How to understand that a cat is blind: signs and causes of blindness. Blind cats. Causes of blindness, behavioral characteristics, general information What to do if your cat is blind

Dr. Elliott, BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in veterinary surgery and the care of companion animals. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 with a degree in Veterinary Medicine and Surgery. He has been working at the same animal clinic in his hometown for over 20 years.

Number of sources used in this article: . You will find a list of them at the bottom of the page.

Due to old age, illness or injury, cats sometimes develop blindness. This is a difficult diagnosis for both the cat and its owner, but it does not mean the end of the pet’s happy and fulfilling life. In reality, the cat is able to quickly adapt to the new state of affairs, and you, for your part, are able to do everything in your power to ensure that she lives happily. Among other things, caring for a blind cat includes regular veterinary checkups, providing plenty of space in your home, and finding new pet-friendly games.

Steps

Part 1

Make an appointment for your cat to see a veterinarian. If you suspect your pet is blind or losing vision, make an appointment with your veterinarian right away. Some types of blindness are reversible if treated promptly. For example, if a cat is suffering from vision loss due to high blood pressure, daily medication can restore its vision and prevent further deterioration of the condition.

Pay attention to behavioral symptoms of blindness. Sometimes blindness in cats occurs within a few days, weeks or months. When a cat's vision is mostly or completely lost, it begins to behave strangely. Observe the cat to make sure it is blind. Symptoms of blindness expressed in the cat's behavior include:

• confused behavior in the environment;
• impacts on furniture and other objects;
• unsuccessful jumps and landings that were previously successfully given to the pet;
• lack of desire to move around the house or go outside;
• attempts to rub the eyes and a tendency to squint.

1. Examine your cat's eyes for blindness. If you notice your cat acting suspiciously and think she may be going blind, examine her eyes to see if they look different than usual. You should regularly examine your cat's eyes, even if she is not showing obvious symptoms of blindness, so that you can identify vision problems early. Common symptoms of blindness in cats include:

   • lack of eye reaction to light with constantly dilated pupils;
   • cloudy, inflamed or discolored eyes.

Part 2

1. Minimize the number of obstacles for your cat. Since it will be difficult for a blind cat to move around the house at first, you must try to make its movements as unhindered as possible. Keep the floor clean so your cat can walk around the house without bumping into things. To provide your pet with an uncluttered space:

   • keep furniture in its proper place;
   • keep order and cleanliness in the house;
   • Teach your children to put away their toys when they finish playing with them.

2. Maintain a calm environment in your home. Since your cat can no longer rely on her vision to identify possible threats, she will be more frightened by loud noises than when her vision was normal. Help your pet feel calm and safe by avoiding loud noises, and ask the rest of the household to do the same. If a loud noise is accidentally heard in the house, be sure to calm the cat down with petting and gentle words. To maintain a calm environment, try to follow these guidelines:

   • get up from chairs slowly instead of jumping up suddenly;
   • try to come close to the interlocutor, instead of shouting to him across the house;
   • Do not knock on cabinet doors or room doors.

3. Talk to the cat. Since your cat can no longer see you when he enters the room, you may want to get into the habit of humming to yourself or even talking to yourself so that your cat knows where you are. Your cat may feel safer and calmer when you talk or sing around her. This will also prevent your pet from being scared if you suddenly decide to pet him. When you make your presence known with sounds, the cat will no longer be so prone to being startled by the touch of your hand on its back.

   Consider the increased need for street safety. If your cat was used to being outside before she became blind, try to always keep an eye on her during walks (as much as possible). Your presence nearby will help protect your cat from accidents and help her continue to enjoy the outdoors.

Part 3

Follow your veterinarian's instructions for caring for your pet. If your cat has been diagnosed with a specific condition that requires special treatment, medication, or other procedures, be sure to follow your veterinarian's instructions. If your cat's blindness is caused by a medical condition, its condition will not improve without treatment. In addition, if, despite treatment, the cat's condition does not change or even worsens, you should immediately contact your veterinarian again.

