New deaf cat advice

Narsil

Hi folks, long one, sorry! Any helpful advice welcome!

We decided to adopt a deaf, 3 legged cat called Bowie on Saturday. We already have a 3 legged cat called Hopkins and a white gsd called Ghost.

We had planned on letting Bowie settle in his new room for at least a few days before any introductions, but he had other plans. It literally took him 5 mins to settle down and climb into everything in the room! We left him alone for 2 hours to settle and he was ok for about half an hour but then cried loudly to be let out. We did scent swopping and Hopkins didnt seem bothered. Bowie was crying so badly for company that we felt we had to let him out.

Hopkins sniffed him but growled and hissed, Bowie appears very socialised and didnt react at all, just crouched and blinked slowly. Bowie leaves him alone and Hopkins is fairly normal unless Bowie is very close and then growls and hisses at him. I played with them both with Da Bird and that seemed to help ease tensions a little. Bowie pays no attention to Ghosts nosiness so that was an easy intro!

The biggest issue at the moment is keeping Bowie separated at night, he is howling the place down really loudly all night, presumably as he is lonely. Will he get used to being on his own at night for little while and should we keep it like this until himself and Hopkins are better with each other or let him out at night with us all for company? (Hopkins sleeps on our bed). I'm torn between giving him company and keeping him separate for Hopkins sake. Any ideas about what should we do at night or anything to help the settling in period?

We bought Feliway yesterday as well to help.

Thanks!

Nody

Well first of all well done on adopting him; as he's deaf the hissing etc. by Bowie obviously means nothing to him as a sound but the posture would be telling him so he do understand cat talk which helps. If possible try to leave Bowie out in the evening and see where he goes; if he's not bedding down next to Hopkins (or if you can create two separate areas for each on the bed stand or similar) it may work out best to leave him out.

Narsil

Only thing is Bowie is so confident that I can see him coming up on the bed and Hopkins feeling stressed and doing a runner somewhere else. I'd like to avoid further stressing Hopkins, but figuring out how to soothe Bowie at night, it's a tough one:(

Nody

Narsil wrote: »

Only thing is Bowie is so confident that I can see him coming up on the bed and Hopkins feeling stressed and doing a runner somewhere else. I'd like to avoid further stressing Hopkins, but figuring out how to soothe Bowie at night, it's a tough one:(

Well in our case we have cats with a human between us and that usually works; hence my comment about trying it out and see where Bowie goes. If you reward (i.e. pet) him on the other side you may get it to work out (and obviously reward Hopkins at the same time on the other side).

Him being deaf and not understanding the hisses might actually work in his favor to socialize easier with your other cat. I have seen it happen on a few occasions, were one cat is hissing and the deaf cat goes right on in and headbutts him. The other cat learns quickly that this guy is no threat.

gozunda

Deaf cats have a tendency to yowl in my experience. It may be something to do with their hearing loss. I would check. With who cared for him last was this usual behaviour in his case. If it was there is not much that can be changed unfortunately

Company may help as he may not yowl quite as much. You could give it a try.

doubter

I have a deaf cat as well.She scares a bit easier than other cats as she obviously doesn't hear whats going on. I have 29 cats in my sanctuary and they all get on well, albeit some get on less well, but they avoid each other as there is plenty of space.I would suggest keeping them separate in the same room. I.e. Bowie in first for maybe 2 hours, than Bowie out and hopkins in.They need to get used to each others smell, and it will help the sooner Bowie starts to smell like home and not like a stranger. And yes, Bowie's howls will always be louder, Raisha, my deaf girl screams like a Banshee.Also, if he has secure outside access, don't let him climb into trees. I had to have one chopped over cause Raisha could't get back down due to balance issues caused by her deafness.

Narsil

Bowie came from a wonderful animal sanctuary gozunda, so luckily I know he's very healthy apart from being deaf!

Nice to hear(pardon the pun) that you have experience with deaf cat yowling doubter! He's an indoors only kitty too, he is very active so I wouldn't trust him not to climb outside. He climbed onto our indoor clothes drying frame and my swiss ball with no issues!!