I think Jaffa might be going deaf

[Susanne (urbantigers)]

He definitely isn't louder.  If anything he's less vocal although there's not a big difference.  He's never  been the most talkative of cats but he can be a bit of a whiner when he thinks something (food, attention...) isn't coming as quickly as he'd like.  I'm a bit more relaxed in the early mornings now if he whines for attention as he's not sprayed the wardrobe for ages so I am happy to ignore any whining and before long he's back on the bed and settling down again.  I think that is having the desired result of less early morning whining.  There are certain noises I know he can hear but there are also times when I approach him from behind and touch him and he jumps a bit because he didn't know I was there.

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

He will get louder if he is going deaf , so that he can hear himself.

Dont creep up on him cos one of the ways of him knowing whats happening is through vibrations.

[Susanne (urbantigers)]

Well after much testing (including the hoover test!) I was convinced he was deaf.  However I've recently noticed him responding to some sounds so I don't think he's completely deaf.  But I think he has lost some hearing.

[Susanne (urbantigers)]

I think it's very hard to know for sure because cats are so good at that selective deafness!  I am trying to make sounds behind him when he's not expecting it and so far mixed result - usually there is no response but sometimes there is and I'm not sure whether he's seeing or sensing me behind him or whether he is actually hearing.

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Nothing is definative cos Franta convinced a vet he was deaf and he wasnt.

Try doing a very loud clap behind him when he is not expecting it.

Sometimes hearing goes at certain frequencies, I have only 50% at higher frequencies in both ears.

[Susanne (urbantigers)]

He doesn't seem to respond to being called these days (he always used to come when he heard his name - there was usually something in it for him and he knew it) and sometimes at night he doesn't come for his dreamies until he sees me holding them - he always used to come when he heard the drawer being opened.  I tried to test him tonight by rustling some papers right by his ears when he was asleep and there was no response at all - not so much as an ear twitch.  May have just been because he was in a deep sleep but he didn't respond to my clicking my fingers behind his head either when he was awake.  Are there any definitive tests to test for deafness?