A woman named Autumn shared her story on YouTube of how she and her family learned to adapt when finding out their Devon Rex cat was deaf. Ignoring others’ opinions to surrender her, the family decided to keep the ‘hypoallergenic’ cat as part of the family.
Becoming part of the family
When Autumn’s family welcomed the cat, they didn’t realize she was deaf until after. They noticed Faith did not react or respond to voice commands and cues.
A visit to their veterinarian confirmed it. Faith was deaf.
So the family had to adjust their routine to train Faith and get her to respond when needed. They used a bell on her collar to help the family know when the cat was nearby and worked to assist Faith in moving about the house.
Also, the family used hand gestures to communicate with Faith. They ended up developing their own type of language and style.
The family did as much as possible to help make Faith comfortable at home.
She’s got personality.
Faith’s mom shares that her special feline is very expressive with her eyes and pretty sassy. Like any other cat, she enjoys playing games, snuggling next to their family, and running with the zoomies.
Faith gets along great with the family dog as well. She runs the show, and the family is a participant at her beck and call.
But it’s not always all about her as Faith faithfully waits and greets each house member when they return at the end of a long day.
How Faith connects with everyone in the house is extra special. The family treats her as kin and wouldn’t have it any other way.
Her lack of hearing doesn’t stop Faith from spreading immense joy and love to everyone she encounters.
Devon Rex breed
The petite feline beauty, named Faith, is a Devon Rex breed. Devon Rex cats are very smart and quite active.
Physical characteristics of the breed include larger eyes and short curly hair coat. They can jump to great heights and enjoy learning new tricks.
It’s not uncommon for the breed to be affectionate, in your lap, or overseeing everything you do. They are very outgoing and great with families with older children or other pets.
Additionally, they make good therapy cats. Many may refer to the Devon Rex as ‘hypoallergenic’ due to its short coat texture; however, according to VetStreet, this is not correct.
“Allergies are not caused by a particular coat type but by dander…There is no scientific evidence that any breed or crossbreed is more or less allergenic than any other cat.”
Consequently, some people with allergies react better to these cats compared to other breeds.
To learn more about Faith, you can follow her page on Instagram here.
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