With over 2 million adoptions taking place at animal shelters in the U.S. every year, pet lovers have every reason to celebrate. But it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. The adoption rate is much lower for “special needs” animals like blind cats. It takes a wonderfully special kind of person to adopt a disabled fur baby, but those who do give special needs animals a forever home don’t regret it.
Not only are you saving a life when you adopt a disabled pet, but you’re also setting an example for family members, friends, and neighbors. As pet parents of disabled fur babies will tell you, differently abled pets, including blind cats, are just as loving and fun as any other.
Are you tempted yet? Here’s what you need to know about how to take care of a blind cat. Spoiler alert: It’s not as difficult as it sounds.
What causes blindness in healthy cats?
Did you know that the average lifespan for an indoor cat is between 12 and 15 years? Every decade, the average lifespan of our feline friends increases, which is music to the ears of pet parents all around the world. With certain breeds living as long as 18 years or longer, your fur baby might even live to be 20 years old. If you’re incredibly lucky, your cat might live as long as Creme Puff, a 38-year-old cat who lived to the ripe old age of 38 years and 3 days despite a questionable diet consisting of bacon, red wine, and coffee with — you guessed it — lots of cream.
Despite being a relatively hardy species, cats are not immune to injuries or illnesses, some of which can result in scars, hearing loss, loss of limbs, and blindness. But most cats aren’t blinded in accidents or fights. According to Dr. Thomas Kern, an associate professor of ophthalmology at Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, the most common cause of feline blindness is eye disease. Dr. Kern says, “Most of these animals have eye disease as a primary disorder: they have no other health problems.”
Are some cats predisposed to blindness?
Since eye disease is the primary cause of feline blindness, it’s natural to wonder if some cats are more predisposed to these problems. Although eye diseases like glaucoma can occur in healthy cats of any breed, a few breeds have a genetic predisposition for progressive retinal atrophy, also known as PRA. These breeds include:
- Bengal cats
- Cornish rex
- Ocicat
- Oriental shorthair
- Persian cats
- Siamese cats
- Somali cats
Hereditary glaucoma is rare among cats, but it’s most often seen among Burmese cats and Siamese cats. Hypertension, or high blood pressure, can also cause blindness in cats, but any breed can develop this problem. However, older cats, overweight cats, and cats with cardiovascular conditions may be more at risk of developing this condition.
Is it hard to care for a blind cat?
If you’re caring for a cat that recently lost their sight, successfully treating the cause of the vision loss is essential to becoming their caregiver. While some cats lose their sight due to an infection that developed as a result of eye injury, Abyssinian and Persian cats
Other causes of blindness include glaucoma, conjunctivitis, entropion (a painful condition that causes the eyelid to fold inward), and uveitis (the veterinary term for eye inflammation). According to Dr. Kern, conjunctivitis is the most commonly diagnosed disorder of the feline eye.
However, once the cause of your cat’s blindness has been treated — or if you’re adopting a cat who’s been blind for a while — you’ll find that caring for your feline friend isn’t drastically different from caring for any other cat.
How to take care of a blind cat
Here are a few helpful tips that can help make the process easier for you and your fur baby.
Keep your blind cat indoors
While we’re staunch proponents of keeping all cats indoors, preventing your fur baby from escaping the house is especially important. Your cat’s other senses will help them navigate the world around them, but your beloved fur baby isn’t Daredevil. Their undeniable olfactory talents and keen hearing notwithstanding, the outside world is a hostile place for a blind cat. They won’t be able to see predators coming, nor will they be able to see oncoming traffic, so please keep them indoors.
Spend more time talking to your cat
Without their vision to guide them, your blind kitty will need you to talk them through their new routine. Call your cat by name when it’s time for dinner, and try not to approach suddenly when their eyes are closed or they’ll look in the opposite direction. Greet them warmly before you touch your pet rather than sneaking up on your kitty. A startled cat may scratch or bite to defend themselves; we don’t blame them.
Maintain a stable home
If your cat has recently lost their sight, now is not the time to redecorate your home. Your cat knows where everything is because they’ve already marked it with their scent. And if they’re a new addition to the family, don’t worry about them finding their way. A cat’s whiskers are so sensitive that they can pinpoint the location of a toy, their favorite bed, or potential prey using the vibrations created by sounds we can’t even hear.
(Okay, so maybe blind cats are a bit like Daredevil, after all.)
What does a blind cat need?
Just like all cats, blind cats need food, water, oxygen, and a loving home to thrive. Your blind cat may require a bit more patience as they acclimate to their environment and readjust to finding their food, water, and litter box, but they’re ultimately more like their sighted counterparts than they are different. Above all, blind cats need dedicated pet parents who will love them for the rest of their lives.
