Cats act as ears for deaf woman

gwinnettdailypost ^ | 7/5/2009 | Deanna Allen

[JoeProBono]

Staff Photo: Jason Braverman Betty Macaluso holds her cat, Tom 2, at her Lawrence-ville home. Macaluso is deaf, and the cat wakes her up in the morning and functions as her ears.

[JoeProBono]

[Ditter]

My dogs are my door bell. My bell does not work properly and seems to defy being repaired but I don’t need it. I have 4 dogs and they alert me when someone drives up into the driveway and then they go nuts when someone pushes the door bell. I don’t know what they hear but I know what they are telling me.

[Daffynition]

[JoeProBono]

[Ditter]

That is next door. My neighbors have 2 door bells like that. Two 200 lb door bells and burglar alarm combinations. They have an alarm system, why they even bother with it I don't know. No one would burglarize their house. Their alarm system mal functions occasionally and I try to go out with my camera to catch a picture of the burglars running for their lives. he he

[JoeProBono]

[siamesecats]

Nice story.
Thanks.

[mikrofon]

Cats act as ears for deaf woman

[JoeProBono]

[LiberConservative]

Cool story. Thanks for posting.

She adopted Tom 2 and Tiger ... from PetSmart ...

If I adopted every cat I fell in love with at PetSmart I would need a farm. :)

[Daffynition]

[Slings and Arrows]

[Star Traveler]

Now, this is how God made animals and mankind..., in such a way as to complement each other... it’s a good story...

[freekitty]

I sure wouldn’t ring that doorbell. LOL

[Star Traveler]

The article said — Since Macaluso can’t hear her cats’ meows, whenever the two want to play, they know to gently paw at her leg to get her attention.

—

Ahhh..., cats are intelligent and adaptive, too... :-)

[Star Traveler]

These cats appear to have turned into “alert animals” for this deaf person, but I have heard of dogs being trained to alert deaf people to things. However, I’ve never heard of a cat being *trained* in this manner. I think she’s fortunate to have it turn out that way for her...

[Vicki]

My cats have alerted me to strangers coming out of the woods and walking through my neighbor’s yard. They are like watchdogs kind of, just quieter and you have to look and listen for their ques.

[reformedliberal]

I have some age-related hearing loss. Our dog has taken it upon himself to let me know when anyone is on the property. He does get confused, though, by sounds of doorbells and cellphones on TV. He will run to the door and the large windows overlooking the driveway, barking like crazy and looking for the *visitor*.

If a friend comes into the house, he will not let them past a certain point unless I specifically tell him it’s ok. He just stands rooted like a statue and blocks them, gently, until I come over and tell him to let the person pass further. At 115 pounds, no one argues with him.

[Ditter]

Our young dog will bark at sounds on the TV too. Aren't dogs wonderful? I feel for people who don't love dogs, something is missing for them.