my cat has gone blind

[beanieb]

I realised this moing that one of my cats has gone completely blind. She's around 15 and very sprightly for her age. Took her to the vet who says her blood pressure is high and there is absolutely no retinal movement.

I have blood pressure tablets but they say it's probably irreversable.

Has anyone here got or had a blind cat? Is it cruel for me to just let her get on with it or would you think putting her down is the best thing for her? I don't want to have her put down unless her quality of life is massively reduced as she's otherwise really happy.

What can I expect apartrom huge vet bills?

[whispywhisp]

If she is ok in herself - and you say she is still quite sprightly - then I would let her get on with it. It's amazing how animals adjust and losing her sight is a major change but I would expect she's been losing it for some time and has got used to have poor vision - so losing it altogether is probably ok for her.

If she still has quality of life, even if its just some, I would leave her be and let her enjoy her retirement.

It's when other parts of her body start to fail that you need to consider PTS. My elderly cat, who was almost 15yrs old, was PTS a few weeks ago but she lost the use of her back legs, couldn't keep her food down and was generally very miserable.

Your cat losing her sight is bad enough but if she's coping - leave her.

[nell12]

My dog is now blind; he however went gradually.
He is fine; we dont move furniture or anything as that would disorientate him. He still can go out but he does not like to go out in the dark as he trips on the step. We think he has some light and dark recognition, as when we shine a torch in front of him, he is much happier to go out.

So, I agree with whispywhisp; if she is happy, then let her get on with things; dont move furniture and maybe lock the catflap as she may get lost or upset if she goes out again.

[beanieb]

thanks for the encouraging words I am trying to talk to her when I am in the same room just so she knows I am here and she's purring away so seems ok. Blood tests will be back in the week and then I'll know if she has something more seriously wrong. Just makes me so sad to think she is completely in the dark. My cousin is a vet so I'm going to email her to ask about quality of life etc.

thanks again.

[whispywhisp]

Good point about not moving furniture etc. You want to keep her surroundings as normal as possible. Definitely talk to her when she's in the same room. If she's purring...then she's fine. If she's eating normally and is washing herself I don't think you've much to be worried about. She'll let you know when she's ready to say goodbye...and by the sounds of it she's not ready to do that yet.

[sunnygirl1412]

Beanieb - the exact same thing happened to one of our cats - high bloodpressure leading to sudden blindness. She adapted really well - she could find her food, go out in the garden for her toilet needs - she even seemed to know when I went and sat down on the couch and would jump up next to me and curl up for a cuddle.

As long as her health stayed good and her quality of life seemed good, we left things as they were. Sadly after about 4 months, her health deteriorated very suddenly, and we had to make the decision to have her put down.

However, we still have those last memories of her time with us.

[beanieb]

AW - thanks again, she is certainly happy at the moment. I was so shocked when I realised and it's made me quite tearful because I can't get my head round the fact that she is completely in the dark and it's probably not going to change.

[sunnygirl1412]

Huge hugs for you beanie - she'll still know how much she's loved and will enjoy cuddles and stroking as much if not more. My cat did become less adventurous - naturally - and used to love cuddling up next to me on the couch even more.

We also had the somewhat surreal experience of taking her to the vet for her blood pressure to be measured - so they could monitor her medication, I suppose - but it is definitely not the easiest thing to do on a cat, and every time she moved, their results went all to pot![wry grin emoticon]

sunnygirl.

[Lovesdogsandcats]

I have heard a tip which is to get some lavender essential oil and rub it onto corners like doorframes, chair legs, anyythung she may bump into.

Good luck. Can she do what she always used to?

[CarGirl]

I think cats rely far more on their sense of smell & hearing rather than sight so as long as she doesn't wander out of your garden or you don't move furniture around I think she will be happy.

[beanieb]

Thank you Sunnygirl

Good tip Lovesdogsandcats, I will go and get some today - I want to make things aseasy for her as I can.

She is quite reluctant to jump up onto the bed and seems to find climbing the stairs a bit difficult, thought she gets up and knows which way to go to get to the bedroom! Problem is that once she is on the bed she seems a bit freaked out as she doesn't know which part of it she is on.

and thanks cargirl, I think I just need reassurance

[whispywhisp]

She'll get used to not being able to see. Cats really very heavily on sense and sounds even with perfect eyesight. A mate of mine had a blind cat for many years. Yes she'd walk into furniture, door frames etc but it just became a way of life for her. She never ventured very far - no further than the garden - it was as if she knew she couldn't stray far for fear of getting lost etc.

Good luck with the blood test results when they come in.

