Mary Allen
The causes of deafness in cats can be very diverse. Some animals are deaf from birth, others only lose their hearing with age. If adult cats that are not yet seniors become deaf, it is usually due to an ear disease or an accident. It is best to have the causes clarified by your veterinarian.
If ear diseases are recognized quickly, deafness in cats can still be corrected. It is therefore important that you have the causes diagnosed quickly by the vet if he can still save the cat’s hearing. If not, that doesn’t mean your cat can’t live a fulfilling life. After a period of adjustment and with your help, she finds her way around in everyday life.
Ear Diseases as Causes of Feline Deafness
Cats can also get ear infections, which should be treated quickly. First of all, ear infections lead to temporary deafness or hearing loss as the tissue in the ear swells and acoustic signals can no longer “get through”. With timely treatment by the veterinarian, the inflammation can subside again, the tissue can go down again and the cat’s hearing can recover. If treated too late or not at all, the inflammation becomes chronic, tissue damage is sustained and numbness becomes permanent.
Early treatment is also advisable for ear infections caused by mites, fungi, or bacteria in order to avoid long-term effects. Other ear diseases that can cause deafness in cats are tumors or polyps in the ear canal. In such a case, ask your veterinarian about the treatment options. Accidents, such as blast trauma, can also cause your cat to go deaf.
Congenital Deafness in Cats
Some kittens are born deaf, and these are often white cats with blue eyes. It is believed that a specific defect is hidden in the genes that cause white fur and blue eyes. This only comes into play under certain conditions and then leads to deafness. Affected kittens do not have a so-called Corti organ in their inner ear, which transmits the oscillations of the sound waves in healthy fur noses.
Presbycusis & Deafness in Cat Seniors
However, sometimes it is because of age that a cat becomes deaf. The fine structures in the ear are no longer supplied with blood as well, so that hearing gradually decreases. This is often noticeable when your cat meows at night and also meows frequently and loudly. She can then no longer hear her own voice and is unsettled.