Blindness
Love
blind
is
Blindness can occure suddenly, only in one eye or develop slowly. Since cats are very adaptable and learn to rely more on their other senses, slow blindness is often un-noticed until the cat is completely blind (there are also cases where the owner doesn't even notice this).
then the cat is usually a little more insecure or clumsier, but usually it gets along without any problems. The same applies to cats who are blind from birth. They do not know it differently and usually have the least to no problems.
A sudden blindness has always serious health-related causes (kidney disease may even trigger a temporary blindness). Then the cat usually looks very disturbed and anxious, as their world has become dark out of nowhere. These cats need a lot of empathy, support and encouragement until they can cope with their blindness. Depending on the age this can take a relatively long time.
An early blinded cat on the other hand often appears like a normal cat. There are moments when I think Donovan can see again until he bumps against my leg or miss aims a jump. Blind cats are just amazing like this.
Symptoms of possible blindness
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cat seems desoriented or confused
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fear /frightened of sudden/new noises
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bumping against things
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doesn't jump on higher places
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has problems getting down somewhere
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optical change of the eyes (different size of pupils; pupils don't react to light, cloudy eyes, o pupil at all
If your cat is more likely to bump against stuff , fails a jump or seems not to notice displaced / new objects, it is very likely that she is blind or has a problem with her eyes. In this case be sure to go to the vet because in some cases the cat can still be helped.
It can also be an indication that she sees badly or not at all if your cat loves to be pet but when you touch her from behind she startles (in this case talk a lot with the cat so she knows you're there).
Playing with the cat is sometimes revealing. Most toys make noises and thus blind cats can play with astonishing precision. But if you notice that she does not notice or find quiet toys like ribbons or stuffed animals then she probably can't see them.
You can also test your cat. Take a cotton ball (the cat does not hear it fall) and drop it in front of your cat. If she follows it with her eyes she is not blind. If she does not seem to notice it she probably can't see it. Repeat the test later because it may also be that your cat is simply not interested at the moment.
Causes of blindness
Medical causes of vision loss include trauma, neurological disorders, cataracts, glaucomas, ocular tumors, inflammation or infection, and high blood pressure. Fortunately cats are extremely adaptive creatures and can compensate for the loss of vision through their excellent sense of smell and touch.
To be continued
Donovan lost his sight due to cat flu
Life with a blind cat
coming soon coming soon coming soon coming soon coming soon coming soon coming soon coming soon coming soon coming soon coming soon coming soon coming soon coming soon coming soon