I think Tungsten may be losing her hearing. It’s certainly not gone; she can hear things, but not as well as she should, or did.
I draw this conclusion because now she is frequently startled by my approach when she is not looking at it. Coming up behind her, or in a blind spot, will cause her to jump when she sees me, as if I were appearing from nowhere beside her.
I have tried clapping and making noises while Tungsten is turned away and found that she usually pays them no attention unless I am near to her. I must now remember to let her see me coming.
This may be my imagination, but my orange one is getting old, so one must expect certain debilities to materialise. But she is only fourteen (estimated) and has many years ahead of her. She spends much of her time sleeping and is not interested in much that the world has to offer, but then, she has always been like that. Tungsten still surprises me from time to time: this weekend she ran up from the litter-boxes in the basement and shot across the ground floor, causing the other cats to wonder what that orange blur had been. She was just having a little fun.
She’s not out of the game yet, and won’t be for a long while. This is just a reminder that sometimes the game grows a little quieter for some in its later stages.
we raised a deaf foster kitten and sometimes we think he may have enjoyed not being subject to certain noises around the house. of course, half the time we couldn't be sure if he really was deaf (he was) or just ignore mom like everyone else around here :)
ReplyDeleteShe looks especially sweet all snuggled up in that bed in the first pic, and we love her little tongue peeking out in the second.
ReplyDeletePurrs and peace to you all; have a happy and blessed Christmas!
I don't hear too good these days either kitteh, it always startles me when little brofur jumps on when whilst I am napping, that's when I get up and whoop him BOL!! Play bows,
ReplyDeleteIsis
Maybe a visit to the vet would be in order just to be sure her hearing loss is likely age related. A thorough exam and some baseline labs might be beneficial now she's at an age when thyroids and kidneys start to go a bit off .
ReplyDeleteTungsten is a lovely cat with her sweet, wise face. I'm mad for seniors!
Are the cats waiting for Santa?
I will be taking Tungsten in for an exam in the new year. Her last was only a few months ago, and the doctor said that it was hard to tell from the results of the tests that Tungsten had any problems, which I think is pretty good. I have never had her hearing checked, though that will be considered during her next visit.
DeleteAnd I think I'm more excited about Santa than the cats. They keep hinting that he's not real...
Maybe she's simply got selective hearing...sorry, family joke...we always said that about Dad when mom was around.
ReplyDeleteIt's probably age related, and since you're aware of it, you'll both adapt to it.
I sometimes wonder about my Jessica's hearing. On occasion when I come home from work, she will not be at the door and almost jump up with a loud squeal when she sees the door open. Most days though, she is at door trying to paw it open as usual. I do hope Tungsten is fine. From Eileen and Jessica
ReplyDeleteI think Tungsten is healthy - for her age and conditions - but if she is losing her hearing, it's the least of her senses. She, like Jessica, is safe in a good home. We may just have to give our cats some warning when we are coming, though!
DeleteIt is worth checking for wax build up. A year or so before Eric died, he went deaf. His ears appeared clean but the vet said there was hardened wax deep down in one. I asked why he would appear to be deaf when the other ear was clean, but he said it often happened like that. I was sceptical but once the hardened wax slowly softened with drops over days and was removed, his hearing came back again.
ReplyDeleteI hadn't thought about wax build-up. I will speak to the doctor about that when Tungsten visits her again.
DeleteI know that Mazie is sleeping deeper than she used to and I startle her more even though she is only going to be 9. What Flynn's Mom said is really interesting though. I could see that it could happen, especially with such small ears.
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