Play with your cat. Your cat is still the same cat. Despite being blind, she will strive to do all the things that cats usually enjoy doing, such as playing. When buying toys for your cat, pay attention to those that are specifically designed for blind animals. Also move from vision-based games to sound-based games (for example, have your cat chase a sound toy). Anything that rustles, crackles, rings or taps can become a source of new entertainment for a blind cat.

• Try purchasing toys that make mouse squeaks or bird chirps. Your cat may enjoy tracking this type of toy by sound.

1. Take care of your cat like before. Brush your cat regularly, feed her nutritious food, treat her periodically with treats, and take her to the veterinarian for checkups in a timely manner. Pay special attention to the condition of the nose and ears, as these are the senses that currently make life easier for your cat.

• Cats have a more developed sense of hearing and smell than humans. Therefore, in general, cats are able to compensate for vision loss better and faster with their help.
• Losing your vision will probably be less stressful for your cat than it is for you. Yesterday she could see, but today she can’t. Don't take on what she's going through. Instead, spend your energy on improving her life in other ways.
• A closed outdoor enclosure for a blind cat will be safer for her than regular walks in the yard or garden.
• If you have children, explain to them why it is important for them to clean up their toys and other things.
• Encourage your cat to climb more than run. This way it is less likely to hit something. Set up a vertical play set or something similar for your cat to encourage him to climb. It is a good idea to wrap the posts on which the cat climbs with sisal.

The cat is one of the most dexterous and powerful predators, relative to body size. Felines, like people, use 4 tools for orientation in space: smell, hearing, vision and touch. Blindness in cats in the wild is a death sentence with no right of appeal. As an animal ages, it loses its visual acuity; this is one of the tools of natural selection; older individuals “give way” to younger ones. The lifespan of domesticated pets reaches 10–15, sometimes 20 years, which means degenerative changes are inevitable. However, vision loss can be associated not only with advanced age.

There is a generally accepted but unproven belief that four-legged animals see the world in black and white. Experiments conducted to confirm monochromatic vision have not given clear results; it is believed that cats can distinguish shades of blue, green and red. The structure of the “striped” eyeball is very similar to that of humans; before the “picture” reaches the brain, the spectrum of light rays passes through:

• Cornea– the visible surface of the eye, which is covered with mucous membrane.

• Eye camera- the space bounded by the cornea and iris. The chamber is filled with a transparent liquid, performs a protective function, and allows you to restrain inflammatory processes.

• Pupil– located on the iris. Depending on the brightness of the lighting, the pupils reflexively narrow or dilate (accommodation). The central nervous system is responsible for its correct functioning.

• Lens- part of the eyeball responsible for refraction and division of light rays into a spectrum. It has a transparent structure and the shape of a round lens, convex on both sides.

• Vitreous body- a thick, jelly-like transparent liquid that fills the cavity between the lens and the retina.

• Retina (photosensitive membrane)– consists of receptor cells, rods and cones, which convert the received information into a nerve impulse.

• Optic nerve- a pair of nerve endings that transmit the converted impulse from the retina to the brain.

Read also: Osteochondrosis is the main cause of lameness in cats

As you understand, a “malfunction” at any stage of the transmission of visual information can cause blindness, which, in turn, will be complete or partial, temporary or irreversible.

This is interesting! The cat has the largest eyes of all higher vertebrate mammals. For example, if people's eyes had the same proportions in relation to the body, their size would reach 15–18 cm in diameter.

How to find out if a cat can see?

Given the high adaptability of cats, problems with vision, which is lost gradually, can be identified at fairly advanced stages. The pet becomes less mobile, sleeps more, prefers to move exclusively on floor surfaces, which does not cause much concern for the owners. Blindness in a cat can be determined by a number of the following signs:

• Refusal to jump.

• Careful movement around the home.

• It is difficult for a cat to control the sequence of steps; while walking, the animal stumbles into an amble and stops.

• A large number of broken whiskers are observed. With complete or partial loss of vision, the cat “feels the world” and picks up air vibrations with its whiskers.

• There is no reflection of the eyes in the dark, but in the light, the gaze is deconcentrated.

• The animal crashes into objects that are not in their “usual” place.

The characteristics of the cat's central nervous system explain a number of nuances that can be mistaken for vision loss if the pet cannot see.

