How to tell if a cat is blind

A pet that shows signs of low vision should be seen by a veterinary ophthalmologist. Visual examination is carried out using special optical devices with magnification and illumination functions. This diagnosis will allow:

Blindness in a cat – how to know that the cat is blind, causes and treatment of the pathology

Blindness in pets, is a dangerous pathology characterized by the partial or complete loss of the cat's ability to see. A distinction is made between sudden blindness, as well as developing slowly. If the pet loses vision abruptly, there is a loss of orientation. In the case of physiological vision loss due to age-related changes, the animal has the ability to adjust to the limitations, successfully living on.

In the wild, loss of vision for a cat is catastrophic and equates to death. The wild animal will not be able to hunt normally, leading to imminent death. Pets can be helped to cope with blindness; moreover, an attentive and caring owner who follows eye disease prevention can achieve positive results.

Causes of blindness in cats

Pets' eyes, which had wild felines ancestors, are a complicated, fragile and accurate organ. The damage of one of the components of the visual apparatus can lead to partial or complete loss of the cat's ability to see. Veterinary medicine distinguishes several types of vision disorders:

Blindness in a cat is divided into congenital and acquired, as well as complete or partial, when one or both eyes are affected. There are many factors that provoke the development of blindness in pets. Not all processes are irreversible. Some pathologies are reversible with timely help. It also happens so that the pet goes blind and cannot see for the rest of its life.

The task of the cat's owner is to pay attention to any changes in the animal's behavior and then contact a qualified specialist. This will allow to slow down the development of a certain pathology or completely return the ability to see to the animal.

The occurrence of blindness may be sudden, when the animal loses the ability to orient in space, and gradual. In the latter case, the cat has an opportunity to adapt to the image received by the brain. There are many causes of vision loss in pets. Veterinary medicine has divided them into two broad groups.

• Mechanical damage to the eye or concussion . Inflammatory processes in the nerve fibers that innervate the visual organ, resulting from infectious diseases or demyelination of nerve fibers. This pathology is characterized by narrowing of the field of vision, painful sensations when rotating the eyeball. Complete blindness may occur.
• Hypertension. This pathology, which provokes a sharp loss of vision, occurs when the pressure in the small capillaries increases, they are damaged and the blood penetrates into the nearby tissues. Hypertension leads to retinal detachment, which causes blindness, either sudden or gradual. In veterinary medicine, cases of hemorrhage in the anterior chamber of the eye with a sudden increase in blood pressure are diagnosed. The owner may notice the changes himself, and in the absence of timely help, the animal loses the ability to see.

Broken whiskers.

Whiskers, or vibrissae, are necessary for cats to navigate well in space. Mainly due to the vibrissae, even a totally blind cat can feel well, knowing where its owners are, how the furniture and other objects are arranged.

The vibrissae send nerve impulses to the brain, allowing the brain to draw a picture of the world around it. If you try to touch the cat's whiskers, it will absolutely reflexively cover its eyes. Such a safety measure is necessary to protect the cat's eyes in the darkness from possible branches or grasses.

A cat's whiskers are not just branches. They are supplied with blood and have nerve endings that lead directly to the trigeminal nerve. Related to this is the fact that the slightest air movement, the picture will be transmitted to the brain in the form of nerve impulses. A cat that has gone blind begins to shake its head, trying to determine the picture around it. This causes damage to the vibrissae. But it's not just loss of vision that can indicate brittle whiskers. Brittle cat whiskers can be the cause:

Because of this, a veterinarian should be consulted to determine the cause of a brittle mustache.

Missing eyesight.

Visual acuity in older cats, begins to decline gradually. And the predatory animal has time to adjust to the new lifestyle. The cat usually begins to sleep more, stops climbing on high surfaces, and refuses to play actively, preferring to be quiet. One of the signs of a cat's vision problems may be a missing eye. But for the loss of vision should not always be perceived as a lack of direct view of the cat.

The fact that the work of the central nervous system in cats has several characteristics. Thus, cats are better at identifying moving objects, so when a sudden movement, they can get scared. Proved and the fact that cats do not see well objects that are near. The best way an animal can see an object that is located at a distance of 2 to 6 meters. What is in the immediate vicinity – less than 2 meters from the eyes – is monitored by smell and touch.

It is believed that cats can see in complete darkness. In fact, in total darkness without a single source of light, cats see nothing. In order to navigate in space, the animal needs at least a slight source of light.

Noticing at least one of the signs of blindness in a cat described above, it is advisable to go to the veterinary clinic. It is better to let it be a false alarm than a serious illness of eyes or other internal organs.

