Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Determining if your cat is actually blind
• Part 2 of 3: Making adjustments to the living environment
• Part 3 of 3: Caring for your blind cat
• Tips
• Warnings

Old age, illness, or injury may have caused your beloved cat to go blind. While this is a painful finding for both you and the creature itself, it does not mean that your pet's happy life has come to an end. Your cat will adapt to the new circumstances and you can do your part to ensure that the little one continues to live a happy life. There are a number of things you can do to take care of a blind cat. For example, take the animal to the vet, keep your home clear of obstacles, and look for new ways to play with your cat. Read this article to learn more about caring for a blind cat.

To step

Part 1 of 3: Determining if your cat is actually blind

1. Make an appointment with your vet. If you suspect your cat has gone blind, make an appointment with the vet immediately. Some forms of blindness can still be reversed if they are treated immediately. If your cat, for example, has gone blind due to high blood pressure, drugs can cause him to regain his vision. Such drugs can also prevent future health problems.
   • Have your cat checked regularly by your vet, even if it appears healthy. Diagnosing and treating a problem early can prevent your cat from going blind.
2. Look for signs that your cat has gone blind. Sometimes a cat can go blind over the course of days, weeks or even months. If the cat has become mostly or completely blind, you may notice strange behavior. Monitor your cat closely to determine if it has gone blind. This behavior could indicate that your cat has gone blind:
   • Apparently confused behavior in a habitat familiar to cats
   • Run into furniture and other objects
   • Missing jumps and landings that the cat previously took with ease
   • Apparently reticent behavior and not wanting to go outside
   • Rubbing or blinking excessively
3. Inspect your cat's eyes for symptoms of blindness. If your cat's behavior makes you suspect the poor creature has gone blind, inspect its eyes to see if they look different from normal. Even if your cat is not showing signs of blindness, you should still regularly check the animal's eyes for early signs of blindness. Some common symptoms of blindness in cats include:
   • The eyes do not respond to light, dilated pupils
   • The eyes appear cloudy, inflamed or discolored
   • The eyes water or fluid runs out

Part 2 of 3: Making adjustments to the living environment

1. Minimize the number of obstacles in your home. Since your cat is likely to have trouble navigating the house at first, do your best to create a living environment that is free of obstacles as much as possible. By keeping the floor free of obstacles, you help the cat navigate around the house without bumping into anything. Here are some suggestions for minimizing the number of obstructions in your home:
   • Leave furniture where it used to be
   • Keep your home neat and tidy
   • Tell the children to put away their toys after they have finished playing
2. Create a peaceful living environment. Since your cat is no longer able to tell with its eyes whether or not someone or something is a hazard, it will likely be more startled by loud noises than before. Help your cat by creating a calm and safe living environment. Prevent the animal from being exposed to loud noises and ask other residents to take this into account as well. If you accidentally made noise, reassure your cat by petting and talking to him or her softly. Other suggestions for creating and maintaining a calm environment include:
   • Get up quietly if you are sitting in a chair instead of jumping up suddenly
   • Walk upstairs to talk to someone instead of shouting upstairs
   • Do not hit with cupboard doors and doors
3. Talk to your cat. Since your cat can no longer see you when you enter a room, it may be wise to get into the habit of humming or talking to yourself so that the cat knows where you are. Your cat may also feel safer and more relaxed if you hum or talk when you are in the same room. This will also keep your cat from being startled if you plan to pet it. By making your presence known, your cat will be less likely to be surprised if it suddenly feels a hand run over its back.
4. Also take into account the extra safety measures that must be taken outdoors. If your cat spent a lot of time outdoors before going blind, stay with your cat as much as possible when he goes out again. By being present when your cat is rediscovering the outdoor environment, you can intervene immediately when necessary while the animal can fully enjoy being outside.
   • Try to keep your cat in an enclosed yard if it wants to go outside. This will reduce the chance that the animal will be injured or lost.
   • Consider getting your cat some sort of harness and leash to keep him from running off and putting himself in danger.
   • If you are unable to keep a close eye on your cat when it is outside, keep it indoors.

Part 3 of 3: Caring for your blind cat

1. Follow your vet's instructions. If your cat has been diagnosed with a medical condition that requires special treatment, medication, or other intervention, make sure you follow the vet's instructions. If your cat's blindness is the result of a medical condition, the condition will not improve until he is healed. Contact your vet immediately if your cat's condition appears to be getting worse or doesn't seem to improve despite treatment.
   • Be aware that some types of blindness cannot be corrected even with medical intervention. Your cat may remain blind for the rest of its life, but despite that, it can still live a happy life.
2. Play with your cat. Your cat is still normal. Even though the creature has gone blind, it will still want to do everything every other cat likes to do, such as play. When buying toys for the cat, you could look for the variants that have been specially developed for blind cats. Switch to toys that focus on sound instead of sight, such as "follow-the-noise." Anything that creases, creaks, reverberates, or makes a ticking sound could act as a new source of entertainment.
   • Try to buy cat toys that squeak like a mouse or produce the sound of a bird. Your cat may enjoy playing "follow the sound" with such toys.
3. Take care of your cat like you always have. Take good care of his coat, feed him nutrient-rich foods, give him a treat every now and then, and take him to the vet regularly for a check-up. Pay extra attention to your cat's nose and ears, as these senses make your cat's life easier.
   • Place the food and water for the cat in exactly the same place where it used to be.
   • Consider adding a second litter box to make it easier for the cat to reach the box in time. It will probably take more effort for the creature to find the litter box now that it is blind.

Tips

• A cat's hearing and sense of smell is a lot better than humans, so in general a cat can compensate for the loss of vision better and faster than a human.
• Your cat will likely experience less stress than you due to the loss of vision. The animal will not realize that it is not “normal”. Yesterday the cat could see, today not anymore. Rather than feeling overly sorry for your cat, put your energy into improving the cat's life in other ways.
• A screened-in outdoor enclosure is probably safer than an open yard or yard for a blind cat.
• If you have children, explain to them why it is so important for them to tidy up their toys and other items and not leave them lying around.
• Encourage your cat to climb rather than run. The chance that the animal will bump into something is much smaller when climbing. Place a vertical scratching post or similar object to encourage the cat. Sisal (fiber) is a good material to cover an object that functions as a climbing pole.

Warnings

• A cat with symptoms of impaired vision should be immediately examined by a veterinarian.
• A cat with a condition such as diabetes should be examined regularly for signs of possible blindness.
• Complete blindness cannot be cured in most cases.