Cat McAuliffe
When Selena found Sky on Petfinder in February 2021, the cute black and white feline had been on the site longer than any other cat in New York City. Selena discovered Sky had been in a foster home for 10 months, having lost her original guardian to Covid-19 in April 2020. “She ended up in the city pound, then was pulled by a rescue group,” explains Selena. “She had a severe antibiotic resistant skin and ear infection when she was rescued, a result of severe untreated allergies.”
Best Friends Animal Society in New York City placed Sky in a foster home with a wonderful couple who helped nurse the adorable kitty back to health. Smitten with the resilient cat, Selena contacted the rescue, and they arranged for her to have a video meet and greet with Sky and her foster parents. “Her fosters told me she was hard of hearing,” remembers Selena, but that didn’t deter her from adopting Sky, whose estimated age was nine years old at the time. “She was a little shy for the first couple hours but settled in right away and slept in my bed with me the very first night she was here.”
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Within just a few days of bringing Sky home, Selena realized she wasn’t just a bit hearing impaired, she was actually completely deaf. “My guess is she probably went deaf as a result of an untreated or severe ear infection in the past,” says Selena. However, Sky had adjusted so well to being deaf that it was hardly noticeable.
More than a year later, Sky is doing extremely well, but she suffers from recurring ear infections caused by her allergies, so Selena has to regularly clean her ears with a medicated wash. Also, she has some issues with her balance, which her mom suspects are related to some sort of inner or middle ear damage caused by severe or untreated infections. “She can’t run or jump very well, but she can walk,” explains Selena. “She is a little clumsy though. She uses a step stool to climb on my bed.”
Aside from having balance issues, in a lot of ways, Sky isn’t all that different from a typical cat. However, because she’s unable to hear, Sky wears a collar with identifying information at all times, because she wouldn’t be able to hear her mom calling her if she got lost. “Even at home in case of an emergency,” says Selena.
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While some might assume having a deaf cat might be harder than caring for a hearing one, Selena has found it’s actually easier in a lot of ways. “She has no fear of loud noises,” explains Selena, which enables her to take Sky on adventures in one of the busiest — and noisiest — cities in the world. “She is totally chill in public. She goes out to bars and takes the subway and can do all these things other cats can’t do because she can’t hear the noises.”
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However, because Sky is unable to hear threats, such as a barking dog or a speeding taxi, Selena keeps her on a leash at all times. Also, while Sky usually loves going out and meeting new people, Selena knows — and respects — the signs when she isn’t in the mood to socialize and explore. “If she doesn’t feel like going out, she will tell me so in our building’s hallway and I turn around and put her back,” explains Selena. “If she’s done being out and wants to go home, she will also let me know by whining loudly.”
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After all, while Sky enjoys making friends all over New York City, she also enjoys spending quiet time at home. In addition to cuddling with her mom, this 10-year-old girl loves taking naps and is happy to spend hours snoozing. “Deaf cats are way more relaxed than hearing cats,” says Selena. “They also make a cute ‘mrrp‘ sound when you wake them up.”
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In fact, compared to some of Sky’s other challenges — including a heart murmur, hyperthyroidism, and severe environmental and food allergies — being deaf isn’t really much of an issue. Not only does she have to eat special food and wear clothing to protect her skin from allergens, Sky takes allergy medication as needed and she has to be bathed every week with medicated shampoo. “She also has special cleaners for her eyes, ears, and chin,’ says Selena. “She suffers from cat acne and has brown discharge from her face as a result of her allergies.”
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Currently, Selena is waiting to find out if Sky is a candidate for radioactive iodine treatment, which — due to her heart condition — is the only cure for her hyperthyroidism. Despite all of her health challenges, Sky is an extremely happy cat, and Selena has never regretted opening her home and heart to this one of a kind kitty. “She is simultaneously my child and my boss,” says Selena.
To learn more about this beautiful cat, you can follow Sky on Instagram.
