Dear Most Esteemed and Knowledgeable Kitties:

I have a deaf cat who hasn’t been right since his brother went to the Bridge. Ever since he was a kitten, he used to be very well behaved, but for the last month he has been extremely obstinate: he seems to do things intentionally, like getting on the counter and pawing things off, or picking fights with the other cats. He’s turned in to an uncontrollable mad cat. I’ve taken him to the vet and she said there’s nothing medically wrong with him. He doesn’t respond to the spray bottle anymore, it’s like he’s laughing at me for trying. Though I’ve worked with MANY cats over the years, he is my first deaf one. The thing that has me really worried is his sudden aggression towards the other kitties, as he is much bigger than most of them and I’m afraid he’s really going to hurt one of them. Any advice on how to deal with my hard-headed deaf boy would be greatly appreciated.

~Michelle

Siouxsie: It sounds to us like there are two things going on here. First, the death of a beloved companion, animal or human, is one of the greatest stresses a cat can ever endure. The grief, anger, and sense of loss is just as great in a cat as it is in any other living creature, including people. Secondly, your deaf kitty is probably pretty scared.

Thomas: It’s possible that your deaf cat’s brother helped him compensate for his disability. Without his helpmate, he may not know what to expect from his environment. We suspect that his aggressive acting-out with his feline housemates is due to fear.

Dahlia: Fear aggression and anger aggression can seem very similar to humans because both types start with growling and hissing and end with fighting. But there are body language cues you can look for to help you determine whether your cat’s aggression is fear-based or anger-based.

Fear aggression. Image courtesy of webmd.com

Siouxsie: The cat in this photo is showing fear aggression. Her ears are down and back, her pupils are dilated, and she’s crouching low. She’s in a corner and doing her best to get whatever is threatening her to go away.

Thomas: If the interloper doesn’t leave, she will start fighting because she feels the need to defend herself against whatever is coming her way.

Dahlia: You can detect fear aggression before it reaches this stage, where a fight is imminent. In the early stages of fear aggression, you’ll see the fearful cat turn sideways to his potential attacker and the fur on his tail will stand up on end. These are efforts to appear as big as possible.

Anger aggression. Image courtesy of teachacat.info.

Siouxsie: In anger aggression, on the other hand, the aggressor directly faces his opponent. He stands stiffly, with his back end higher than his front end. His ears are down, but they’re stuck out sideways like airplane wings rather than flattened back against his head.

Thomas: An angry cat’s pupils are narrow, and his tail lashes back and forth.

Dahlia: Most cats conflicts are resolved with hissing and swearing before they reach the point of actual fighting. Cats have a very strong “fight or flight” reflex, and a fearful cat would much rather run away than engage in a fight. But if he doesn’t think he has any other choice, the claws and teeth will come out.

Siouxsie: As you can imagine, a deaf cat may feel he has a lot to fear from an environment where he’s suddenly lost his best friend and he has no idea how the other cats will treat him. Even relatively innocuous gestures can seem like potential attacks to a cat that’s already scared and stressed.

Thomas: So, what can you do about the aggression? First, don’t try to pull the cats apart if they’re already fighting. Since both participants are really charged up, they may bite at whatever is near them, including your hand or arm. The best thing to do if the cats are already fighting is to take a broom and sweep them apart.

Dahlia: If it looks like a fight is about to happen, try distracting the cats. Stomp your foot and clap your hands so that the deaf cat and the hearing cat have some kind of distraction.

Siouxsie: As for your deaf cat’s special needs, we’d suggest that you provide him with a safe space where he can count on being alone and unmolested. If he starts feeling safe again, he’ll start regaining his confidence. The safe room will give him a chance to get used to navigating his world without his brother.

Thomas: You can do this by putting him in a room with two or three baby gates stacked up in the doorway so that he’s not completely isolated, but he can feel confident that no other cat is going to come into his space.

