Update on Rhubarb

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Surelyyoujest - 29 Dec 2003 16:40 GMT

The feral that I took in and posted about last month is doing beautifully.
His wounds have healed nicely and he is actually starting to grow some hair
around them. They will never be completely covered but who cares?
There is now a small problem. Some of you may remember that he turned out to
be stone deaf. He still is startled when soundly sleeping (90% of his life).
I cannot figure out how to let him know I am in the room. I also cannot
figure out how he can be introduced to the other cats in the house although
I am not concerned about fighting since he is very mellow at vet with other
cats. I am concerned that he might be sleeping and they will come up on him
and scare him to death. Any thoughts on this? Anyone have experience with
deaf cats?
TIA

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MaryL - 29 Dec 2003 18:09 GMT

> The feral that I took in and posted about last month is doing beautifully.
> His wounds have healed nicely and he is actually starting to grow some hair
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> deaf cats?
> TIA

Is there any way you could create a vibration before you touch Rhubarb,
possibly by rubbing the surface of whatever he is sleeping on? I have a
blind cat, and I always speak before I touch Duffy so he will not be
startled (just the reverse of your problem). I realize that other cats
can't be trained to do this, but I have also noticed that Duffy is never
startled when Holly (my other cat) approaches him as he sleeps. He seems to
have an awareness of her, and you might find something similar with other
cats.

MaryL
(take out the litter to reply)

Photos of Duffy and Holly: >'o'<
http://tinyurl.com/8y54 (Introducing Duffy to Holly)
http://tinyurl.com/8y56 (Duffy and Holly "settle in")

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Iain Halder - 06 Jan 2004 07:50 GMT

Hi,

We had a cat, Whiff, who died on Saturday evening just passed of a
stroke following chemotherapy for Intestinal Lymphosarcoma. However
just prior to her illness she suddenly became stone deaf.

We found that making some kind of vibration helped. We hated to
startle her as it seemed rude though she never got upset and was
always glad to be attended to.

If she was on a bed with our back to us then we'd gently pat or
slightly shake the bed. Otherwise we would walk around her and
approach her from the front. It was better if we had a light on in the
hall then our shadow would be on the wall in front of her and she
would instantly react to seeing that by turning around.

Iain.H

>> There is now a small problem. Some of you may remember that he turned out
>to
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
>> and scare him to death. Any thoughts on this? Anyone have experience with
>> deaf cats?

My heart says 'Kant' but my head says 'Hobbes'

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Linda E - 06 Jan 2004 12:54 GMT

So sorry for your loss....

> Hi,
>
[quoted text clipped - 29 lines]
>
> My heart says 'Kant' but my head says 'Hobbes'

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