Blind and deaf cats end up in shelters, as if they are not good enough. But these creatures have plenty of love and often a strong will to adjust. If you can adopt such a cat, or if you have a cat who has become blind or deaf, it’s an opportunity to become an even closer friend.
Blind cats may be born that way, or gradually lose sight from accident or illness, or else become suddenly blind from a stroke. Also, as cats age, they may develop cataracts and the eyes will become clouded. Blindness for a cat is very upsetting because it affects the instinctive need to hunt, so please understand if the cat becomes afraid and angry.
If kitty becomes blind slowly, she has already been compensating for a long time before you notice her bumping into things, or you notice that her pupils don’t react to light anymore. A vet can do some tests to determine the cause, and there may be possible remedies if caught early enough.
Sudden blindness is especially disorienting and frightening, requiring a trip to the vet immediately to find out what happened, and if it can be reversed in time.
Still, your cat has amazing powers to see in darkness, so there’s just a possibility that she may be able to see things dimly. Keep a light on during the night to help her.
Your cat will need a lot of emotional support and assistance at first. You can help by reducing her world to one room where she can easily navigate to her bed, bowls and the litter box if she feels safer in a small area, until she’s confident to venture further. If you have stairs, block them, or block the railing so she won’t fall through.
Add the words “Blind Cat” to her ID tag in case she gets lost. If she’s diabetic, include that information, too, and your vet’s number. And of course, keep doors and unscreened windows closed so she can’t accidentally wander out.
Your unseeing cat can be easily startled, so talk gently as you approach, particularly if she is sleeping, and keep talking as you walk away so she’ll know when you leave. You may want to wear a little bell or jangling bracelet so she’ll always know where you are in the house. Although she can smell them in the room, it would help for your other pets to have collar bells to help her know when they are coming close to her. Let visitors know that she is blind, and please, not to approach her. Let her decide if she wants contact. She will be especially wary of anything new.
A blind cat may want to be cuddled more, and be brought into the sunlight, or to feel the breeze from a fan or a screened window. Play gentle music that she likes to hear. The flavors and smells of food will be stronger and more important to her, as will the taste of water, so give purified filtered water. As you take care of your dear friend, she’ll teach you to recognize your own senses even more.
Being easily startled is also a problem for deaf cats, especially when they’re sleeping.
If your buddy is asleep, wake him gently through his sense of smell. Put a bowl of food in the room – anywhere in the room – and watch your cat wake up to investigate. When he’s awake, approach only from the front so you won’t startle him.
Cats can be born deaf or partially deaf. White cats with blue eyes sometimes have this condition. All cats may develop deafness from illness, or gradually become deaf as they age.
You may have noticed that when you came home, he was no longer coming up to greet you. Does he meow more loudly now because he can’t hear himself? Does he respond when you speak to him?
Try walking up behind your cat. No reaction? Try snapping your fingers behind him. Still nothing? It’s probably time for the vet to take a look. It could be as simple as ear mites or a treatable ear infection. An early diagnosis may possibly help the condition.
Cats already have a wider range of hearing than we do, especially in higher frequencies. So he may still hear bugs; he just doesn’t hear you.
Ways you can help your deaf cat are to engrave “Deaf Cat” clearly on his collar tag, and let visitors know that he’s deaf. Keep him indoors because he can no longer hear cars and predators.
Some interesting online suggestions are to attach a beeping key locator to his collar so you can find him in the house, because he will no longer come when you call. Or try a dog whistle to see if he will come to its high pitched sound.
Learn to use hand or other signals between the two of you for hellos and goodbyes, come here, I’ll be back, food (hold up his dish or can), love you, it’s bedtime, and more. This is realistically possible. He’s smart and intuitive.
You’re going to be amazed how well this little guy already knows your schedule and your gestures. You’ll learn a lot from him about how many subtle ways we all communicate. The best communication of all will still be cuddles, and maybe watching some bird TV together.
You’ll note that both blind and deaf cats appreciate and depend on routine. They can continue to live a happy life by compensating with their other remarkable senses. They’ll also use their whiskers more to feel things. Some will drag the tip of their along the floor as an additional sensory device, or use their tactile senses of fur and paws to feel the slightest of vibrations. You can enrich their lives through these other senses with fluffy blankets, a gentle fan breeze or open screened window, tactile toys, interesting new foods, cat-safe flowers or pheromones to sniff, and lots of loving hugs and kisses.
Heron’s Crossing provides end-of-life care for pets in the Metro Atlanta area. In-home appointments with compassionate vets are available. If you’d prefer a home-like setting away from your home, our Decatur office is also available by appointment.