Dahlia: Don’t leave him in there all the time, of course, but try  “putting him to bed” in that room overnight or while you’re at work so he can have some peace and quiet while you’re away. You’ll want to leave him food, water, a litterbox, a comfortable bed (this can be as simple as a favorite blanket on a couch or bed that’s already in the room), and a few toys.

Siouxsie: If the cats get into a fight while you’re home, put the deaf cat into a quiet, calm room where he can relax. In this case, you can close the door behind you and let him and his opponent chill out for about half an hour.

Thomas: We’d recommend that you get some Feliway diffusers and put them in rooms where your cats hang out together. Feliway is a feline pheromone analogue that releases hormones that help cats to relax. Humans seem to think that if there is a scent, it’s barely detectable, if it’s detectable at all. Our last vet had Feliway diffusers in all the cat exam rooms.

Dahlia: Finally, be sure to give your deaf cat lots of love and comfort. Open your heart to him and allow him to feel your grief and loss, too, and (even if this sounds silly) “tell” him with your thoughts that you understand his grief, that you love him, and that you hope he’ll be kind to his feline housemates. Make sure to frame your thoughts in a positive way. Don’t tell him “don’t fight,” for example, because he’ll get the “fight” part but not the “don’t” part. It’s much easier for a human to visualize a desired act, like kindness and affection, than it is to visualize not doing something.

Siouxsie: However, don’t comfort him directly after he does things you don’t want. This will reinforce the negative behavior. If he gets in a fight, don’t hold him and comfort him right afterward. Instead, put him in a room where he can calm down. If he starts cussing at another cat while he’s on your lap, put him on the floor.

Thomas: Good luck, Michelle. We hope this helps. Please let us know how things turn out.

Dear Most Esteemed and Knowledgeable Kitties:

I ran a search for cats with Parkinson’s Disease and found this article on your site. I have a new litter of kittens on my farm and one of the three kittens has to have Parkinson’s. Since birth he shakes and wobbles uncontrollably at all times except for when he is sleeping. He can run pretty well, but walking is tough. Eating and drinking can also be challenging. His movements are identical to a human with severe or advanced Parkinson’s, and the fact that he is perfectly still as he sleeps is also typical of human Parkinson’s. If you have any comments I would love to hear them.

~Katy

Siouxsie: In this case, we’re pretty sure that your cat does not have Parkinson’s Disease. The reason he wobbles so much is most likely due to a condition called cerebral hypoplasia, or CH.

Thomas: This is a kind of brain damage where the cerebellum, the part of the brain that controls the cat’s coordination, is underdeveloped.

Dahlia: Kittens with cerebellar hypoplasia almost always have that condition because they were infected with a virus called panleukopenia (also known as feline distemper) either while they were in their mother’s uterus or shortly after they were born.

Siouxsie: Symptoms of hypoplasia include ataxia (a jerky, uncoordinated gait), and a tendency to overshoot or undershoot when pouncing or reaching for objects. Some cats with hypoplasia have trouble eating because they can’t coordinate themselves well enough to avoid kicking food out of their bowl when they have tremors.  This video shows Gordon, a kitten with cerebellar hypoplasia. You may recognize a lot of your kitten’s symptoms when you watch it.

Thomas: The good news about cerebellar hypoplasia is that it’s not a progressive disease like Parkinson’s. Your kitty’s symptoms will stay at about the same level throughout his life, and as he learns to compensate for his disability you may find that he even does better.

Dahlia: Cats with cerebellar hypoplasia do have some special needs. First of all, they should never be free-roaming outdoor cats: their disability will make it very difficult for them to escape danger such as oncoming cars or predators.

Stainless steel cat food dishes. Image courtesy of cat-alog.com.

Siouxsie: Because, as you’ve seen, hypoplasia cats can be very uncoordinated while eating, it’s best to use food and water dishes that can’t be tipped over.  Stainless steel dishes that are wider at the bottom and have rubber grips are a good choice. Just don’t forget to remove the rubber ring and wash it periodically.

Thomas: He should have a litterbox that’s high on the sides, but with a low entry. This will be helpful to him because he may need to lean against the side of the box while doing his business. You’ll also want to make sure the litter box is very hard to tip over.

