I wish there was a way to tell Splash

[SplshMtn99]

I wish there was a way to tell the blind & deaf cat "I'm done petting you & I'm walking away". Its so pathetic to return & see her still sitting there looking up like Stevie Wonder wondering "hello, is anyone there?".


OMG, I just realized, my signature is back. YEAH!!!!!

 

[Keira1387]

Your cat is beautiful!

 

[SplshMtn99]

thanks .

 

[Soarin08]

That's so sad. My aunt had a cat like that. It was so sad to see. Her cat even looked like yours.

 

[My sister's princess]

I love the picture of you kitty

 

[Charade]

 

[Rafiki Rafiki Rafiki]

Aw. Send that baby to me. I'll be glad to sit next to her. She'll keep me WARM!

 

[MomofKatie]

Easy solution- just keep petting her!

 

[quasar4legs]

Oh, poor splash. You shall have to hire a team of people to pat her constantly while you attend to other chores.

Can you always finish with a sepcific type of pat that you only use when you are stopping cuddle time. Does that make sense? I'm not explaining this very well but perhaps you could pick something like 2 gentle pats of top of her head that act as a physical cue that the patting is finished. Maybe if you do that every time Splash will eventually learn that patting has finished for the moment. I worked with children that were blind and deaf and we used physical cues to help them learn routine.

If all else fails just stay on the lounge with Splash.

I wish I could come and give her a big hug, she looks adorable.

Trish

 

[mfd25wife]

Splash is adorable. I would have a hard time leaving, too.

 

[IndyBride]

poor little kitty!

 

[SplshMtn99]

Oh, poor splash. You shall have to hire a team of people to pat her constantly while you attend to other chores.

Can you always finish with a sepcific type of pat that you only use when you are stopping cuddle time. Does that make sense? I'm not explaining this very well but perhaps you could pick something like 2 gentle pats of top of her head that act as a physical cue that the patting is finished. Maybe if you do that every time Splash will eventually learn that patting has finished for the moment. I worked with children that were blind and deaf and we used physical cues to help them learn routine.

If all else fails just stay on the lounge with Splash.

I wish I could come and give her a big hug, she looks adorable.

Trish

Yes, surrogate petters would be great! She would be a non-stop purring machine.

The special physical command was exactly what I've been trying to come up with, but I don't have anything yet. I guess consistency would help. There are lots of other things we do with her. Like if we pick her up, we need to put her down in 1 of a few places that she knows where she's at. I can't leave things on the floor or stairs because she walks into them or trips. Well she's walking into things anyway, but she gets the general layout. She's just off a few inches & hits the door jamn. Hard. She's funny to watch when she knows she's approaching the stairs, she taps her paw like a blind persons cane. Incredible sense of smell now. She still finds her catnip toys & lays with them.

The deaf thing she has down pat since she's been for a very long time. Its the blind thing that is new. We know she can see lights, as she reacts to turning on the room lights. She found the Christmas tree based on the 1000 lights. She's very vocal & always has been. No problem finding me to walk me up to feed her. Lately, she's just been really clingy & sleeping with us way more than usual. Even sleeping on my side of the bed all day instead of in front of her beloved pellet stove for warmth.

Its the clingy part that makes it hard to leave her.

 

[IndyBride]

Ohhh!!! I can only imagine! Poor kitty!! I have a cat that follows me all over the house- in face she often sits on my computer the way your siggie cat sits on yours! OR, i'll have my computer in my lab and she'll sit between my chest and the computer! Consistency probably would help BUT that would probably be very hard! Good luck!

 

[Imzadi]

Yes, I give my kitty a couple affectionate pats near the butt when I'm done petting her & get set get up to leave. This way she knows not to expect more.

Some times, when I'm walking by and I don't want to do a full rubbing behind the ears, which can take some time, as she used to look at me like, "Hey! More!," I'll just give her a gentle swipe along her cheek. This way she has kind of figured out not to expect more at the moment.

You might want to tack scented things by the door jambs, since she has such a great sense of smell. This way she can sniff for the jamb. Maybe scented pine cones or something.

Glad your picture is back!

 

[momrek06]

SPLASH IS BACK!!!!!!!!!!! Jo, I just notice Splash was back when you posted on the SoCal thread!!!!!!!!!!!

20 years old....that is absolutely amazing!!!!!!!!!

Surrogate petters!!!!

 

[sha_lyn]

What a sweetie splash is. One of our dogs was blind and deaf toward the end of her life. It was so sad and heartbreaking to watch age take her one sense/ability at a time.

 

[Judy Judy Judy]

How sweet your cat is, I also agree with the certain pat when leaving.

 

[MsDisney23]