Blind Faith?

Today the newspaper ran a story about a cat with no eyes still able to hunt. Daisy stalks birds, sometimes catches them, never bumps into furniture or trees, and has a normal kitty life. It’s not at all uncommon for pets, particularly older ones, to suffer vision loss. In Daisy’s case, being hit by a car took her vision. But cats don’t rely on their sight nearly as much as hearing or scent, so it’s not all that surprising how well blind cats adjust. It’s not cruel to allow your pet to function as a blind pet. Daisy and other blind pets are not nearly as concerned about the loss as people are. With older kitties vision loss may be so gradual and the cat adjust so successfully, you may be surprised to discover she’s blind. Blind pets memorize the pattern of the house, and moving things around will confuse him. It’s not at all unusual for a blind cat, for instance, to still insist on making floor-to-counter leaps with confidence as long as her memory remains fresh and accurate. It’s vital to keep the food, water bowls, litter box, and pet beds in the same spot, so Fluffy can easily find belongings. It may be helpful to “scent” important objects for the cat with strong odors (liverwurst? peppermint?) to help his nose “see” what he’s looking for. Safeguard danger zones, particularly if unavoidable changes must be made. For example, pad the sharp edges of furniture with bubble wrap until your dog learns to avoid the danger. Block off steep stairways with baby gates to prevent falls. Very social cats may become more standoffish once vision fades. They’ll avoid contact with houseguests to avoid being stepped on. Blind pets also startle more easily, so always speak to your cat before petting or they may nip in reflex. These cats typically are still very happy. They continue to enjoy and remain engaged in life and the world around them—including their human loved ones. To read more about blind pets, read petside's article on Pets with Disabilities