Dahlia: You’ll still have litter scatter, though, so you’ll probably want to put litter catch mats under the box. Plastic carpet runners are very helpful in containing most of the litter. The plastic mat will also make it easier to clean up any accidents.

Siouxsie: Cats with cerebral hypoplasia can have a good life and live as long as any other cat. Cats don’t worry about their disabilities. They don’t spend a lot of time pondering why their littermates can walk easily and they can’t. They just live their lives, and like any other cat, the more love and care they get, the happier they are.

Thomas: This sweet video shows the story of Charley, another cat with cerebellar hypoplasia. It proves what Thomas said: These cats can have long, wonderful lives. You just have to make sure to accommodate their special needs

Dahlia: The thing about cerebellar hypoplasia is that it can be prevented by simply vaccinating your cats on a regular basis. The regular cat vaccination schedule includes a vaccine against panleukopenia, the disease that causes hypoplasia. This is particularly important for cats that will become pregnant (basically, any unspayed female cat).

Siouxsie: You should take your kitten to the vet for a checkup and make sure that CH is what’s causing your cat’s coordination problems. Your vet will also be able to give you more information on how to take care of him. If you’re not in a position where you can take care of his special needs, your vet may be able to help you find a loving home for him.

Thomas: If you’d like to see more detailed information on caring for a cat with CH, we recommend this article from petspeopleplace.com.

Dahlia: Good luck, Katy. And good luck to your special kitten, too.

Dear Most Esteemed and Knowledgeable Kitties:

I live on a main road. It’s a small town area, but the main road is used by a lot of 18-wheelers as well as commuters who come to town for work. My two cats are indoor only, but the majority of folks in my neighborhood seem to have outdoor cats.

There is one cat I’ve been watching for the last year or so. It disappeared for a while, and when it returned, it was in horrible shape. It had obviously been injured. It had also mostly healed. It still has a rather bad limp, and it’s very ragged and mangy looking. It’s obviously friendly, and while it’s scrawny, it’s not skin and bones. However, if I pet it, it’s fur is disgusting and oily. It also freaks out if I touch anywhere near its hind legs or rear end.

I’m incredibly worried about this kitty. It has no collar. I have no idea if it does or doesn’t have an owner. If it does have an owner, maybe they’re taking care of it. It could be that the cat disappeared because its people took it inside to heal after its injury. Maybe it’s gross because it’s too old to care for itself. I had a friend whose cat was mangy and oily because it was almost 20 years old and just couldn’t care for itself well enough.

I would like to do something to help this cat. I spend a lot of time worrying about it. I don’t see it daily; maybe once a week. I take the time to pet it, and I have once given it some of the cat food from my house.

What can I do for this kitty? Would it be OK to take it to a vet not knowing if it has a family somewhere? Should I search for a family that this cat might have and try to find out what’s wrong with it or if they care? I’m at a loss. This kitty breaks my heart, but I can’t figure out what to do for it. Please help me!

~Ourika

Siouxsie: First of all, we’d like to say thank you for caring about this cat and wanting to do something about his sad state of being.

Thomas: We know you’ve been calling the cat “it” because you don’t know its gender. But for now, we’re going to refer to this cat as “him” because even though we’re not sure the cat is male, we don’t want to refer to him as “it.”

Dahlia: Here’s what we think. If this cat does have people who take care of him responsibly, they’d keep him indoors with that kind of injury — particularly since it’s clearly still bothering him.

Siouxsie: Even if you were comfortable bringing the cat inside, you’re right to put off doing so. There’s always the risk of disease transmission when you bring an unknown cat indoors. Not only that, but a cat that can’t groom himself properly may also have fleas or ticks, and you don’t want those critters inside your house.

Thomas: If you have the financial resources to do so, we recommend that you get the cat to a veterinarian. As Dahlia said, it’s clear that the injury is either still healing or it’s disabled him to the point where he can’t groom himself or fend for himself well outdoors. If you don’t, please contact an area animal rescue group and have them try help him.

