When to see a vet urgently
A hearing change needs urgent assessment if accompanied by:
- sudden loss of balance, falling over or inability to walk;
- severe ear pain or foul-smelling ear discharge containing pus;
- a head injury or sudden hearing loss after trauma;
- vomiting and inability to eat or drink because of balance problems.
Gradually noticed hearing loss alone can be assessed at a scheduled appointment, but seek advice immediately about a sudden change. You can find a vet near you.
Overview
Hearing is important for cats, helping them navigate and hunt. When hearing declines, a cat responds less well to sounds and may become more timid, or may simply stop responding to commands and noises. Congenital sensorineural deafness is more common in some cats, particularly white cats with blue eyes, and may be associated with inherited factors.
Sound travels through the ear canal to the eardrum. Its vibrations pass through the small middle ear bones to the cochlea in the inner ear, where the stimulus becomes a nerve signal. A blockage in the sound pathway and damage to inner ear sensory cells can both impair hearing, but treatment possibilities differ.
One ear may hear normally even if the other is completely deaf. The cat may then seem normal in daily life and respond when called. Examining each ear separately is therefore essential when congenital hearing loss is suspected or breeding is planned.
Causes
- Congenital abnormalities, more common in white cats with blue eyes because of inherited predisposition.
- Ear infections, including chronic otitis and viral infections.
- Injuries to the head or hearing structures.
- Age-related changes causing hearing loss in old age.
- Ototoxic medicines that can harm the ear, including some antibiotics and diuretics.
- Tumours of the ear canal or brain.
- Wax plugs or foreign bodies in the ear canal.
Inflammation can temporarily impair sound conduction because of discharge, for example. Disease that reaches the inner ear, on the other hand, can permanently damage sensory cells. An ear canal polyp, an inflammatory tissue growth, can block sound without being a malignant tumour. Hearing loss alone therefore does not identify which mechanism is involved.
Assessing possible adverse effects of medicines requires product names, when they were used and details of any ear drops. Ototoxicity means damage to the ear's hearing or balance structures. Not every medicine for the same condition carries the same risk, and you should not stop necessary medication yourself. Report a suspected change to the prescribing vet.
Risk factors
- White cats with blue eyes, with an inherited predisposition to congenital deafness.
- Older cats.
- Cats with previous chronic or untreated ear inflammation.
- Cats that have received ototoxic medicines.
White fur or blue eyes alone do not establish deafness. A white cat with other eye colours can also be deaf, and not every blue-eyed cat belongs to the same inherited risk group. Hearing is assessed in the individual regardless of appearance.
The prevalence of inherited deafness varies between the cat populations studied. One small study of pedigree cats could not demonstrate a link between eye colour and deafness, although the association is recognised from wider data. A precise percentage based on appearance therefore does not reliably indicate an individual kitten's hearing.
Typical symptoms
- no response to sounds, such as calling, clapping or noise;
- deep sleep without waking to ordinary sounds;
- disorientation and increased timidity;
- loud meowing because the cat cannot hear its own voice;
- difficulty learning and coming when called;
- head tilting and difficulty orientating with one-sided deafness.
A head tilt is not a usual consequence of one-sided deafness alone. It may be associated with a concurrent balance organ condition, such as an inner ear infection. A cat deaf in one ear may instead look for a sound on the wrong side or compensate so well that you notice nothing.
Vocalisation varies: some deaf cats are louder than usual, while others make little sound. Vocalising or ignoring a call does not alone confirm hearing loss. Ear scratching, head shaking, smell and discharge suggest ear disease needing investigation, rather than difficulty detecting sound alone.
Complications and consequences
- difficulty navigating, particularly outdoors, with a risk of injury;
- reduced hunting ability;
- behavioural problems, such as timidity or aggression;
- a risk of complete deafness without treatment in acquired forms.
Lack of hearing does not itself mean pain, but an ear infection or injury causing it may be painful. A startled cat may defend itself if touched unexpectedly. Changing how you approach can help prevent this. Permanent deafness alone does not prevent play, a close relationship with people or a good quality of life.
Diagnosis at the vet
- otoscopy to examine the ear canal;
- a neurological examination;
- hearing assessment with a BAER test, the gold standard for confirming deafness;
- tests and cultures for chronic ear inflammation;
- temporal bone X-rays or CT for tumours or injuries.
The history establishes whether the change is sudden or gradual and whether there is pain, discharge, a balance problem or previous ear disease. Examination of the ear canal and eardrum helps identify a treatable obstruction. Thorough examination and sampling of a very painful ear may require sedation or anaesthesia.
What does a BAER test measure?
BAER records electrical responses from the auditory nerve and brainstem following a sound stimulus. Clicking sounds are delivered to the ear, and responses are collected with small electrodes placed under the skin. Each ear's response is assessed separately. The test does not require the cat to understand a command or turn in the right direction.
