What pushed the mute button on three kittens living under a San Jose deck?

DR. JOAN: Have you ever heard of a litter of kittens who are unable to make any vocal sounds?

A cat had three kittens under our deck. We had no idea they were there because they never made any noise. Not even the mewling sounds that babies make when they are hungry.

My son first noticed them when they were about 6 to 8 weeks old. We’ve had them for about 7 or 8 months and have yet to hear them make any sounds.

They come up and eat in the evening, so they are frequently on the deck. I’m about 6 feet away from the screen door in my recliner. I’m still not hearing anything. I’ve had some deaf cats in the past, and even they made noise.

— San Jose resident Jill Swanson

DR. JILL: Maybe the cat got their tongues? Sorry, I tried so hard not to say that, but I couldn’t help myself.

As anyone who has been awakened at 4 a.m. by an insistent meowing over an empty food dish can attest, most cats are vocal creatures. Cats make a variety of sounds and chirps and will chatter all hours of the day and night. Some breeds are more vocal than others, such as Siamese, Maine coon, and Burmese, but not all cats are chatty.

There are several explanations for the silence. Muteness is common in kittens, but it usually passes as they grow older and find their voices. Location can also play a role. Cats will remain silent in places where they do not feel comfortable or safe in order to avoid drawing attention to themselves. Mute cats can also be caused by damage to their vocal cords or illness.

Except in the case of illness, having silent cats is not a cause for concern. They can communicate in various ways.

DR. JOAN: Every night, a small possum enters our garage and stays for more than an hour. We have a wildlife camera installed.

Our outdoor cats find refuge there. We removed the food and water more than a week ago, but the animal continues to enter through the cat door. Because the outdoor cats are feral, it is not possible to close the cat door and lock them inside overnight. I get the impression the possum prefers to hang out in a warmer environment.

Any ideas on how we can keep this animal from entering and staying in our garage?

G. Collins from San Jose

You can use a chemical deterrent at the door that will not harm or deter your cats but will deter the opossum. Critter Ridder, which is available at your local hardware store, could keep the opossum away from your cats.

A long-term solution would be to install a pet door that will only open for cats wearing a collar transmitter.