Living with a Blind Cat

"Our cat Gracie Allen appeared normal as a kitten," says Stefanie Schwartz, DVM, "except that she seemed unusually calm for a kitten. She didn't explore a lot and wasn't especially playful. Then when she was about four or five months old, she started bumping into things. That's when we brought her to a veterinary ophthalmologist and my suspicions were confirmed." Dr. Schwartz is director of Behavior Services at the VCA South Shore Animal Hospital in Weymouth, MA, and a Diplomate of the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists.

It turned out that Gracie, a long-haired calico now eight years old, was blind from congenital retinal atrophy-an eye disease in which the retina is dysfunctional. "She must have had some vision in the beginning that deteriorated from birth onwards," says Dr.Schwartz, author of Dr. Cookie's Guide to Living Happily Ever After with Your Cat (St. Martin's Press, 2002).

The idea of going blind is terrifying to most of us. Besides the practical problems involved, it represents a severe loss of independence. When cats go blind, they generally have an easier time adjusting than humans because there are no emotional issues attached to their sight. Once they begin relying more on their other senses of smell and hearing, they can learn to manage exceedingly well. Blind cats, if well cared for, can live a full lifespan, and blindness will not detract from them being wonderful companions. "Gracie is extremely affectionate," says Dr. Schwartz. "In fact, she feels most secure when being held."

The Onset of Blindness

Blindness can occur from a variety of conditions. "One of the most common causes is untreated viral, bacterial or parasitical infections," says Dr. Schwartz. Glaucoma is another cause of blindness, as well as retinal diseases and congenital conditions. Traumatic injury is also a common cause of blindness.

Generally, how quickly your cat becomes blind affects his initial adjustment. Depending on the cause of blindness your cat may lose some or all of his sight. If the vision loss is gradual, your cat should adjust well a bit at a time. However, if blindness occurs suddenly, there is usually a "panic phase" which may last several weeks. Your cat may be fearful, bang into things or huddle along the walls of your house. In multi-cat or multi-pet families, your blind cat may have some initial trouble getting along with the other animals. Full adjustment-which consists of trial and error as your cat explores his home environment while being blind--may take a number of months, according to Dr. Schwartz.

As your blind cat becomes accustomed to his loss of sight, he will need you more than ever to comfort and potect him in his surroundings.

Keeping your cat safe and secure

The main thing in helping your cat adjust to blindness is to make the environment as safe, stable and calm as possible. If your cat was an outside cat, his blindness makes it necessary to keep him inside now.

"Start your cat off in one room that he is familiar with," says Dr. Schwartz. "Place his food and litter box in this room and visit him there often. Then when he seems to adjust to this room, you can start letting him into the other rooms of the house."

Try to keep your furniture in the same location in your home. If you keep your cat's food and litter box in the same place, your cat should have no problem remembering; she will be relying on her sense of smell to guide her.

"You must 'super' pet-proof your home when your cat is blind," says Dr. Schwartz, particularly during the adjustment phase. Close basement doors, put up gates in front of steep stairs, screen in windows, eliminate any object that could be an obstacle.

Keep the stress level down by avoiding sudden movements or loud noises around your blind cat. Ask visitors to speak to and approach your cat gently.

Homes with more than one animal may at first pose a real challenge for a blind cat. Your blind cat will miss the visual cues-such as facial expressions and body posture-that compose much of communication between animals, says Dr. Schwartz. As a result, your cat may get in the way of other felines in the household and there could be some spats. "I suggest having every cat in the household wear a bell so that your cat will know when another feline is around."

With providing your cat with understanding, patience and love, you will be surprised at how well your cat will adjust to life again as your companion.

Signs of Vision Problems

Take your cat to a veterinarian if you notice your cat exhibiting any of the following signs. Prompt treatment can often prevent or minimize visual impairment.

-Excessive, prolonged tearing of the eyes with or without sneezing

-Mucous in the eye

-Rubbing of the eyes

-Excessive blinking

-Keeping one eye shut

-Hiding in the dark or avoiding light

-Experiencing a head injury which may involve eyesight

-Bumping into things

-Seeming surprised when someone approaches

-Not playing or jumping as usual

Source: This article originally appeared in a 2004 issue of CatWatch, a publication of the Cornell University School of Veterinary Medicine. For more information on CatWatch, please contact the author.