# Blind and Deaf Kitten Questions



## Spidercatshuman (Aug 28, 2014)

Last night, I had a kitten dumped on me at work. It was tiny and dehydrated and full of worms. I got it into rescue within a half hour as I knew they could give sub-q fluids as often as needed and had the resources to deal with a very very small, very, very sick kitten which I couldn't due to work schedule. Rescue is giving me updates. Kitten has perked up and is eating and drinking and seems fine.

Except.

He's deaf and blind. Which makes him hard to adopt out.

If I were to, hypothetically, take in this kitten, what would I need to know? Can it be litter box trained? How does one keep a blind and deaf kitten/cat?


----------



## spirite (Jul 31, 2012)

Oh my goodness! That is one very lucky kitten to have found his way to you, but what a tough start to life. 

I have no idea what taking care of a deaf and blind kitty would entail. I imagine things like using a litterbox would be instinctive, and once kitty's peed/pooped in a box a few times, he'll be able to find it again. I guess smell is going to be the sense that's most developed and that he'll have to rely on. 

Maybe the fact that he's deaf and blind will actually make him more adoptable? In some ways, it would be hard to say no, though in reality, it might be pretty challenging. 

So...you're thinking about it?


----------



## Dumine (Jun 30, 2014)

Animals are extremely adaptable in the face of such disabilities. That is one thing, but it is going to take some serious extra care and commitment from your side to make sure his needs are met and he has as full and normal a life as he can.
He will probably become very sensitive to touch and smell as those are the only senses he has left.
You will need to keep that constantly in the back of your mind during any interaction.
He will need to be kept in a small space untill he has learned where his food, water and litterbox are kept. It will help him tremendously if these items are never moved. 
They eventually learn to follow their noses and wiskers and map out a layout of their surroundings. If you keep your furniture in exactly the same spot and take care not to leave things laying about or move things around, he can eventually become so comfortable in his surroundings that he can run around the house at full speed without bumping into anything.
If you have wooden floors, he will be able to pick up vibrations which will tell him someone is approaching, and will recognise you from your smell.
Playtime can still be fun as long as you concentrate on toys with katnip rather than those that make a noise.
With these special kitties, one just needs to think outside the box.


----------



## Jenny bf (Jul 13, 2013)

Oh poor sweetheart thats a tough start. Lucky his path crossed yours and the rescues.
I found the following on another site. I hope its a little help. Attached to it on the web are lots of comments as well from others so there may also be a forum for this type of special cat. They seem to flourish in smaller spaces and with a lot of companionship from their human. 
How Can I Help My Blind, Deaf Cat?
*CatChannel veterinary expert Arnold Plotnick, DVM, offers advice on extra care for special-needs cats.*

By Arnold Plotnick, DVM | Posted: March 13, 2009, 3 a.m. EDT











2
[URL="http://www.catchannel.com/experts/arnold_plotnick/how-can-i-help-blind-deaf-cat.aspx#"]18[/URL]






Q: My 13-year-old cat Molly has recently gone deaf and blind. Although I work at home and am able to sit with her frequently, she still cries every few hours. Is there anything I can do to help her adjust to her new situation? She sleeps under the coffee table and I've placed her food and water dishes next to it and her litterbox is only a few feet away. She also has arthritis, and it is very hard for her get around.

A: Blind cats can live a long and happy life, but they do need extra care. Although their vision is important to them, cats have highly developed senses of smell and hearing, and they use these senses to navigate their environment. The fact that your cat is also deaf is a real double-whammy. Making certain they live a comfortable life is a challenge. In the last years of her life, my cat Ethel lost her eyesight and her hearing. I relocated her to my cat hospital and turned Exam Room 1 into her own personal retirement suite. She was able to live comfortably, due to the great deal of attention I (and my hospital staff) gave her. Your cat has apparently turned the spot under the coffee table into her little den, and you’re doing the right thing by placing her food bowl, water bowl and litterbox very close by. I suspect she probably won’t wander too far from this safe area. If she does, you need to make certain that she can’t get into trouble with her wandering. For example, if there’s a kitty (or doggie) door, you’ll need to close it off so that she doesn’t wander outdoors. Access to stairs needs to be restricted so that she cannot tumble down them. You may want to consider obtaining a large playpen for her, and put her food bowl, water bowl, bed, toys and litterbox in the playpen.

