Blind cats

[canbelto]

My almost-20 year old cat (she'll be 20 in July) is going blind. She's getting a bit disoriented and bumping into walls and we took her to the vet today.

Are there any tips on caring for a blind cat? We don't want to put her down right now. This is so devastating

 

[Rob]

Don’t rearrange the furniture, keep the food in the same place, and they adapt very well because they know the house. Their whiskers act as sonar so they sometimes walk face down with whiskers out so they find their way. My 18 year old cat went blind from high blood pressure or hyperthyroid, but we put her on meds for the underlying conditions and she lived well for about 4.5 more years. We took her to a cat opthomologist who did what he could to bring down the blood pressure so her retinas might reattach a bit. I could tell she could see a little out of one eye. She sometimes got disoriented at night and took a wrong turn on the way to the litter pan so she’d sometimes have an accident or start howling for me to get up and come get her.
Mine was too old for the radiation hyperthyroid treatment, I wouldn’t have wanted to leave her at the vet for 2 weeks with impaired vision so we had her on special food and pills.

 

[canbelto]

She's on high BP meds. The vet put her on those today. We're just so worried that after being so feisty for so long, she's fading fast.

 

[sk8pics]

She's on high BP meds. The vet put her on those today. We're just so worried that after being so feisty for so long, she's fading fast.

What do you mean, she's fading fast? Is she still adjusting to be blind? Are the high BP meds expected to help with her vision?

If you really think she is fading and is getting uncomfortable, it would be kinder to put her down than to keep her and let her suffer. It is not easy, but it is the last great act of love and kindness you can give your beloved pet.

 

[canbelto]

What do you mean, she's fading fast? Is she still adjusting to be blind? Are the high BP meds expected to help with her vision?

If you really think she is fading and is getting uncomfortable, it would be kinder to put her down than to keep her and let her suffer. It is not easy, but it is the last great act of love and kindness you can give your beloved pet.

No shes still eating and happy. Just not as active and she bumped into a wall today.

 

[sk8pics]

No shes still eating and happy. Just not as active and she bumped into a wall today.

Oh! She can adjust, just give her a little time. Talk to her a lot so she knows where you are. Make sure there's never anything in her way when she's going to her litter box or to her food and water. I hope she can be with you awhile longer!

 

[Rob]

No shes still eating and happy. Just not as active and she bumped into a wall today.

Mine bumped into walls and chair legs, but she could redirect quickly. She’d put her paw up on the coffee table to feel the top and then she’d jump up.

High BP can cause the retina to detach and if it can reattach, they can get some vision back but it depends on how long it was detached. Problem is that by the time you notice, and get a vet appt, then they send you to a specialist, it could be too long to get much back.