Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK
Cat Health & Behaviour => Health & Behaviour General => Topic started by: JackSpratt on September 11, 2007, 20:24:27 PM
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My mums neighbour recently got a lovely little pure white kitten called Max (who thoroughly knocked the resident cats nose out of joint incidentally) who is totally deaf.
He's gorgeous and very nosey. I can understand why the lady who has him doesn't want to just keep him indoors, but she's giving him free rein. Another neighbour has voiced her concern about this to my mum due to her dog being very "anti -cat." Max gets into their garden and she's concerned he'll get hurt. How can I encourage her to keep the little guy in an enclosed area for his own wellbeing?
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To be honest we only ever home white cats as indoor anyway. In over 17 yrs I think we have only had one come in that has not had or needed surgery on its ears due to cancer, some of the owners insisted that they had applied sun cream. Unless you make your garden cat safe I think it is almost impossible to keep a cat in. I personally think a white deaf cat should be indoor only.
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Obviously she'd need to make the garden "cat safe." And I understand that you only home white cats as indoor only, but if you spoke to someone that DIDN'T keep a deaf cat indoors what would be the most tactful way to let them know the safety implications of the matter?
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Just tell her all the things you're thinking...
Like, the poor mite won't hear traffic. He can't hear a dog chasing him. A sudden movement in the corner of his eye will spook him and make him run in to the road...
At the very least he needs a highly reflective collar to give motorists a chance, because the earlier they see him, the more chance they've got to evade him. In fact, a good way to broach the subject would be to buy him a reflective collar as a present and then explain why you bought it. :sneaky:
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I dont think that a deaf cat needs to be kept indoors but it does need to be kept in a very safe area if it goes outside.
Franta is partially deaf, I think..............sometimes he hears things and othertimes not..........sigh, but he stays in the garden.
I think she should be told as post below and that if she is going to let it out of the house it needs to be either in a cat proof garden or in an enclosed run, also it needs suncream on ears if it goes out.
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I think securing her garden is the ideal solution myself, but am not sure how to say it. The lady has literally known me since I was born and I don't want her to think I'm saying I know more than her about the subject if that makes sense. I'll definately look on Ebay for a breakaway reflective collar, though.
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I personally dont agree with homing white cats as indoor only, I have had 2, both came to me as seniors with no issues with their ears, and Mimi had been fed at my neighbours work for 18 months and her ears were fine, despite very thin fur (so her new owners got a warning), but if he is deaf as well, she needs to realise the danger to letting him roam free, i would tell her that you are concerned he will have a serious accident as he can't hear things, and therefore can't get out of the way, especially with an anti-cat dog next door, it can be difficult for 'able' cats to get out of a dogs way, never mind one that wont be able to hear it.
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if you've known her a long time could you perhaps throw in a comment while you were chatting about something else about someone you know who's got this great enclosed garden because her cat had previously been knocked down - a tricky situation I know but sometimes with these things planting the seed and then letting people think it is their idea is the easiest way of not offending!
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I personally dont agree with homing white cats as indoor only, I have had 2,
I appreciate your reasoning, but as you say it is based on two cats. My reasoning is that at any one time for over 17 years we can have 2 or 3 in care, either they come in with cancer of the ears and we have needed to take them to the vets or they come in after surgery, some having no ears at all.
I am sorry I preciously posted we has only ever taken one in that had not had cancer of the ears. I forgot about Princess (how could I) she was also deaf and about 10 weeks old, she was brought to me by the police on the day of Princess Diana’s funeral after being found playing on one of the busiest road in Chesterfield. Any other day she would not have stood a chance but of course that day the roads were very quiet. The other had been taken in from one of those situations like you see on TV when dozens if not hundreds of cats are in the home and in a terrible condition, however she had never been out.
At the very least he needs a highly reflective collar to give motorists a chance, because the earlier they see him, the more chance they've got to evade him. In
To be honest I think for a deaf cat to be out is asking for trouble and it is not only from motorist that they are at risk. Often collars are partly masked by the fur and during the day it may be as much use as a healthyfood teapot.
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. I'll definately look on Ebay for a breakaway reflective collar, though.
Kittycollars do them. They have a few colours but the top 3 are more reflective than others.
I just noticed it now says "as seen on This Morning" - good that they are getting exposure ;D
http://www.kittycollars.co.uk/reflective-cat-collars.htm
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Thanks Mark, but I can't afford kittycollars for my own cats the amount they get through! Don't worry, though it will be a quick release collar when I find one!
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Bob was 19 and white all over and had lived in some of the worst climates possible for white cats but never suffered cancer. I think it was a) because he always chose to lurk in the shade and b) he had a reddish-brown skin, rather than the pink skin that is normally associated with white cats.
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JS -
Think i would tell the owners a little "made up" story about a poor deaf cat that survived an RTA only then to be attacked by a dog and killed.
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hm I would be worried too. My best frinds dad ran over 'Boots' their elderly deaf cat who was sleeping on the drive way .. he & everyone were devastated.. that was about 3 months ago - tell her that im sure she will change her mind & keep him in
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Sometimes its best to be tactful when trying to get a point across so i defo agree on the ickle white lie theory ;)
http://www.purina.co.uk/Home/All+About+Cats/Health+and+Wellbeing+Cat/Living+With+Special+Needs+Cat/Deafness.htm
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Thanks Ruth. Have sent the link to my mum for her to print out and give to her neighbour. :)