HOW TO HELP YOUR DEAF CAT

White cats especially those with blue eyes are often born deaf. Congenitally deaf cats probably develop superior vision to compensate.* But often cats, like humans, go deaf with age. Sound is extremely important to cats, who can hear a mouse's footstep. So if they go deaf, they are emotionally, as well as physically, affected.
The early signs include unexplained startled reactions from your cat, grumpiness, not noticing if you approach from behind, ignoring calls and speech, an increase in the volume of their call, change in the nature of the call. (The latter two signs should be reported to a vet in case they are symptoms of thyroid disorder). "Trouble, our cat did a lot of head shaking and ear washing at first," reports an owner.
There may be emotional dependency and fear of being alone. Fat Mog, my elderly cat, having been extremely independent did not like going anywhere without me. She was scared of going outside even with me and would follow me from room to room. She preferred sleeping places high up (on my desk!) where she could not be trodden on by mistake. She was wary of being near human legs. At the other extreme she no longer feared the vacuum cleaner because she could not hear it!
Put yourself in the animals' place. Don't wake up a deaf cat with a start. Try to warn the animal by vibrations. "We nudge the cushion Cato is sitting on or stamp on the floor next to the chair." Trouble's owner just touched him gently on the head if he was sitting or on the paw if he was dozing, to wake him up without a start. The owner of Feather blows gently on his fur before touching him.
Deaf cats will appreciate body communication. "Chloe my cat seemed disorientated and kept yowling. I began to give her plenty of body language - stroking, lifting her up, having her near me on the settee when watching TV. She never yowled again."
Deaf cats should be best kept as indoor cats or within a fenced garden. Feline Advisory Bureau (www.fabcats.org ) have details on cat fencing. In order to open windows in summer, use Cataire Screening 01539 535468 or www.cataire.co.uk A good website is http://messybeast.com/disabled.htm
Cat will be more vulnerable to traffic and other accidents if let outside and, even in known territory, are far more likely to get lost. If you live in a remote place without traffic, you may decide to let him be an outside cat, though I think this is really unsafe for an elderly cat. A very fixed routine will help you notice if he is missing and keep him near the house. Don't keep food down all the time, put it down at set times, say three or four times a day, and ring a dinner bell or whistle for him. Before each meal, when he comes in, give him a couple of defrosted prawns, which are highly motivating for cats! Put a bell on the collar so you can hear the cat. Add your phone number and mention the cat is deaf.
Use the same hand motion or visual signal to teach him to come when called, and remember to keep good cat treats in your pocket so that you can reward him for this. Try thumping the floor with a walking stick or clapping hands with palms slightly cupped. This makes a vibration which the cat may "hear' through its body and will serve to get a cat's attention. To recall a cat from the garden in the dark, use a torch to flash the signal. (A bell on the collar or a collar with flashing lights or just a reflective collar (that can be lit up with a torch) might help - if you already use collars.)
Dawn and dusk are the times when predators like foxes etc are on the prowl so keep the cat in at these times. Even if the fox doesn't catch them, they may get lost after running away. Make sure there are no garden ponds, dustbin food or bird food to attract foxes in the first place. On the final dinner call shut your cat in sleeping quarters with the food for the rest of the night. This could be a large dog crate with a litter tray or just a room in the house with closed windows.
VISUAL SIGNALS
Start using hand signs - choose your own. Cats are very sensitive to body language, which they use much more than vocal language. So if you accompany instructions like "food?" with the same sign each time, they will catch on fast. What is essential is to make the sign clear and consistent EVERY time. "I have found that, by chance, during daylight if I curl a finger at Sophie she will come running. I make sure that her approach is worth her while but giving her a meal, a treat, or a good stroking. I have definitely established a bond with her by leaning down and curling my fingers at her in a very clear and exaggerated manner and she always runs to me. Of course this only works in daylight."
To clicker train a deaf cat use a torch which blinks on instead of the click with sign language as cues.
CAT FLAPS IF YOU HAVE MORE THAN ONE CAT
To keep one cat in and let the other out try SureFlap or PetPorte. These respond to microchips and can be adjusted so they open for only one of the cats.

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*Lomnver. S. G.,Meredith, M. A. & Kral, A., (2010) 'Cross-modal plasticity in specific auditory cortices underlies visual compensations in the deaf,' Nature Neuroscience, 13, 1421-1427