Your cat will rely on her memory to navigate through your home, so do not rearrange furniture or leave items lying around that she might bump into, such as shoes or a pile of laundry. This might only confuse her. Don’t carry her from one area to another, as this might confuse her, too. Let her use her own memory to find her way around. Catnip-scented toys might be a real treat for her, since her sense of smell is still working. 

Unfortunately, your cat has arthritis, and you say that it is hard for her to get around. Ask your vet about medication to help alleviate the pain and discomfort of arthritis. Supplements containing glucosamine and chondroitin are beneficial for arthritic cats, and meloxicam is a new pain medication that is now approved for use in cats and has been shown to be safe and effective for long-term use in managing chronic pain in cats. 
I’m sure that many readers, after hearing about your cat being blind, deaf and arthritic, may be thinking that euthanasia is the only logical, humane option. Having taken care of my blind and deaf Ethel for almost two years, however, I do think it is worth the effort to see if you can provide a safe, loving environment for her so that her last years are meaningful.


----------



## Spidercatshuman (Aug 28, 2014)

Thank you for all the advice. I'm not sure I'm taking this little guy. I really shouldn't get another cat but I'll take him if the rescue considers him 'unadoptable' rather than see him get put down or something. I used to have a deaf-visually impaired great dane and he had a good life. I just don't know as much about disability in cats and my wife definitely can't handle an animal that cannot learn to use a litter pan, so I'm glad to hear he should be able to.


----------



## spirite (Jul 31, 2012)

How is the kitten doing?


----------



## Spidercatshuman (Aug 28, 2014)

Well, upon further examination of the kitten, the rescue found that he was not, in fact, Deaf, just incredibly stubborn. He is blind. He's FIV/FeLV negative and recovering well from his worms. He's apparently figured out litter pans and really good at them. 

My wife and I are still discussing him. He won't be ready to leave his foster home for a month anyway and he might not be dog friendly--the rescue hasn't introduced him to dogs yet.


----------



## spirite (Jul 31, 2012)

LOL! Yep, there were times when I wondered whether Margaux was losing her hearing, but nope, she was just ignoring me. But this is great news for the kitten. Margaux was blind and did just fine, though her human had to take some precautions. 

Keep us posted on the little guy!


----------



## Spidercatshuman (Aug 28, 2014)

The odds are ever increasing that he'll be coming home to live with us, Peter and our Boston terrier mix. We're trying to resist, but we know he'll be hard for the rescue to adopt out and he's tugging pretty hard at our heartstrings.

Apparently he HATES chicken in all forms and would rather starve to death than eat anything containing chicken.


----------



## Jenny bf (Jul 13, 2013)

The stubborn bit made me laugh but that's such great news that one challenge is not there. I love that he sounds quite a character. Also it's fantastic to hear he has very likely found his home with you.


----------



## Spidercatshuman (Aug 28, 2014)

It's great because he's literally everything I DON'T like in a cat. I really hate siamese cats--he's a lynx point siamese. I hate tiny kittens and normally find them terrifying. I hate medium and long hair cats and it looks like he'll be a medium. 

And yet every day one or the other of us goes 'well, if we had a blind cat, we could add X to the cat tree so he'd be able to climb it since he couldn't see to jump' or 'I saw toys with bells in them for cheap' or 'Peter would really like a brother...'

We'll see. Maybe someone else will snatch him up before we do. He's got at least a month before he's ready to go home.


----------



## spirite (Jul 31, 2012)

LOL. Just shows you the irresistible appeal of the cat...Tiny kittens scare me too. Too much responsibility. I prefer when they actually look like cats.


----------



## Spidercatshuman (Aug 28, 2014)

I actually was fifteen or sixteen before the first time I met a kitten and I met kittens the first time when a friend had two semi-ferals on her property have kittens at the same time (she lived in the middle of nowhere, where people would often just dump kitties on her property). There were 20+ kittens between the two litters and they swarmed me and left me terrified of kittens for YEARS because it was all tiny bodies and sharp teeth and claws everywhere!