Cats can lose their vision for a variety of reasons, and although in most cases it weakens with age, a kitten can also go blind. Visually impaired cats adapt well, especially if we help them.

There are a number of diseases that can lead to vision loss, even loss. The first thing that comes to mind for owners is various eye injuries.

From the point of view of specialists, an important role is played by diseases of the conjunctiva of an allergic or infectious nature (including neonatal conjunctivitis), eye infection caused by the herpes virus, tumors, of which the ophthalmologist especially notes retinal melanoma.

Conditions such as glaucoma (increased intraocular pressure) and cataracts (clouding of the lens, preventing light from reaching the retina) affect cats just as they do humans. A general increase in blood pressure can also have a detrimental effect on vision (hypertension can be a consequence of diabetes, kidney disease, hormonal disorders and other general diseases).

Of the hereditary disorders, the first thing to remember is progressive retinal atrophy, an incurable disease that gradually leads to complete loss of vision. It progresses gradually and painlessly, so no significant changes in the cat’s behavior are observed. In general, a cat adapts to vision loss much more easily than a person for completely natural reasons.

The cat is known to be a predator, preying on small rodents in low light conditions. So bad that, according to human estimates, nothing is visible. But a cat's eye sees in the dark 6 times better than ours.

Hearing, smell and touch are also very important; the night hunter uses them for orientation in space to a much greater extent than animals active during daylight hours. This explains the greater ease of adaptation to vision loss - those organs and analyzers that must take on its work are already sufficiently trained.

Over time, a blind cat’s hearing and sense of smell become even more acute, and its “whiskers” (vibrissae) increase by 30%. If vision loss occurs gradually, then in a familiar environment the cat can navigate no worse than a sighted cat. Owners notice something is wrong after repairs or rearrangements, when their pet suddenly starts bumping into everything.

But in the case when blindness occurs abruptly, suddenly, the owner is simply obliged to notice changes in the animal’s behavior. The cat walks, bumping into furniture, does not immediately find a bowl and tray; If only one eye is affected, sudden and unexpected movements from the affected side frighten the animal. When keeping a blind cat in the house, certain rules must be followed:

Unchangeable situation. A cat that has lost its sight relies very heavily on its memory, on its familiar “map of the area.” Changing the arrangement of objects in a house where cats with poor eyesight live is strictly not recommended. The bed, bowls, toilet, scratching post, and toys should be in their usual places.

When rearrangements cannot be avoided, show your cat the way to the new place more than once or twice. If the room is unfamiliar (moving to a new apartment, for example), you need to patiently accustom the cat to each place, placing it next to it (directly in the tray - in the case of a tray) and allowing the cat to find its way from these most significant objects to others parts of her possessions.

Safe environment. Blind cats should not be allowed near dangerous places, and they should be retrained to go down stairs. It is very easy for a disorientated animal to fall from a staircase or balcony. Approaches to the fireplace, exits to the balcony, and staircase must be blocked. Remove all sharp objects and wrap something soft around dangerous corners. There should be nothing unnecessary on the floor - now this is not only a matter of order, but also of convenient movement of the cat around the house.

No lonely walks. A blind cat should not walk on its own! Only with the owner and on a leash. Train your cat to wear a harness. In addition, securely attach a tag with your phone number and information that the cat is blind to the harness or collar (the collar is not for attaching a leash!). Blindness will not prevent her, when frightened, from rushing in an unknown direction, and it is unlikely that you will be able to catch her, so make sure you are as safe as possible.

If a cat lives in a country cottage, then it is better for her to have a well-fenced and landscaped enclosure on the property. You can only let your cat free-range in an area where the cat is familiar with everything if you are 100% sure that the fences are cat-proof and that you have removed or securely covered all dangerous objects, pits, pools and other potential hazards. Still, it’s better not to leave your cat alone outside.

In cats that have lost their vision, other senses become more acute: smell and hearing. This is a natural compensatory reaction and should be used to help your cat navigate the house. For example, you can “mark” rooms with different subtle scents so that your cat always knows where he is.

Strong and unpleasant odors should be avoided! Also try to avoid loud, frightening sounds, and if this still fails, for example, something fell with a crash, find the cat and pet it so that it calms down.

