Realities of life with a young blind cat?

Bitsy_Beans

My parents were hit by a car last Friday and at the moment she doesn't have her sight. Vet's not sure if it's swelling or permament and my parents don't feel she'd had a good quality of life being blind. I am not asking for judgment on my parents feelings so please don't slate them BUT I do consider their opinion to be wrong. So I was considering taking over her care in the event her sight doesn't return.
What are the practicalities of life with a blind cat who's young and so far led a very active life?
I already have a 12 month old cat who goes outside (not via a catflap - I have to let her in and out and the back door is routinely left open). Cat litter tray and food are always in the same place etc. Can blind cats go outside? I live in a fairly quiet cul de sac so less issues with her being knocked over by a car.

Do any of you have a blind cat?

Elle7

I grew up with a cat who went blind at 9 months, through an infection. She adapted much better then I thought she could - I was worried she'd miss her old life, but after a few weeks of getting used to where things were, she seemed very happy. She struggled when we moved things (for example, when we were painting and moved the sofas, she'd walk into them for a while until we moved them back or she got used to the new position.

She went outside happily...she sniffed out our garden, and two gardens close to ours, and seemed to know where everything was. She didn't go as far as the rest of the cats did, but she could easily use the toilet and lie in the sun. Your own cat might act as a guide for her, too, which should make things easier.

I hope she has a full recovery, but if she doesn't, I'm glad she's got somewhere to go. All the best.

relic

Your parents were hit by a car, and your cat turned blind?!

Anyway.... I knew someone who had a blind cat, seemed fairly happy, but you wouldn't ever let it outside.

paddypaws101

From what I have read, a blind cat can actually have a very good standard of life. I don't blame your parents, but think you are being kinder by offering to take her on.
HOWEVER, I don't think she should really be kept in a home where she has free access to outside as she really would be at high risk of further accidents. Perhaps the best option would be to seek a new home where she is either kept as an indoor cat or where owners have a cat secure garden or outside run ( as many owners of pedigree cats do ).
Maybe approaching a local rescue who will handle the re-home while she lives with you or parents would be best.
Good luck!

franklally

My cat is 7 and has had cataracts that have been getting progressively worse for years (they think she may have been inbred) - one of the eyes was removed a few months ago and as she can only really see shadows with her remaining eye we thought long and hard about the quality of life she would have and whether it would be kinder to have her put to sleep.
We are really pleased with the way she is adapting to her lack of vision and so pleased that we decided to keep her. She follows 'routes' around the house which is never across the room but around the side of furniture, walls etc (we take care not to leave obstacles in her way), she still goes outside but tends not to go far and does not stay out for long.
I am sure her hearing and sense of smell have become hightened as she knows when we are nearby and who her favourites are as soon as they come in to the room.
We were worried about her being bullied by the other bigger cat - but again she knows when he is nearby and defends herself better than she ever did.
I know she isn't fully blind as your parent's cat is, and also ours is progressively losing her sight, but I would say that in a calm and cat-loving environment a blind cat can have a very good quality of life.:T

Bitsy_Beans

Lol only just read my typo

Have spoken to my mum to explain my feelings and thankfully I think she has already been coming to the same conclusion. Have explained what I've read on the net etc so hopefully they won't see it as such a bleak future if she doesn't recover fully. Obviously she would be better going home as it's already familiar and my mum is at home and could take cat outside on harness if need be. Anyway time will tell thanks for your replies

Bitsy_Beans

Looks like this conversation has all been for nothing as Vets rang my mum to say he's concerned she's got neurological damage He's going to reassess tomorrow but it's looking likely that euthenasia is the only option

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

My cat when I was small got sideswiped by a car - found her hiding with her jaw split in two and her eyeball hanging down at nose level. The other eye never seemed to move and they never shrank in sunlight.

Wretched thing woke me up at 5 every morning for the next 15 years by climbing up onto the wardrobe and launching herself 9 foot across the room onto my chest. She would fall asleep balancing on the windowframe outside the window. Picked a pigeon out of the air by sound alone and brought it in where we realised it was twice her size. Would go to sleep on next door's pergola, six inches above the GSD's maximum leap. Caught a slow worm and went back to collect the tail. At least 5 of those years she had a cataract in the other eye, so if it had worked, it certainly didn't by then.

Oh, and she went deaf in her last 2 years - had to bang on the floor to call her.

Permanently happy, my best friend and completely mad.


So it can be done, quite easily - as long as you don't move the furniture round every five minutes.

bratz81

my cat is blind in one eye and going blind in other, thanks to the gits who had him before me. He's coming up on 6 now.

He never goes outside, never has done, for the eyesight and other medical reasons, but I find he's grand inside. Sometimes when he goes to jump he can miss a little and end up scrabbling for his footing, and if you leave something out where it shouldn't be he can sometimes walk into to it trip over it, but beyond that he's grand you wouldn't even know he had sight problems.
He still looks at you when you talk to him and gets about fine

rising_from_the_ashes

Bitsy_Beans wrote: »

Looks like this conversation has all been for nothing as Vets rang my mum to say he's concerned she's got neurological damage He's going to reassess tomorrow but it's looking likely that euthenasia is the only option

Bitsy Beans - any news?

Keeping my fingers crossed that things turned out OK.

geri1965_2

I really hope it isn't bad news for the OP

The rescue place I got my cat from had a blind and deaf cat they needed a home for. As his main sense was touch, they were looking for a home with someone who could give him a lot of cuddling, stroking etc. as his current owner worked full time and couldn't give him the attention he needed.