt to keep their pet from clawing up the furniture. With Casper, my own beloved and pig-headed feline, traditional training methods simply went out the window.
Why are Blue Eyed Cats with White Fur Born Deaf?
65 to 85 percent of solid white cats with blue eyes suffer from congenital deafness. Congenital deafness, caused by degeneration of the inner ear, in white cats is directly related to their blue irises. Cats that are white but only have one blue eye and one eye of another color are often only deaf in the ear that is on the same side of the head as the blue eye.
Do Deaf White Cats Suffer from Their Hearing Disability?
While deafness is a disability, most white cats that are born deaf, do not seem to be bothered by the fact that they cannot hear. Their other senses become much more acute as a way of compensating for their lack of hearing. Casper is much more sensitive to light and shadows than any of my other three cats that have perfect hearing.
Casper loves to watch and sometimes chase the dust motes he sees floating on a sunbeam, flowing into the kitchen from a nearby window. A laser light or a flashlight can provide great exercise and entertainment, as the light and shadows created are fun to chase across the floor and even up the walls.
Many deaf blue eyed cats, Casper included, will learn to watch the other pets for signals or body language that will alert them to anything out of the ordinary that may be happening in the household, such as someone coming home from work, or perhaps feeding time.
It is not unusual for hearing pets to act as ears for your disabled feline. Garfield, Casper’s biological brother, has always assumed the responsibility of waking Casper, or alerting him with a nudge or a lick, if he happens to hear something he thinks Casper should know about.
Behaviors a Deaf White Cat with Blue Eyes Might Exhibit
All cats tend to have unique personalities but a deaf cat seems to have several distinct behaviors that I have attributed to having a hearing disability. Below is a list of several behaviors I have found to be unique to my deaf cat.
- More vocal and much louder than hearing cats—It can be somewhat frightening the first time your deaf cat meows. Since a deaf cat cannot hear the sound of its own voice, they tend to be much more vocal and considerably louder than hearing cats.
- Sleeps wrapped around my feet—since deaf cats tend to sleep more soundly than hearing cats, they may choose to go to sleep only if they are allowed to touch you. Casper wraps his front legs around my feet when he goes to sleep so if I get up for any reason he will wake up too. He hates to wake up to an empty bed, and being a cat lover I adore the closeness this quirky habit inspires.
- Deaf cats are often more demanding—Casper does not ask to be petted, he demands it. He is very persistent and will literally paw the hide off my arm if I do not pet him when he decides he wants to be given attention.
Deaf Cats — Attitudes, Temper Tantrums, and Destruction
Scolding a deaf cat is utterly useless when they are unable to hear the no-nonsense tone of your voice. Casper does not care how loudly I yell when he breaks something, or when he accidentally scratches me. Swatting, chasing, and most other methods I have tried resulted in him thinking I was playing a game with him, which only served to make him repeat the undesirable behavior in hopes I will play with him some more.
All cats, deaf or not, have different personality traits. In Casper’s case he has a very lovable personality, however it is also a very demanding personality. If he wants something, and does not get what he wants immediately, he can become very destructive.
If ignored, Casper will throw dishes out of the kitchen cabinet and onto the floor, or even yank a picture off the wall in an effort to get my attention. These actions usually result in my carrying him to the bedroom and locking him in for a time-out. The time-out is as much for me as it is for him, as it would give me time to rein in my impatience and clean up the mess
Teaching Your Deaf White Cat to Respond to Hand Signals
With time, perseverance, and a lot of patience, It is possible to teach a deaf cat to understand basic hand signals. I have successfully taught Casper to respond to hand signals, or kitty sign language. Pointing my finger toward the ground, counter, or table means I want him to come to that spot. It took a lot of repetition but eventually he got the idea and now comes willingly whenever I point for him. Wagging my finger from side to side has become the signal that he should stop whatever it is he is doing. This works occasionally, depending on if he wants to stop or not.
Benefits of Owning a Deaf Blue Eyed Cat
I freely admit owning and parenting a deaf cat has been both frustrating and rewarding. Casper is a loving cat, and his intelligent personality far outweighs his pig-headedness. Below is a list of benefits I have enjoyed while raising a deaf cat.
- I have learned how to use hand signals to talk to Casper—It has been a challenging but effective process.
- I have learned to appreciate the small things like watching the dust motes dance on a sunbeam.
- I have learned to pay close attention if Casper begins to howl or cry for no obvious reason—he is a reliable storm predictor and can almost always predict when a bad thunderstorm is on its way.
I don’t know if other deaf cats are as tuned into weather conditions as Casper has always been but in Casper’s case I believe he could give the local weather man a run for his money.
Deaf White Cats with Blue Eyes are Beautiful, Unique, and Fun to Own
Deaf white cats can be a challenge, but with patience, love, and the occasional hand signal, they can be taught the difference between acceptable and unacceptable behavior. Learn to communicate with your blue eyed deaf cat without words, and like Casper, I am sure your feline will amaze you too. Pay attention to any behavior your deaf cat may exhibit that is out-of-the-ordinary, as this could be your cat reacting to a pending storm.
Sources:
Cornell Feline Health Center, Nov. 15, 2006, vetcornell.edu
Kelly Dupree - My love of animals, especially cats, and my interest in science has led to a serious passion to write well researched articles.
