First Time Cat Owner... AND he's Deaf! >< Help!

[risabella]

Hi my name is Risabella and this is my very first time owning a cat, He was given to me by a friend of a friend... His name is Marshmallow and i am guessing he's about 6-7weeks old, he's got green blue eyes and super white medium length fur... He's so adorable and so active... runs around everywhere and is INCREDIBLY mischievous lol... i love him to death... problem is, since he's deaf i can't reprimand him when he's done bad... he gets into places he shouldn't and he scratches and bites... my mom has a low tolerance for cats tho she can't help finding him adorable he's already scratched her and she won't take anymore of that type of behavior... but i'm at a loss... i hardly know how to take care of a kitty other than the basics... lol... much less one who is deaf!

so Any help in this area would be MAGNIFICENT!!! >< i love him so much i want to raise a gentleman not a meanie! lol

oh here's a couple of current pictures of him now :3 -->

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• risabella
• Nov 8, 2012

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• risabella
• Nov 8, 2012

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• risabella
• Nov 8, 2012

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• risabella
• Nov 8, 2012

i LOVE taking his picture xP i have TONS of photos of him haha

 

[Draco]

he's too adorable!!! I wanted a deaf cat, but turned up with one who's not! Still love her

As for punishing her.. I am not sure what to use.. canned air? I am sure someone with experience will be able to help!

Welcome to TCS!

 

[kluchetta]

Hi there, and welcome to TCS. I must say that his behavior is only indicative of a kitten, and the deafness has nothing to do with it, except your inability to yell at him, LOL. I have a deaf cat, though, so I have some ideas. When he's done something bad, tap him gently on the nose, and look him right in the eyes. It will have the same effect. He's a little young to be away from his mother, and she would normally be reprimanding him for scratching and such. So you just have to be his mommy. You can pm me for any other questions. I've had kittens and deaf cats both!

 

[catnamedpanda]

Welcome to TCS!

Your new baby is adorable. I have no experience with deaf cats but it sounds like you have some great advice above!

 

[risabella]

thank you!!! i have already started doing the nose thing out of my own accord haha good to know i was doing the right thing. although he seems a bit hard headed but i'm hoping he'll catch on soon thank you for your advice i really appreciate it!
 

 

[risabella]

ah thank you!! <3 he warms my heart and yes she's given me great advice! xD

 

[nurseangel]

He is adorable. 

 

[-_aj_-]

Hi, Welcome along to TCS, Marshmallow is gorgeous!!

 

[jetblondie]

My boyfriend and I recently moved in together and, naturally, his two cats got a new Mommy  There are two disciplinary methods I've found helpful over the years with my pets and neither have to do with sound.  First, the replacement method: For example, you want your cat to scratch the scratching post, not the couch.  Unfortunately, this requires immediate action and patience.  When MaoMao started to scratch the couch, I'd pick him up, put him on his scratch-pad (right next to the couch), and move his paws a couple times over the rough surface of the pad (so he'd get the idea).  It only took about a week for a successful transition.  

The second disciplinary method I use is for when I want the cats to STOP doing something.  For example, they have no business in my kitchen, so near the entrance I have a spray bottle filled with water.  When they cross the threshold, I spray in their direction and they take off running.  They eventually associated going into the kitchen with getting wet and really don't even bother anymore.  Well, except when I open a can of tunafish.  They come running into the kitchen, get sprayed, and run back out!  

Note: I tried the spray method on my cousin's cat when she and I lived together.  He did not respond well to the second method as he liked the water spray and would try to drink from it (yes, it was adorable).  My mom suggested very-diluted vinegar in the bottle but my cousin didn't want to try that.  I respected her wishes and ended up moving out anyway, but just in case you come across the same thing where your cat thinks it's a game, not a punishment....

Good luck!  And he's the cutest little thing, by the way

 

[mrblanche]

Reprimanding a cat, even a hearing cat, is a lot like talking to a deaf child.  At best, they only understand tone of voice.

First of all, a few warnings.  Be very careful with this deaf kitten.  Whatever you do, don't let him outdoors.  Hearing is the cat's single best defense, and he doesn't have it, so he's just a snack for anything hunting tasty little animals.

Clip his claws.  It's not hard, and it will help keep him out of trouble with your mom.  There are instructions here, but basically, just take off the tips.  When he gets larger, you can apply Softpaws (claw covers), but clipping is usually sufficient.

 

[otto]

thank you!!! i have already started doing the nose thing out of my own accord haha good to know i was doing the right thing. although he seems a bit hard headed but i'm hoping he'll catch on soon thank you for your advice i really appreciate it!

 

You aren't . Hitting a kitten, or any animal, is never the right thing. And yes, that includes tapping a kitten on the nose. That hurts him. You don't want to teach a kitten that you are the source of pain. And think about this...you are telling him he can't hit you, but you are hitting him. It's just not right, on any level.

Get his attention, yes, but don't hit. When he bites and scratches in play, make sure you have his attention and HISS at him. He won't hear it, but he will understand it. Then stop the activity and turn your back on him. Because he is so tiny, he didn't get a chance to learn the proper social behavior he would have learned from his mother and litter mates. He hasn't learned to sheathe his claws yet.

Never use your hands as toys. Keep a stuffed animal about his size handy. Teach him that the stuffed animal is okay to attack bite and scratch at, humans are not.

Learn his over stimulation signals, and stop or redirect the play before he gets to that point. Throw things for him to chase down. Drag a heavy bootlace on a stick. Make sure you always have some sort of toy handy, to prevent him from getting in the habit of scratching and biting humans.

When he does grab you, don't try to pull your hand away. Instead, take the stuffed animal and insert it between his paws encouraging him to grab that instead of you. If he chases after your feet, keep a box of throw toys near by at all times and toss them, to distract him.

Kittens are perpetual motion, and need a ton of attention and interactive play. Don't "punish". Redirect.

Never strike a cat. Even a "tap" on the nose. He can be trained without it.

.

 

[tjcarst]

I would agree with otto that nose tapping might associeate you with pain and would not want that at all.

He sure is a cutie!