We have a new kitten and we're beginning to suspect that he may be deaf. How can we tell if he really is and s

Question

and should we be concerned?

Answer 1

Deafness most commonly occurs in white cats, though there are always exceptions to this rule. Trying to determine if your kitten is, in fact, deaf can be a bit tough. One of the best approaches involves the use of your vacuum cleaner as hearing cats tend to be scared of this machine while deaf cats will often attempt to play with it.
You should talk with your veterinarian about any special considerations if you find that your kitten is actually deaf. However, generally speaking, cats handle deafness very well, so well that it's usually very tough to distinguish a deaf cat from a hearing cat. The other senses seem to take over and compensate for the deafness.

Answer 2

I had a deaf cat and I was told white hair and blue eyed cats are always deaf - not sure if this is true.

Keep your cat indoors, it would not do well outside.

Have the vet test your kittens hearing, since so many cats just love to ignore us.

Answer 3

Get a check up at the vets and tell them what you suspect they have the gear to really check the kittens ears out.

Answer 4

oh kittens do act like they are deaf sometimes. my cat does it sometimes. maybe because it's so small that its still very disoriented. give it some time and build some trust with the cat. they love it

Answer 5

when he's sleeping sneak up behind him and clap your hands above his head, or use the can opener, or bang a spoon on a pot or something, and see if his ears move.

If he's deaf, he's deaf, keep him inside at all times and try to discourage him from being underfoot for his own safety.

Answer 6

clap your hands all of a sudden when its playing to see if it stops and looks around....but sometimes, the cat might still ignore you even if it isnt deaf. i think you should check with a vet.

-good luck