A blind cat can have a long and happy life, bringing many joys to his family. If you have a visually impaired pet, you are probably concerned about the health of your furry friend. However, there is no reason for a headache.
Today, with the right care, it is possible to offer a great quality of life for disabled pets. In this guide, we have separated some tips for those who have or are thinking about adopting a pet with vision problems. Read on below how to help a blind cat.
What can cause blindness?
If you have a cat at home and it is losing its sight, you may ask yourself: what causes blindness in cats? According to veterinarian, several diseases can cause the problem.
Trauma, viral diseases and conditions like diabetes or hyperthyroidism can have vision problems as a consequence. This means that these diseases are systemic, not directly attacking the eyes. But among the many symptoms, blindness can occur.
In addition, diseases such as cataract, uveitis, and glaucoma can also lead to blindness. In these cases, yes, they are diseases that cause blindness in cats.
These are just some of the reasons that can cause this problem in cats. There are cases of pets that are born blinded by genetic conditions. Many pets arrive in shelters already without sight and without any very obvious reason. The important thing is to know the origin of the problem and if a continuous treatment is needed.
Conditions such as diabetes and hyperthyroidism need lifelong attention. So, if you notice that your four-legged child has impaired vision, look for a doctor to identify sudden blindness in cats.
How to help a blind cat
If you have a cat going blind at home, you’ll need to make some adjustments. It’s not complicated at all! The pet will still be a fun and caring pet. But, to help your friend not to get hurt and to guarantee you a better quality of life.
The following tips on how to help a blind cat:
- Prevent access to the street
That’s a recommendation for all gatekeepers. Access to the street increases the risk of accidents, hit-and-run, fights and contamination. In the case of a blind cat, leaving the house without accompaniment is even more dangerous.
- Avoid changing the place of furniture
Since pets with sight problems are guided by touch and memory, it is best to avoid major changes in the layout of the furniture. The pet may hurt itself or run into a sofa or table that was not there before.
- Block the stairs
In the case of the blind cat with one eye or those who have no sight at all, it is essential to place blockades so that he does not have access to the stairs. Pets, in general, do not get along so well with stairs. In the case of a blind cat, this relationship is even more complicated. Place a grid or a simple block, so the pet will know that there is a forbidden area.
- Do not scare the cat
Pets can scare easily. For a cat with blindness, this can be a little more frequent. To keep your pet from getting scared, always talk to him. Let him realize that you are in the room and that you are going to pet him or pick him up in your lap. Avoid sudden movements.
Pet accessories
As moving can be a challenge for blind cats, the ideal is to make the house as comfortable as possible. To do this, spread sand boxes, feeding troughs and drinking troughs over several points. This way, the pet will not have to cross a long distance to drink water.
It is also important that you never take these items out of place. The cat will be guided by the spatial distribution of the house. If the pet gets to where it used to have a little box and doesn’t find anything, it will get stressed and irritated.
Important tip about blind cats
A blind cat is a pet like any other: it is lively, playful, caring and very loving. And like other pets, cats with eye health problems have a perfectly common life expectancy. Proof of this is Poppy, a nice English kitten with sight and hearing problems. Poppy lived to be 24 and for some time was the oldest cat in the world, according to the Guinness Book of Records.
Cat without an eye
In other words, just like for humans, blindness in cats is just a detail, being a characteristic that makes the pet even more beautiful and special. Celebrate your friend the way he is!