Due to the high volume of questions coming in, free veterinary consultations have been temporarily suspended.

Another sign to look out for is if your cat wanders aimlessly

Step 3: Listen to your cat

Do you hear your cat's voices more? When cats are poorly sighted or blind, they tend to be noisier to express their anxiety. You may also notice that your cat is usually nervous, frightened or upset as it adjusts to its lack of vision.

You may also notice that your cat is more easily frightened

Step 4: Notice if your cat is clinging

Pay attention to signs that your cat is less confident than usual. For example, notice if the cat clings to you more or spends more time around you. Also pay attention to whether your cat sleeps more or usually moves less than usual.

Diagnosis .

If the owner notices from the characteristic symptoms that there is nothing wrong with the visual function of the four-legged friend, it is necessary to find out the exact diagnosis and start treatment as soon as possible. Therefore, you should first visit a veterinarian, who will conduct an initial examination, and then give a referral for a comprehensive diagnosis. To check the condition of the visual system will help the following methods:

The therapy regimen depends entirely on the established diagnosis. If the cause of blindness was inflammatory processes in the body, a course of antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs is prescribed. In glaucoma, therapy is aimed at reducing IOP, and it will be necessary to normalize blood pressure if hypertension is the primary cause of the pathology. With cataracts in the initial stage of development, the doctor prescribes special ophthalmic drops, if the disease is neglected, it will be necessary to perform surgery to replace the lens.

How to care for a sick pet: peculiarities

Blinded cats that live in an apartment or house, often adapt to this situation. It is important for the owner to follow certain rules and, of course, to love his pet. First of all, you should give up free walking. If the cat likes to walk outside, you can do it only with a leash. It is recommended not to make any drastic changes in the apartment, so as not to disorient the cat. Young blind cats are very fond of active games, so it is recommended to use toys that make sound signals. Otherwise, such animals must be cared for in the same way as healthy congeners. Do not forget about periodic visits to the doctor.

Signs of cat blindness

To report problems with the perception of the image the animal can not, so the responsibility falls on the owner. The owner of the pet is obliged to sensitively monitor any changes in the behavior of the pet. Characteristic signs of the development of blindness in a cat, are:

• shaky gait;
• Uncertainty in walking and frequent collision with objects;
• Refusal of the pet to make jumps;
• problems with movement control – the animal may actively accelerate to run, then abruptly slow down;
• lack of eye glow in the dark;
• a large number of broken vibrissae;
• absent staring into nothing.

It is important to understand that due to the peculiarities of the central nervous system, cats are much better at perceiving objects while moving. This is why a perfectly healthy cat can jump away from its master when he suddenly moves without paying attention to him before.

Another peculiarity is that cats cannot see in total darkness. A predatory animal needs a minimal source of light to orient itself. Cats' vision is considered crepuscular. Also, due to the peculiarities of the structure of the visual apparatus, cats do not distinguish well between objects close to the animal. Household cats see well an object located at a distance of 2 to 6 meters from them. Everything closer is evaluated by other organs – smell and touch. A cat poking its face into the bowl is not always blind, it is just this way the pet studies the temperature of the food and its suitability for consumption.

Treatment of blindness in cats

If you notice changes in your pet's ability to see normally, you should go to a veterinarian for help. A veterinary specialist will prescribe a series of instrumental and laboratory tests to identify the type of pathology and the cause of its occurrence. Appointments are made:

Measurement of the pressure inside the eye is done with special equipment, which not all veterinary clinics have. Experienced specialists diagnose many pathologies of the visual apparatus on the basis of a thorough examination.

The data obtained is the basis for the development of therapy. The specialist takes into account the individual characteristics of the patient (age, degree of neglect and type of pathological process). If possible, the doctor directs his or her efforts to eliminate the factors that provoke blindness in the animal – elimination of increased pressure in the arteries or the fight against infectious agents.

A blinded animal is helpless and cannot do without proper care from the owner. To make the pet feel comfortable, the owner should take a number of measures.

For example, objects should be in their usual places – a cot for resting, a scratching post, bowls of water and food. Independent walks of a pet that has lost the ability to see are also forbidden. It is necessary to pay more attention to your pet, petting, talking to him, speeding up the process of adaptation to the new state.

Prevention of blindness lies in the timely detection of the pathological process. It is necessary to timely treat disorders of the visual apparatus, especially of the inflammatory type.

Keratitis, conjunctivitis, glaucoma and cataract can be treated in the early stages, up to persistent remission (refers to glaucoma and cataract). It is important to monitor the quality of the diet and visit the veterinarian regularly for preventive care.

