In February of 2021, Selena stumbled upon Sky’s profile on Petfinder. The adorable black and white kitty had been on the site for quite some time, longer than any other cat in New York City. Upon further investigation, Selena discovered that Sky had been living in a foster home for over 10 months following the loss of her original owner to Covid-19 in April of 2020. Unfortunately, during this time, Sky developed a severe antibiotic resistant skin and ear infection due to untreated allergies. Thankfully, she was rescued by a local group before being taken to the pound.
Sky, a cute kitty, was placed in a foster home by Best Friends Animal Society in New York City, where she was nursed back to health by a wonderful couple. Selena fell in love with the resilient cat and arranged for a video meet and greet with Sky and her foster parents. Despite being hard of hearing, Selena adopted Sky, estimated to be nine years old at the time. Although Sky was a bit shy at first, she settled in quickly and slept in Selena’s bed on the very first night. However, within a few days of bringing Sky home, Selena discovered that Sky was completely deaf, likely due to an untreated or severe ear infection in the past. Despite this, Sky adjusted well to her deafness. Over a year later, Sky is still doing well, but she suffers from recurring ear infections caused by her allergies and has some issues with her balance, which Selena suspects may be related to untreated or severe infections. Nonetheless, Sky can walk and uses a step stool to climb onto Selena’s bed.
Sky, despite her balance issues, is just like any other cat. However, her deafness means that Selena always makes sure she wears identification information on her collar in case she gets lost. Selena finds that caring for a deaf cat is actually easier in many ways. Sky has no fear of loud noises, which allows Selena to take her on adventures in noisy areas where other cats wouldn’t be able to handle it. Sky enjoys going out and meeting new people, but Selena always keeps her on a leash as she cannot hear threats such as barking dogs or speeding taxis. Selena is also respectful of Sky’s moods and knows when she is not in the mood to socialize or explore. If Sky wants to go back home, she will let Selena know by whining loudly.
Although Sky enjoys making friends all around New York City, she also likes to spend time at home in a peaceful environment. The 10-year-old deaf cat loves napping and cuddling with her owner and is known to make an adorable “mrrp” sound when woken up. Despite Sky’s various health issues, including a heart murmur, hyperthyroidism, environmental and food allergies, being deaf isn’t much of a concern for her. She requires special food, clothing, and medication for her allergies and must be bathed every week with medicated shampoo. Additionally, she has to use specific cleaners for her eyes, ears, and chin and has brown discharge from her face due to acne caused by her allergies. Selena, Sky’s owner, is waiting to find out if Sky is eligible for radioactive iodine treatment, which is the only cure for her hyperthyroidism. However, despite her health problems, Sky remains a cheerful cat, and Selena is delighted to have her in her life. Selena considers Sky both her child and boss.
If you want to know more about the charming feline, you can keep up with Sky by following her Instagram page.