A routine screening test mainly establishes whether an ear produces a hearing response or is deaf. Precise measurement of partial hearing loss and hearing at different frequencies requires a more extensive assessment. The result is interpreted alongside examination findings; it does not alone explain the cause of the hearing loss.
Home observations and imaging
At home, record which ordinary sounds your cat responds to and whether this has changed. However, a visual cue, floor vibration or another cat's reaction may reveal an event even to a deaf cat. Conversely, a hearing cat under stress may not respond during testing. Repeatedly startling your cat with loud noises does not replace a hearing test.
Imaging is used selectively, for example to investigate a middle ear change, injury or tumour. CT shows changes in the bony ear structures. Inflammatory samples and bacterial cultures are selected according to findings so that any antimicrobial treatment targets the cause.
Treatment and support in daily life
Can hearing return?
Treating a wax plug, inflammatory discharge or another obstruction can improve sound conduction. A polyp may need removal, or ear disease may need medication or surgery. Bacterial infection may require antibiotics, but deafness itself is not treated with antibiotics. Successful treatment of inflammation and return of hearing do not always occur together.
There is no routine curative treatment to restore lost inner ear sensory cells. Congenital sensorineural deafness and advanced inner ear damage are therefore usually permanent. Prognosis depends on the site of damage and underlying disease. Arrangements to make daily life easier can be planned even if hearing does not return.
Safe communication at home
Approach within your cat's field of vision and use a consistent hand signal to attract attention. A sleeping cat can be gently woken by touching its bedding rather than grasping the animal directly. Teach children not to surprise the cat from behind or suddenly pick it up while asleep.
Indoor living or a secure outdoor enclosure protects against traffic and other dangers the cat cannot hear. A microchip and current contact details help if it escapes. Offer play based on sight and movement, as well as food puzzles. Hearing loss does not need to be compensated for by ever louder speech.
If there is also a balance problem, prevent access to stairs and high places during recovery. Report difficulty eating, drinking or walking to the practice. This restriction relates to balance organ disease; a cat that is simply deaf and otherwise moves normally does not need to be kept immobile.
Prevention
- Avoid breeding cats with inherited deafness.
- Treat ear inflammation and infections promptly.
- Do not use ototoxic medicines without a veterinary prescription.
- Arrange regular veterinary checks, particularly for an older cat.
- Have the hearing of kittens from predisposed breeds tested.
Do not continually clean ears as a precaution: a healthy cat usually does not need routine ear cleaning. Excessive handling may irritate the ear canal. If there is pain, redness or discharge, ask for advice before cleaning so possible eardrum damage can be considered.
Do not put cotton buds into the ear canal or pour in alcohol, hydrogen peroxide or homemade cleaning mixtures. These can damage or irritate tissue, and a cotton bud can push material deeper. If needed, the vet chooses an appropriate ear product and demonstrates its use.
Important for cat owners
A cat may have hearing loss from birth or develop it later. Remember that even a deaf cat can lead a full life with appropriate care. However, sudden hearing loss needs prompt examination to identify reversible causes, such as ear infections and wax plugs. For safety, keep a deaf cat indoors or supervised outdoors, and use visual signals instead of sound cues.
This article provides general information and does not replace veterinary care. If you notice signs of illness in your cat, contact a vet.
Frequently asked questions
Can a cat be deaf in only one ear?
Yes. A well-functioning other ear can conceal the problem in daily life. Responding to a call therefore does not confirm hearing in both ears. BAER testing can assess the ears separately.
Are all white cats with blue eyes deaf?
No. This colouring is associated with an increased risk of congenital deafness, but appearance is not a diagnosis. Other eye colours in a white cat can also occur alongside hearing loss, so an individual examination is needed when assessing breeding suitability.
Should I wash my hard-of-hearing cat's ears at home?
Not without establishing the cause. An obstruction may be treatable, but hearing can also decline because of inner ear damage. Flushing a painful ear or using an unsuitable cleaner can worsen matters. Follow the individual care instructions provided after examination.
This article is for general information only and is not a guide to treatment. If you notice the first signs of illness, contact your vet.
Paw4care editorial team
Sources
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- How to Care for Deaf Cats, Cats Protection, accessed 2026-11-03.
- Hearing Disorders in Cats: Classification, Pathology and Diagnosis, Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery / Louisiana State University, accessed 2026-11-03.
- Deafness in Cats, Merck Veterinary Manual, accessed 2026-11-03.
- Evaluation of the Prevalence of Congenital Sensorineural Deafness in a Population of 72 Client-owned Purebred White Cats Examined from 2007 to 2021, BMC Veterinary Research / PubMed, accessed 2026-11-03.
- Inner Ear Infection (Otitis Interna) in Cats, VCA Animal Hospitals, accessed 2026-11-03.
- Instructions for Ear Cleaning in Cats, VCA Animal Hospitals, accessed 2026-11-03.