[beanieb]

thank you
I think I'll have to put her onto special catfood if she has renal problems. Just watched her find her way to, and use, the cat litter tray. She is walking into things a bit but mostly manages to stop just before she hits them.

[beautifulgirls]

Cats also use their whiskers a lot to help them feel their way about. Generally they can cope well if they go blind, so yes if she seems to be happy, eating and coping then you are not being unkind to her to keep going.

[whispywhisp]

My elderly girl had renal problems from about the age of 10yrs old...if your cat has got to 15yrs with no major renal failure signs she's doing extremely well!!!

My cat drank so much - she had to have some dental work done at about 11yrs old - the vets did a routine blood test whilst she was asleep and it came back with renal failure - its very common for cats this age.

I just made sure she always had water available and she was on senior cat food (biscuits - good for the teeth) and fish/chicken...never tinned food cos it would go straight thru her.

Sounds to me as though your cat is coping extremely well beanieb....let's hope she continues to do so for a long time to come yet.

[HansieMom]

My cat, Phoenix, is a beautiful Maine Coon. She has been deaf for two or three years. This summer, my DIL noticed she was blind! I HAD noticed Phoenix's pupils were always dilated, and in looking back, can see other things that were signs. Phoenix is 16. I'm immensely proud of her. She follows a wall down the hall; she has 'routes' across the living room; she can jump up on the daybed; at night she knows it is bedtime and often jumps onto my bed and spends the night.

There is much for her to enjoy: being petted, warm sun, sitting by screen door smelling summer or fall smells.

And when she is hungry and her bowl is empty, she meows loudly to remind us.

[Lovesdogsandcats]

Oh don't change her food at this stage .
If she enjoys what she has, I would keep her on it, with lots of 'special' extras too.
Pets At Home sell a cat food that is quite dear, it is Applaws...it is in a tin and the chicken one, she will adore!!

Unless you try the renal diet, and she loves it, in which case ok. But I think by now, she should be given whatever she likes.

A lot of people give their cats/dogs food that the animal is not over keen on, because the vet suggested it/it is good for their condition etc.and they persist in giving it thinking they are doing their best for their pet..
I don't see it like that, I see it like, food is a huge part of animals lives, as it is for us, so even if it meant that they did not live as long, well they lived a happy life!! So, let her eat what she wants at her age now.

[beanieb]

Aw - thanks
We have tried to keep things normal, not even letting ehr stay the night with us which was hard but we never do so didn't want to change her routine.

She's taking her blood pressure tablets without a fuss too which is good.

[Lovesdogsandcats]

Yep, thats it, keep things just like they always have been as cats are really creatures of habit!
Keep us updated with things

[whispywhisp]

beanieb...why would you consider changing her diet with renal problems? Is that what the vet is suggesting? TBH my cat had renal failure for a long time before we lost her and I didn't put her on any special food - she couldn't tolerate cat food anyway so I tended to cook her chicken and fish and she lived for years on that plus water always available. I do wonder sometimes if vets suggest these special meals cos they're a bit of a money spinner for them especially if they are the variety you can only buy at the vets themselves.

[beanieb]

I had another cat with renal problems and was told I should put her on a speciall diet of senior Hills catfood or similar.

I wonder that too, about the need for special food from the vets.

[girlywhirly]

Beanieb, you could email 'Your Cat' magazine for advice, their experts will be happy to reply. [email protected]

[beanieb]

thank you
that's a good idea.

[countingto10]

I often wonder about some vets. My cat is 19.9 yrs, diabetic and has cataracts (sp?). He was first diagnosed last year and my regular vet said I could put him on a special cat food but prbably wasn't worth it. His quality of life was all important. Then I saw another vet when she was away and he told me to put my dear old cat on a diet FFS and change his diet - he's a big cat and weighs 6.5kg.

When I saw my usual vet, I told her there was no way I was putting him on a diet as food was his main pleasure in life and longevity (sp?) wasn't the reason we were treating his diabetes. If he got an extra 6 weeks it would be a bonus. As it is, we are a year down the line and he is hanging on in there, still stuffing his face .

Good luck with your cat.

[whispywhisp]

beanieb...if your cat is happy with what she is eating atm, and she's not bringing it back up or having continual diarrhoea...I would keep her on what she is used to and happy with. If she were a lot younger - ie younger than say 10yrs old and with renal failure that'd be different. She's an elderly lady who has just lost her sight. Too many changes for her could be harder for her to cope with. Renal failure with elderly cats (from my own experience) goes hand in hand, unfortunately.

[beanieb]

AH - thanks. Will do. I feed tehm senior catfood and to be honest they have never really liked any alternatives that I give them.

She's doing fine at the moment apart from occassionally bumping into things.