This week, from Sept 18th – 24th is Deaf Pets Awareness Week and it’s a great time to celebrate these special needs cats and dogs.
Deafness is a disability that can affect cats and dogs, but that doesn’t mean they can’t make great pets. As the owner of a mostly deaf cat myself, I can attest to some great benefits that make her a happy, social cat. For one, she doesn’t mind the noise of the vacuum which is great around shedding season when I have to vacuum almost daily. She also isn’t bothered by thunderstorms, and loves to sit at the window watching the light show outside, despite the dog running to hide in his crate. But fun facts aside, there’s more to living with deaf pets than just a few added perks.
Deaf Pets: Information and Understanding
For starters, it’s important to understand that deaf pets absolutely are trainable. They just require visual rather than verbal cues to respond to. If you’re not sure what to do, you can talk to a local dog trainer who can help and puppy and dog training classes are always a great way to learn together – whether your pet can hear or not!
Next, it’s also important to understand limitations deaf pets may experience, such as needing to be kept inside unless leashed and directly supervised. Because they can’t hear, they’re more likely to run out into a road or get distracted and run off, making it harder to “call them back to you” or keep them safe. Again working with a trainer, as well as keeping your pet safe and securely on a leash when outside, or limiting deaf cats to indoor-only lives is highly recommended.
There’s more to deaf pets as well, and you can read about Debunking Deaf Pet Myths by Trupanion for additional info.
Deaf Pets: Resources Provided by Trupanion
In addition to debunking myths about deaf pets, it’s also important to have resources available that help both you and your pet live comfortably. If you’re considering adopting a deaf pet, that’s great! Deaf pets are more likely to be overlooked in shelters due to their disability, so it’s a great way to give a dog or cat a new lease on life!
Not all pets are born deaf, and understanding ways to protect your pets hearing can help prevent deafness. Trupanion also has a great set of videos you can watch on preventing deafness in pets for more information.
And of course, there’s a full host of resources for pets right on the Trupanion website, where you can learn everything you need to know about adopting and living with a deaf animal. Read more a the Deaf Pet Resources page on the Trupanion website.
About Deaf Pets: A Handy Guide
Thanks again to our friends at Trupanion for this great guide on deaf pets in infographic form. Click on the image below to enlarge, or download the deaf pets infographic in pdf form for easy printing and future reference.
