Cat Going Blind

Miroslav

Hi

Would appreciate any advice from cat owners, particularly those who have, or have had, blind cats.

One of my cats, 15 in October, is going blind. She went to the vets on Friday, who said it will be a fairly rapid process and this morning, she appears to be worse, but not totally blind. She's going around getting used to the layout. You could see her head working overtime as she counted the steps on the stairs.

We've been advised to not move any furniture and she seems to be leaving her scent on chair legs and the like. I'm a bit concerned about cleaning, incase she loses the scent?

I'm not sure how to go about anything. I'm sure the vet advised some other things, but due to the distress, I can't remember.

She is an indoor cat, lives with 3 other cats, was 4, but one passed in April. 2 of the other 3 are sisters, the 1 male is not related, is 2 months older and she's been with him since she was 3 months old, so they have grown up together.

Can anyone please provide any advice that may be of use? However small.

Thanks.

BitterAndTwisted

I can't give you any practical advice other than what the vet appears to have given you already about the not-moving-any-furniture-thing, except to please not worry: pusscats can be very adaptable and yours will adjust to her blindness. It's sad for you to adapt but it won't necessarily be for her. You just need to be aware that if you leave something on the floor that's not been there before she might become confused about exactly where she is. Cats do find their way around more by scent than sight, much more than you'd think so for the time being I wouldn't wash down any items that she's rubbed her scent on until she's used to her blindness.

If she appears to be confused, just speak to her, so she knows you're there

scaredy_cat

my cat has been blind for about 5 years, she had a heart murmur which gave her high blood pressure and as a result the blood vessels in her eyes ruptured, causing the blindness.

She was an outdoor cat and once she went blind, she just stopped asking to go out. I have found that she copes ok - she can still jump up on the sofa, (and the bed) she still walks along the back of it - though you can see that she is feeling her way with her whiskers and feet - when she gets off the sofa she will use her front feet to try and feel where the ground is.

Cats are very adaptable, the only problem i have is that she sometimes 'misses' the litter tray as she puts her bum too close to the edge!! Paper on the floor sorts that out!!

She also finds her food ok, even to the point of waking up if i am eating a bacon sandwich!!!

She is now 20, and starting to go a bit senile, but she is eating ok, sleeping lots and gets lots of loving, so i hope she will last a few more years!

nanokitten

Aww sorry to hear that. Don't be afraid to give your vet a call when you have got your head straight, I'm sure they'll give you some pointers over the phone.
A quick search comes up with a couple of articles:

http://www.knowyourcat.info/getcat/blindcat.htm quite a useful bit at the bottom about not carrying puss round obsticals (as they loose track of where they are).
http://www.cat-world.com.au/CaringForABlindCat.htm

Scaredycat, my old moggy used to put her bum over the edge of the tray almost every time and her sight was fine, she was just old!

rachiee

I had a cat go blind 2 years ago, he was 17! Its true that it is very rapid, we didnt relise how rapid it acctuly is. George was part blind and he used to walk around were he knew and then he went totally blind and kept bumping into things and it became to distressing for both me and him got him put to sleep in the end I dont know what to suggest, personally if she gets really bad like my cat did i think the best thing is to get her pts as it does become very depressing for the puss. Hope i havent upset you with my post

YorkiePud_3

Well I don't have any experience whatsoever with blind cats ... but I know I would give them a chance to adapt to their disability and not put them to sleep straightaway!! Their other senses do seem to heighten and as long as they are not outdoors and obviously may be in danger, then an otherwise healthy cat deserves to enjoy their old age and not be killed!
Sorry, it is nothing personal, but I have very strong views on that!! I know a number of people who have had dogs AND cats and a handful of days after they have gone blind (just through old age), they have whipped em off to the vets to pts cos it upsets them too much to see them while they are learning to adapt round the house (which they do, but it takes a little time).

I wanted to tell you about a friend of mine who recently took his old cat to the vet. In perfect health and enjoying a full outdoor life, my friend was absolutely in shock to be told by the vet that his cat was totally blind and probably had been for some time!!!!!

He said that he had called the cat a bit of a dumbo cos he seemed to be going about things more slowly than before, but when he shouted him or spoke to him, his cat would turn to face him!!! .. there was no clouding up of the eyes, nothing at all to give any clue that Sooty had lost his sight!!

Now though, he will be an indoor cat for his own safety and he hasn't shown any signs of not being able to navigate except for being a bit slower than usual (perhaps while he gets the scent of things to know which direction to go in? Who knows?!)
But he is a happy and healthy cat who, I know, will live a very pampered indoor life til the end of his natural life.

My friend is in shock about it of course, but like he said, he is not in any pain, he just can't see but finds his way about showing no signs of not being able to see ... to bring him indoors means he is where he knows and he isn't in danger on the roads or with other animals etc ...

So please do take heart ... it's not a death sentence and as long as you don't move the furniture about then she will maybe be a bit slower about the place but she will soon learn to cope and will manage fine!!
I know it is a shock .... but she can live a happy and settled life like this once she gets over the initial "adapting" phase ... *S*

lowis

aw, sorry your cat is going blind...but don't worry they are incredibly good at adapting. your cat will remember the layout of your home and as the eyesight gets worse will rely more and more on their other senses.

my 15yo timmy has bad eyes, he almost blind in his left eye and the right eye is not so good either. he has lived with me for a year almost and now knows his way around my flat, so when he eventually loses his sight i am confident that he will manage.

don't worry too much, i have heard so many positive and good stories about blind cats coping just fine xxx

Miroslav

Thanks to everyone for their comments, suggestions and links.

She is coping well. I'm not sure how much she can still see. Today she is acting like she can see more than yesterday. She is purring like nothing else

Her routes are all clear and we speak to her as we approach. I'm not sure the other cats realise.

The option of putting her to sleep would only ever be exercised if she was incredibly unhappy and impossible for her to go on. The thought of putting her to sleep hadn't even crossed my mind and it would only happen if it was in her best interests and right now, she is happy. She just can't run around like the kitten she thought she was anymore and she is loved as much as when her sight was good.

She hasn't lost her appetite either :rotfl:

I feel sad, but whilst she remains happy, it gives me hope she will cope well for the rest of her life.

lowis

to give you some hope, go to Youtube and do a search for 'blind cat'. lots of videos of blind cats getting along with life just happily and fine...playing, interacting etc.

here is a blind cat who finds leaves and give them to it's owner as gifts...he just does it much more slowly and cerefully than a cat who can see

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqJukwRa9SY

emlou2009

MIL had a cat that went blind at 15yo and lived quite happily til he was 18! he lived his life on the kitchen table, and he knew his way to his food bowl and the litter tray and that was all he needed. he got plenty of fuss on his table and used to sit there looking quite smug with all the attention! he even found his way into the garden to sit in the sunshine sometimes too. he knew what he could do and what he couldnt and he just stuck within his comfort zone. but he always had a purr ready for you.
what he didnt like was if you moved him or picked him up. he was fine if he came to you and sat on your lap, but if you moved him you could tell he was quite disorientated and confused for quite a while.

Miroslav

She's coping well and seems happy.

Another of my cats is now unwell.

1 has died this year, 1 is now blind and 1 we may also lose. I knew they'd all go in a short period due to age, but knowing hasn't made this any easier. My cats have been my life for years and it's all going very wrong