Talk to the cat! This gives her a feeling of security and calms her down. She hears that someone has entered the room - say something to her, let her know that it is you! Talk to her before petting or picking her up, otherwise she may get scared out of surprise, not accept affection, and even bite or scratch. A blind cat can become a “Velcro” cat - constantly following its owner, using him as a guide. In this case, inform your cat when you leave the room, making the task easier.

A blind cat may also rely on other cats to navigate around the house. If there are several animals in the house, you can put collars with bells on them to warn the cat of their approach with a characteristic sound.

Games are required. Blind cats lead a less active lifestyle and actively gain weight. To maintain physical fitness, play with them more. Cats begin to navigate by sounds; they like rustling, mouse-like squeaking, buzzing toys, bells, and rattles.

Blind cat playing with toys

Live and rejoice

In the book by Gwen Cooper "Homer's Odyssey" tells the true story of a blind kitten who moves freely around the house, makes friends with two other cats, catches flies better than them, and generally lives a full life as a cat. Here's how Gwen writes about him:

"What a pity!" - I often hear when people learn that Homer lost his sight at the age of two months. To which I immediately respond: “Show me a more cheerful cat, and I’m all for watching!” “I’ll give you a hundred dollars right away.” No one has yet encroached on this amount.

“Yes, but how does he... uh... get out of the situation?” - usually follows a question. “On my own four,” I answer, “like any other healthy cat.”

It happens, however, that if Homer gets too excited, I hear a dull thud - a bale! This means that his head hit the wall or the leg of a chair, which he forgot about in the heat of the game. Now this sound makes me smile, although my heart skips a beat out of habit. But who among you could resist smiling at the sight of your cat, having played out, plopping off the sofa, pulling the blanket behind him, or at the way he stunnedly examines the glass door that he was eager to meet in pursuit of an invisible goal?

PAN KAZIMIR

Nine year old Kazimir(for relatives and friends just Kuzya) - the child of Siberian-Persian love. He has a rare chinchilla color and an equally rare ideal disposition.

“The only cat that never gave me a scratch. Even as a child, when playing, he did not let go of his claws,” says Kazimir’s owner. - At the same time, you can’t call it “Velcro” either. He is unobtrusive and does not seek to take a place on your lap. Self-sufficient cat.

Casimir always treated other animals kindly, one might say patronizingly, but again he did not suffer from excessive sociability.

Although, when a small cat appeared in the house, he certainly turned into a voluntary nanny.” Let’s say right away: no misadventures could spoil Kazimir’s character.

And they started four years ago - with one unhappy walk. Since Kazimir’s house is located in a place that fully corresponds to the description “quiet and green,” no one blocked the cats’ access to the street.

And the neighbor’s call: “Kuzya is hobbling home, come out to meet him, otherwise he won’t reach the door,” sounded like a bolt from the blue. The veterinary clinic diagnosed a concussion and deformation of the eyeball and said that a person had contributed to this using a stick or stone...

The damaged eye was removed. Left with one eye, Kazimir first settled on the terrace and looked out the window. It is clear that from that moment no one allowed him outside. At home he behaved as usual, except that he looked around, turning his entire head and, if he heard some sound from the direction of his missing eye, he jumped back slightly.

And everything would have been fine, but four years later problems began with the remaining eye. This spring, conservative treatment could no longer contain the pathological process, and the second eye also had to be removed. Complete blindness set in, but by this time the cat already had familiar, well-mastered routes for moving around the house.

Still, the vision in the last eye gradually decreased, and he most likely stopped seeing even before the operation. But in the cat team, or rather, on its hierarchical ladder, some rearrangements could not be avoided.

However, these changes are inevitable when the second male grows up. The younger cat (who appeared shortly after the removal of Kazimir’s first eye), having reached puberty, began periodically swinging at his older comrade near bowls and rookeries.

But this is so, just raise your paw, at the very least a light slap in the face. There were no fights or other bloodshed (perhaps because everyone is now castrated). The fair half of the pride is absolutely indifferent to male squabbles. Kuzya’s daughter dotes on him, and the cat Lisa simply proudly ignores everyone (as always).