Dahlia: You have every right to take an injured cat to a veterinarian, even if it does technically belong to someone else in your neighborhood.

Siouxsie: We’d recommend that you call your veterinarian and talk to them about this cat. Tell them you’d like to bring him in for treatment, but you need to capture him first. They might be able to lend you a humane trap which you can bait with some tasty canned food. If they can’t, they may be able to direct you to someone who can, such as an animal control officer or an animal rescue organization in your area.

Thomas: When you capture the cat, call your vet and see if they can look at him that day. Your vet will be able to do some X-rays to determine the extent of his injuries. They can also tell you how old he is and do blood tests to see if he has FIV, feline leukemia, or other chronic diseases.

Dahlia: Your vet’s assessment of the cat’s condition will help you understand what your choices are in this situation. You and your vet can discuss his injuries, age, FeLV and FIV status, possible treatment, and prognosis for recovery. You’ll also want to talk about the potential cost of treatment to see if it’s something your budget can bear.

Siouxsie: If it turns out that this cat can make a full recovery with proper treatment and is overall healthy except for the injury and apparent undernourishment, it’s quite possible that he can be rehomed with someone who will care for him properly.

Thomas: Veterinarians sometimes help out in these situations. Our last vet, Doctor Sarah, oftenhad a cat or two available for adoption at her office. There were always a couple of posters for cats currently being fostered by staff or kind patients and looking for new homes, too.

Dahlia: If one of your area shelters is a no-kill facility, they may be willing to admit an injured but recovering cat, and they may even be able to take care of the cost of treatment. If they can’t, they may have a corps of volunteer foster homes where the cat can finish healing.

Siouxsie: However, if this cat has a chronic illness, is very old, or has a poor prognosis for recovery, you may find yourself having to make a very difficult decision.

Thomas: But rest assured, even if it comes to that, this cat is clearly suffering in his current state. And even if the only thing you can do for him is to give him a humane end to his suffering, you will have done the right thing. Life in the wild for a severely injured or disabled cat is never good, and it often ends slowly and miserably. If you can spare him that agony, you’ll earn his soul’s gratitude.

Dahlia: Whatever ultimtely happens, Ourika, we encourage you to get this cat to a vet and find out what’s going on with him. You’re a kitty angel, and we thank you from the bottom of our furry little hearts for caring so much. Please keep us posted, and we hope this story has a happy ending.

Dear Most Esteemed and Knowledgeable Kitties:

Please help. My 7-year-old cat has been to the emergency clinic twice and her vet three times in one week. She’s been acting listless and not herself. She has lost her eyesight in her left eye and walks around aimlessly. She does respond to my voice and will come to me when I call her. She acts as if she has had a stroke, as she has forgotten how to jump up onto the couch, use her litterbox, climb stairs, and more importantly, she has forgotten how to eat. She will lick food, but does not know how to bite it. Today I noticed her paw pads have turned black (they were pink). All of her blood tests came back good, and the eye specialist said there is nothing structurally wrong with her eye. She has always been an indoor cat, and has never been outside. The only thing that I can think of that might have caused this it that we had our house sprayed for bugs about three weeks ago. The bug man said he used “green” spray that was harmless to animals. Does anyone have any ideas?

~Karen

Siouxsie: Karen, your cat’s symptoms are more indicative of a stroke than anything else.

Thomas: We think that if your cat had been poisoned by an insecticide, the symptoms would have been much more acute — they would have started shortly after the insecticide was applied.

Dahlia: If you can find out exactly what insecticide your exterminator used, you may be able to check it against this list of insecticide poisoning symptoms from peteducation.com.

Siouxsie: There are some bug killers that are considered pet-safe, but which can cause poisoning in cats. Pyrethrins and pyrethroids, for example, are commonly used in bug sprays, foggers, flea dips and the like. They’re considered the safest insecticides to use in an environment where people and dogs live. Pyrethrins themselves are generally safe for cats, but pyrethroids (synthetic pyrethrins) are not cat-safe.