----------



## Spidercatshuman (Aug 28, 2014)

... He's coming home Sunday as a foster until he's adoptable (rescue won't adopt him until he's neutered in a month or so). His name will be Matt Meowdock (named for Matt Murdock of DareDevil). He's blind because of being born with either no retinas or complete retina detachment. His eyes look totally normal unless you look in them and they're beautifully big and blue. I'll have pics Sunday or Monday.


----------



## eldercat (Jul 3, 2015)

I'm glad he has a home to come to, poor little mite. Even if it is only a temporary foster home. Thank you for caring enough to open your home and your heart.


----------



## Spidercatshuman (Aug 28, 2014)

Oh, we'll be adopting him once his foster period is up. He's just not able to be adopted for another month or so.


----------



## Jenny bf (Jul 13, 2013)

Ooh that's great news. Looking forward to photos and following Matts story further.


----------



## DeafDogs&Cat (Mar 27, 2013)

Oh my! Congrats! I have a deaf cat, and nearly adopted a blind kitty, but I was very concerned the blind baby wouldn't be able to deal with my hoard (I have 2 deaf and sight impaired dogs and a hearing dog, as well as the deaf cat) I'm glad you're taking Matt Meowdock, he'll be wonderful!


----------



## Spidercatshuman (Aug 28, 2014)

We're hoping he'll adapt. Our animals are both 'normal' though we've been told that likely Peter will be deaf when he's old because of his ear infections. But currently it seems like we can handle this, so we'll do it and figure out the future when it comes.


----------



## spirite (Jul 31, 2012)

Aw, I'm looking forward to seeing pics of Matt! I don't know if things are easier or harder for a kitty (or a person) who is blind from birth. Margaux lost her sight when she was about 9, maybe a gradual process at first, though it seemed to get much worse in the span of a few weeks or months. 

He'll do just fine with his other senses, and with a bit of help from his humans.


----------



## Jetlaya67 (Sep 26, 2012)

Can't wait to see pictures of Matt. Thank you for opening your home and heart to this little guy.


----------



## Speechie (Dec 2, 2013)

Congratulations! I'm so excited for you, and look forward to pix of Matt the cat!


----------



## jking (Feb 22, 2014)

That is awesome! I can't wait to see photos!


----------



## pauli (Mar 26, 2011)

One bad thing that can happen is Matt catching a cold. He wont eat since he cant smell or see his food.


----------



## Spidercatshuman (Aug 28, 2014)

Yeah, we're prepared for the fact that we'll have to syringe feed him when he's feeling poorly.

Here's a photo of him!


----------



## DeafDogs&Cat (Mar 27, 2013)

OMG that is one cute baby!


----------



## Spidercatshuman (Aug 28, 2014)

He's so tiny I'm afraid I'll break him. The rescue says he's about 7 weeks right now.


----------



## Jetlaya67 (Sep 26, 2012)

Oh, he is precious! I love his ears. He looks like a little elf.


----------



## Spidercatshuman (Aug 28, 2014)

His whiskers are a little raggedy, especially on one side where most of them look busted off and short, so he'll probably be confined to a small space until he grows back some whisker.


----------



## Jenny bf (Jul 13, 2013)

Ooh he is such a little cutie


----------



## Spidercatshuman (Aug 28, 2014)

And he's now FINALLY eating on his own. I'll probably have to 'top him off' at bed time with a little syringe food but he's eaten at least three tablespoons today. Rescue says he needs at least 50 ml of his special food to maintain body condition, more to gain. 15 ml to a tablespoon so he's eaten at least 45 ml today. I'll see how much more he eats tonight and make a call about 'topping him off' with the syringe at bed time then. He needs at least 50 but I'd like to see him eat at least 60 ml before we sleep. He's getting subq fluids once a day because he's still got a bit of the diarrheas from being dewormed a couple weeks ago--though that's improving too. He had such terrible worms that they were crawling out his nose and all.


----------



## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

Since the topic is now moot since he's home, time to close this thread.


----------

