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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

The litter tray

Deafness in female ginger cats?

90 replies

TalkinPeace · 18/12/2013 16:32

I have just 'acquired' an elderly ginger and white tabby cat.

She appears to be absolutely stone deaf - does not even react to tapping on the floor next to her.
Is this common or should I be looking for other symptoms?

I found her yesterday. She is a large framed cat but weighs under 2.5kg, so there may be issues linked to her starvation as well.
The vet checked her and there was nothing obvious but I am fostering her till her owner comes forward or I have to rehome her (have 2 other cats).

OP posts:

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pigsDOfly · 20/12/2013 23:17

Cozie, yes she mainly stay in doors now.

I have a small enclosed garden now and from time to time she'll go outside to pee. In the summer she would lie in the sun but now it's cold she's in most of the time.

She's not in good health now, having recently been diagnosed with a very large tumour on her kidneys, apart from a couple of long term health issues, so we're really playing a waiting game at the moment. But all the time I feel she has a decent quality of life we press on. My vet has been telling me it could be any time for about a month now but she's very strong and, as I say, still has a good quality of life. Apart from being very thin she's not displaying any symptoms really, no vomiting or lack of appetite and she's still very affectionate and loving and vocal.

She can be a bit clumsy with her weeing and sometimes misses the litter tray and I've just added a third litter tray to our collection as she settled in a new place to wee. I'm finding puppy pads around the litter trays invaluable.

Sorry that's so long. Several times I've almost posted on here about her as it makes me very sad to see her going downhill like this.

cozietoesie · 20/12/2013 23:31

19 and a half is an old girl. You're all doing well with (and by) her.

(Sorry for the slight hijack, Talkin.)

pigsDOfly · 20/12/2013 23:36

Oh goodness yes, I rather got carried away once I started typing. So sorry for the hijack Talkin.

cozietoesie · 20/12/2013 23:41

Goodness- I doubt Talkin minds much. Her Zing sounds very similar to your girl with the hearing issue.

pigsDOfly · 21/12/2013 00:07

Yes it does sound as if she's got an older cat there with the hearing loss. Can't say it seems to have affected my girl much. She's always been a bit of a talker, she's just got a bit louder since she can't hear herself.

TalkinPeace · 21/12/2013 12:11

pigsDOfly
hijack welcome, and useful to hear about another similar cat.

I'm hoping that Zing will learn to go outside with the other two cats as I hate litter trays - at the moment she's not strong enough to walk to the back door but every day she is improving for now.

Interestingly she now seems to be more aware of people moving around - footstep vibration - so it may be that the starvation had shut down a lot of her systems and some might come back

eyesight is definitely getting better now she's had some protein
and the fact that she is leaving food in her bowl is (to me anyway) a really positive sign.

OP posts:

cozietoesie · 21/12/2013 12:15

So she's walking just a little bit now?

TalkinPeace · 21/12/2013 12:57

she happily walks around her room and came out into the kitchen for a few minutes yesterday but back legs are very wobbly

front end is firming up and her fur is looking better
but her shoulders are still 'sharp' because there is no muscle bulk at all

I think it will be several weeks before she can even think about jumping
her door stays open most of the time now so I can judge whether she'll get on with the other cats

and I suspect that when she is hungry she'll miraculously make it out to demand food

OP posts:

cozietoesie · 21/12/2013 13:10

Well that's great considering she was near death the other night. She must be a real survivor.

ToffeeOwnsTheSausage · 21/12/2013 13:23

My cat is a ginger boy. I clearly need to read up on their little issues.

I hope Zing has a lovely Christmas with you all. TIP.

TalkinPeace · 21/12/2013 13:24

have added a picture of her to my profile - taken after she'd had three meals ....
will get one of her standing up in a day or so :-)

OP posts:

cozietoesie · 21/12/2013 13:40

Oh Gosh - the old girl does look rough.

I see what you mean about her being potentially a big cat.

pigsDOfly · 22/12/2013 00:15

Thanks for being understanding Talkin.

She does look rough in your photo. Her coat look very poor. Funnily enough from what I can see of her her white markings are identical to my girl.

Look forward to seeing more pictures as she improves and fills out.

TalkinPeace · 22/12/2013 22:29

I've just uploaded a picture taken this evening
still very limited use of back legs
but other systems are starting to work better

still deaf, but better at sensing vibration so beginning to be aware of what else is going in the house

OP posts:

AutumnStarOfWonder · 22/12/2013 22:33

Bless her. She's lovely. You're a good 'un, OP .

I have a ginger girl. She's the sweetest cat ever.

cozietoesie · 22/12/2013 23:18

She looks massively better. She's actually rather a good looking cat, Talkin.

cozietoesie · 22/12/2013 23:43

PS - has she been grooming herself only or did she get an assist from you?

thecatneuterer · 23/12/2013 01:00

Oh she looks so much better. Well done you.

TalkinPeace · 23/12/2013 10:04

cozie
we have brushed along her spine - because that is hard for all older cats to reach - but other than that I'm leaving her to it
if nothing else the unwashed patches will be evidence of pain

bowels are still very variable, but her litter tray use is impeccable

its quite interesting to observe because normally cats as thin and tired looking as her are on their way downhill but this one has the chance of going uphill

OP posts:

cozietoesie · 23/12/2013 10:22

She sounds like a pet who was traded in for a 'newer model'.

Well done her.

I give Seniorboy a daily groom, partly because he has arthritis and is a bit stiff to reach his back and partly because he adores the attention. There's no shame in it at all and she really does look hugely improved.

TalkinPeace · 23/12/2013 10:51

my kids reckon her last owner died, she ate him, then went hungry and has now moved in with us as her next targets
(teenagers are such sweet things)

OP posts:

cozietoesie · 23/12/2013 11:37

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TwoCatsInTheYard · 23/12/2013 11:51

Poor old thing. At least she is being cared for now.

One slight point though, just because she has a collar mark now doesn't mean that it has been taken off recently. We have used collars off and on for our cats but none of them have had them at all for about 5 years now but they all still have collar marks.

TwoCatsInTheYard · 23/12/2013 11:52

Stupid question probably but I presume the vet checked for a microchip?

TalkinPeace · 23/12/2013 12:12

Twocats
Yes, I took her to my normal vet the afternoon I found her - in case she needed to be put to sleep right away.

She has been reported missing through all the correct channels
etc etc

fear not - if her owner is looking for her they will find her.

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