Older cat has lost his hearing.

[SilverMau]

I have a 14-year-old cat who showed signs of deafness about a year ago. I suspect that the hearing loss started before that, but it didn't become noticeable until there was a significant loss. He is now - I suspect - completely deaf. You can bang two pans behind him loudly, and he will not twitch an ear. The vet says that, unfortunately, as this is age-related, there is nothing to be done.

In some ways he is less nervous now as he always hated loud noises (the Hoover was especially frightening), but the problem is that I worry about him... a lot. We live somewhere very quiet with hardly any traffic, which does take a bit of the worry away, and I check where he is before starting the car. Keeping him inside is not an option as he very much likes to go outside still, but he has naturally restricted himself to the garden more and more as his deafness worsened. Previously, he'd happily explore several fields away. I never worried as he was very reliable at coming when he was called. You could whistle and then he'd soon be trotting through the fields to come home. He'd also walk with me down the lane, but he stopped doing that as his deafness worsened.

I don't know why I am posting really. Maybe just for some support from others with older cats with hearing issues. We have had other old cats before, but none went deaf to this degree. Maybe for some tips to stop me worrying needlessly!

Cat tax.

Beautiful cat.
My cat has gone deaf recently, but he's 18 so a bit older. When he's asleep or I'm approaching him from behind I try not to startle him, I scratch the bed/sofa or reach around to wave my hand in front of him.
Luckily the garden is secure now that I've blocked his usual exit point, I live near a busy road so don't let him out by the road because he won't hear the traffic.

Yeah, I have accidentally startled him. It's something I need to be careful of too.

I had a completelydeaf cat, a rescue, who I always intended to be a house cat for safety reasons. He had other ideas!
Being deaf didn't seem to cause him problems outdoors and thankfully he never roamed too far.

I understand your worries but it sounds like he's being sensible and staying close to home now.

When I was a kid, my mother wanted to know why I banged the floor, bed, table or chair arm twice if I wanted the cat to come to me.

She hadn't noticed my little shadow was deaf as a post and had been for about 3 years at that point - she was feeling the bang, bang through her paws.

As cats' eyesight is better with movement than detail, you'll get used to doing larger gestures to communicate with them - move your whole arm to get his attention and direct him, make a movement like you do to open the back door to illustrate 'Out', big movements from out to pointing at him to arm moving out and down to tell him to get off the countertop - they understand so much more than they pretend to.

(I can make the current overlord turn around and go into the kitchen without saying a word, just by making a 'rotate' movement finishing with the direction I want him in. He's not even deaf, just daft...).

I definitely need to stop worrying so much.

He does respond to me waving and then slow blinking at him, so he will definitely learn visual signals to replace the verbal ones.

Thanks all. 🐱

If they haven't already, his meows are likely to get much louder!

Yes! This is true. 😸He was always a very, very quiet meower (unless he really wanted something) but now he is very easy to hear. That's a big increase in volume!

Our 17 year old girl is completely deaf now. She can't see well either so I do worry about her, but she seems settled and content. She doesn't want to go out any more really, spends her time rotating between a cushion on the sofa and her tower in the window if it's sunny.

She might venture out to sit in the doorway if we're on the patio. I wouldn't let her out on her own any more and she doesn't use the cat flap - but I did use to, and her hearing has been deteriorating gradually for 2-3 years. I always try to put my hand near her if she's asleep or looking away so that she can smell that I'm there and doesn't get startled.

@SilverMau he's also unlikely to hear thunder & fireworks which can be a blessing :)

My 19yr old cat is deaf and does this. It's the weirdest noise and very very loud, especially at 5am!

Yes we get the very loud meows too!

Yes! 18 year old cat here and it’s more like shouting than meowing. He’s perfectly happy though .

We too have a deaf cat. I would say she’s been deaf for at least 3 years, so from 13 or younger. It improved her relationship with the vacuum cleaner immensely and makes bonfire night a much easier time. She has repositioned herself in the house so that she has a good vantage point to see when people come in, and stays close to home when outside. She always had a terrible singing voice and it’s now even worse! But she’s fine. I think she has adapted really well.

Thanks for the reassuring posts eveyone. 🐈

We're going through the same with our 16 year old cat, but his sight is going too. The deafness isn't too much of a problem, I suspect he has some hearing as he seems to hear me whistle for him but he can't hear me calling. I daresay the neighbours just love me whistling to him to come in!

But oh my God the miaowing!! And at random times of night too so I'm up and out of bed thinking he's ill - when he's just letting us know he's up and about. Wouldn't change him for the world though.

What a pretty cat. One of mine became deaf as he got older (he was 17 at the time), and liked to go out, having been a stray for about 8 years before I had him. I used to shine a torch up and down the street when it was dusky out, so that he knew it was time to come in. Ensure your cat is fed at the same kind of times a day, so that he's used to going home at those times.

He is used to me having a head torch, so hopefully he will know that it is me looking for him (if I need to do so).