Thomas: The most common signs of pyrethroid poisoning are tremors, drooling, lack of appetite, vomiting, staggering, rapid breathing, and seizures. In cats, you might also see ear flicking, paw shaking, or contractions and twitching of the skin.

Dahlia: Rotenone, an insecticide commonly used in sprays and dips, is generally considered an organic alternative to chemical insecticides. Some organic gardeners use rotenone to control Colorado potato beetles and other plant-eating pests.

Siouxsie: The symptoms of rotenone poisoning include Vomiting, lethargy, depression, ataxia (a lack of muscle coordination that causes staggering or abnormal gait), muscle tremors, seizures, respiratory failure, and death.

Thomas: We trust that you mentioned to your vet that your home was sprayed with insecticide. If nothing else, that information might help him or her figure out what’s going on with your kitty.

Dahlia: It is, however, pretty rare that a cat would have lingering, chronic symptoms that started two weeks after the pesticide application.

Siouxsie: However, cats can and do have strokes. Strokes in cats are caused by high blood pressure, which causes bleeding in the brain due to ruptured blood vessels.

Thomas: Generally, high blood pressure is a secondary symptom of an illness like chronic renal failure or hyperthyroidism. But since your cat did have blood tests and all the results came back OK, that cause can be eliminated.

Dahlia: We have heard of cats getting such a huge fright that their blood pressure skyrocketed temporarily and caused a stroke. Siouxsie: In most cases, though, the initial cause of the bleeding in the brain is unknown.

Thomas: Stroke symptoms that come on suddenly and include spasms of the face and limb muscles, blindness, loss of coordination, or paralysis. A cat that just had a stroke may also vocalize excessively. Typically, only one side of the body is affected by a stroke.

Dahlia: Symptoms that linger after the stroke include behavior changes, pacing and circling, and occasionally, seizures. We suspect that depending on the area of the brain affected by the stroke, forgetting basic behaviors can also be included in those symptoms. The same is true of humans that have strokes; some people forget how to talk, for example.

Siouxsie: In some cases, traumatic brain injury can lead to the same sort of symptoms. It’s quite rare for a cat to get a traumatic brain injury, however. Car accidents can cause them, but since your cat never goes outdoors, she wouldn’t have gotten a brain injury that way.

Thomas: Sometimes traumatic brain injuries can be caused by abuse at the hands of humans, too. It’s sad and unfortunate, but it’s true.

Dahlia: We’re not suggesting that your cat was abused, Karen. This comment was for the benefit of all of our readers to illustrate one way that cats can get traumatic brain injuries.

Siouxsie: Veterinarians can diagnose a stroke, but generally this requires tools that aren’t available to most vets. This would include an MRI or a CAT scan, and/or a procedure in which radiopaque dye is injected into blood vessels leading to the brain, followed by an X-ray to see if there’s any spillage of blood outside the veins and arteries.

Thomas: If you’re interested in having such a test done, you can ask your vet for a referral to a diagnostic center. These procedures are usually quite expensive, but if you can afford it and you want to find out what’s really going on with your cat, this would be a way to do it.

Dahlia: The only real treatment for stroke is supportive care until your cat regains whatever part of her functionality she’s going to regain. You’ll have to do things like bring her to the litterbox about half an hour after she eats and stroke her abdomen and bottom until she relieves herself (just like a mama cat would do with her kittens).

Siouxsie: It’s possible that the reason she’s not jumping, climbing the stairs or eating is that her brain injury or stroke has damaged the area that gives her the coordination she needs. Also, if your cat only has vision in one eye, she doesn’t have any depth perception, which makes jumping very difficult. Eventually she will adapt to her disabilities, but it’s going to take time.

Thomas: Your cat’s inability to eat could also be caused by paralysis to the muscles on one side of her face or jaw. You can feed her canned food so she can lick it and still get the nutrition she needs. Also, make sure she’s drinking enough water.

Dahlia: We don’t know what to tell you about the paw pads turning black, though. But we all wish you and your kitty good luck and a speedy recovery. If you do eventually find out what happened to your cat, please let us know.