BLIND MUSICIAN

Six year old blind cat Stevie Wonder, named after the famous American singer and composer, loves to press the piano keys. He exercises every day in the house of one of the employees of the Greenwood shelter for homeless animals (Cambridgeshire, UK). And the shelter staff, while looking for Stevie’s permanent homes, enjoy attending his concerts.

Blind Cat Rescue

This shelter in North Carolina (USA) was created in 2005 to provide shelter to cats whose vision was assessed as 20% or less of normal, which was why they were not accepted into regular shelters.

“Blind cats are animals that simply happen to be unable to see. They have no idea that they are blind. They know they are cats. They act like cats, says the Blind Cat Rescue manifesto. “Blind cats can do almost everything that a seeing cat can do.”

Ekaterina SAVITSKAYA

In the wild, loss of vision for a nocturnal predator is a death sentence. For a domestic cat, this condition is not so destructive, but it is extremely uncomfortable and makes it a completely helpless and dependent creature.

However, the owner of a four-legged disabled person does not need to be upset in advance. Modern veterinary ophthalmology is capable of restoring visual function. With proper treatment, even complete loss of vision can be reversible.

Veterinary statistics note: in 90-95% of cases, vision loss in cats is acquired. The main risk factors leading to blindness:

• injuries that damage the tissues of the orbit;
• ophthalmic tumors;
• defects in the development of the optical system of the eye, the most dangerous of which are glaucoma (occurs due to excessive intraocular pressure) and (manifests itself by clouding of the natural lens - the lens due to impaired metabolism, infectious diseases, uncontrolled use of drugs);
• retinal detachment, often caused by heredity;
• inflammation of the cornea (keratitis), blood vessels (uveitis), nerves (neuritis);
• damage to the organs of vision by chlamydia - the simplest microorganisms of urogenital nature;
• pathologies and brain injuries that can lead to disruption of connections between the central nervous system and eye receptors;
• diabetes mellitus, leading to many degenerative consequences, including low vision or complete loss of visual function;
• vitamin deficiency, often observed in weakened, malnourished individuals;
• old age, at which many cats with a low level of immunity become blind.

In some pathological conditions - strokes, injuries - blindness can occur at lightning speed. With others - diabetic cataracts, glaucoma, retinal atrophy, ocular neuritis - visual acuity is gradually lost. In the latter case, the animal has time to get used to and adapt to low vision and blindness. Other sense organs come to the aid of the eyes - ears, nose, whiskers.

Signs of visual impairment

The owner can understand that the pet cannot see anything only when blindness occurs instantly. How can you check for gradual vision loss in a cat?

Diagnostics of visual function

A pet showing signs of low vision should be seen by a veterinary ophthalmologist. Visual inspection is carried out using special optical devices with magnification and lighting functions. Such diagnostics will allow:

• determine whether the cat’s pupil reacts to light;
• check the transparency of the lens;
• notice changes in the optic nerve.

More complex methods - video ophthalmoscopy and electroretinography - will make it possible to diagnose the condition of the retina and identify degenerative processes occurring in it. Using tonometry, glaucoma is detected or excluded.

An ultrasound of the eyeball is prescribed to determine the position of the lens, a detailed examination of the retina, and detect tumors in the vitreous body. Sometimes, to obtain a picture of brain tissue and identify inflammatory processes in the internal structures of the eye, MRI is used.

Biochemical and laboratory tests of blood and urine complete the clinical picture. On their basis, chronic internal diseases such as renal failure, diabetes mellitus and other pathologies associated with blindness are diagnosed.

Such a companion will follow the person always and everywhere, like a devoted dog. A blind pet's excellent hearing will allow it to instantly respond to its owner's voice. A blind animal will not refuse toys equipped with sound signals.

Conclusion

Blindness in cats is most often an acquired defect. Its occurrence can be judged by a change in disoriented behavior or a clouded look. Modern ophthalmological examination methods will allow you to confirm the diagnosis.

Accurate identification of the cause of the pathology increases the chances of vision restoration.

However, for pet purrs, blindness is not a death sentence. Owners will not have any special problems if they follow the rules for caring for a disabled pet.