09/25/2026
🦻 FETCH THE FACTS FRIDAY: Deaf Pet Awareness Week! 🦻
Deaf dogs and cats can still live happy, active, and completely fulfilling lives.
Deafness can be present from birth or develop later in life due to aging, chronic ear disease, injury, or other medical conditions. Some pets may lose hearing gradually, making the change difficult to notice at first!
👀 Signs your pet may be losing their hearing:
🐾 Not responding when called
🐾 Sleeping through noises that used to wake them
🐾 Not reacting to the doorbell, vacuum, food bag, or other familiar sounds
🐾 Becoming startled when touched or approached
🐾 Barking or meowing louder than usual
🐾 Seeming confused about where a sound is coming from
For Training: Deaf pets may not be able to hear verbal commands, but they can learn through hand signals, body language, visual cues, vibrations, and positive reinforcement. Some owners even use flashlights or other visual signals to communicate with their pets.
🤍 FUN FACT!
Some all-white pets are at an increased risk of being born deaf. This is related to genetics that affect pigmentation and the development of structures within the inner ear.
🐱 In cats, congenital deafness is especially associated with white coats and blue eyes. A white cat with one blue eye may even be deaf in the ear on the same side as the blue eye!
🐶 Certain predominantly white dog breeds can also have a higher incidence of congenital deafness.
👉 But having white fur does NOT automatically mean a pet is deaf! Plenty of white dogs and cats have completely normal hearing.
🦻 Living safely with a deaf pet:
Because they can't hear approaching cars, people, animals, or other dangers, deaf pets may need a few extra precautions:
🐶 Keep dogs leashed or in securely fenced areas when outside.
🐱 Keeping deaf cats indoors can help protect them from hazards they can't hear approaching.
✋ Teach consistent hand signals for commands like sit, stay, come, and good job!
💡 Use visual cues to get their attention rather than startling them.
😴 Gently wake sleeping pets—touching the surface they're lying on first can create a vibration and help prevent startling them.
Deaf pets can still play, learn tricks, go on adventures, cuddle on the couch, and cause just as much trouble as their hearing friends. 😂
If you notice a change in your pet's response to sounds, mention it to your veterinary team. An examination can help determine whether something like ear infection, inflammation, debris, or another medical problem could be contributing to the change.
🐾 A deaf pet doesn't need less of a life, they may just experience the world a little differently.
Drop a picture of your deaf or hearing-impaired pet in the comments! We'd love to see them. 🐶🐱💙