Due to the high volume of questions received, free veterinary consultations have been temporarily suspended.

Does a newborn blind kitten have a chance?

Faced with the blindness of an animal at a young age, the owner wonders how the kitten will exist without such a vital sense organ.

There will be no problems with a blinded kitten if you follow certain rules and have boundless love for the animal in a city apartment.

Early on, if the cat becomes blind, it will orientate well in familiar surroundings with the help of its other senses.

Of course, you can't even think about taking the cat for a walk outside in the street where it will be exposed to many dangers. The disabled cat should only be taken out for a walk on a harness under close supervision. It is also advisable not to rearrange the furniture in the room, so as not to disorient the animal.

Cats that have become blind at an early age become companion cats, which always follow their owners everywhere. Having good hearing, blind animals respond actively to the owner's voice. A handicapped cat will gladly take part in active games as well. To this end, toys with an audible signal should be used.

Blindness in a domestic cat can occur for a variety of reasons. In veterinary practice, however, acquired vision loss is most often diagnosed. When blindness develops, the first thing that changes is the animal's behavior.

Ophthalmological examination with modern diagnostic methods will not only reveal the fact of pathological condition, but also determine the cause and treatment strategy. For domestic cats, blindness is not a verdict, and with proper care it does not cause problems to the owner.

Conclusion

Blindness in cats is most often an acquired defect. Its occurrence can be judged by altered disoriented behavior, or blurred gaze. Modern ophthalmological examination methods will help confirm the diagnosis.

The exact identification of the cause of the pathology increases the chances of restoring eyesight.

However, blindness is not a verdict for pets. There will be no particular problems for the owners, either, if the rules of care for a disabled pet are followed.

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First of all, vision is not everything!

Yes, cats can see very well, but the "role" of the eyes can be taken over by other senses. For example our cat can leave a trace of its scent (pheromones) when it rubs against the furniture and its nose is a compass on the map of the house. The cat will sense the intensity of the odors, which will avoid many accidental encounters. Plus, of course, hearing, which also helps the whiskered friend navigate the area. All cats – even those with perfect eyesight – react to the sound of the refrigerator opening and the clatter of spoons against the walls of bowls. And, of course, we shouldn't forget about the sense of touch, which functions perfectly in our whiskered friend. Thanks to its sensory hairs (vibrissae), the cat navigates perfectly in space. It knows at what distance a chair or a table is from it and where the window sill ends. Thanks to them, she can move around the apartment without bumping into lying objects.

Blind cats are able to move around their familiar surroundings so efficiently that sometimes it is hard to believe that she cannot see.

Second is environmental stabilization!

A cat remembers the layout of an entire apartment perfectly, so that it doesn't encounter unpleasant surprises (bumping into a piece of furniture or not having a bowl in a permanent place) and can finally settle down, it's important that its environment is constant.

We don't move the litter box, bowls and scratching post, and furniture that has been moved, if only for the time of cleaning, should be returned to its permanent place as soon as possible. A disorganized area can cause stress, nervousness, and simply cause the cat to stop behaving the way she wants.

If we are introducing a blind cat to our home for the first time, we should first set aside a small "familiarization" area, and then gradually, room by room, introduce it to the rest of the world. Slowly, helping the cat. Give her time to memorize the new place, without going immediately to large areas. Let's be patient.

The litter box can be problematic for a blind cat. It should always be easy to access. It's best to buy an open-type cat litter box, without flaps or other fads. If our kitty doesn't know where the litter box is, or is afraid to go to it, she will start using areas outside of it.

It's also helpful to use rugs of different textures to help the cat navigate the space. This way, even if you move the bowl to a different place, the cat should know by the "right" rug that it is already near the bowl

The cat went blind, what to do?

First of all, continue to love him. Otherwise, there are a few simple rules:

1. Self-walking is best avoided. Blind cats are vulnerable outside their usual habitat, so if the cat needs to walk, a leash is your help.
2. Reduce the number of permutations. Ideally, all furniture should be on the same place.
3. Remove breakable and just able to fall items from tables, cabinets and window sills. And things will be safer, and you'll save the cat from stress.
4. Avoid harsh and loud noises, especially near the cat and unexpectedly. Recollect your reaction if someone came up behind you and barked in your ear. Unpleasant at the very least.
5. Create a safe zone for the cat. In some ways, a blind cat is like a small child. Sharp objects, knives, etc. should not be scattered anywhere. The cat cannot see them and there is a high risk that he will hurt himself. If the cat walks in the yard, all kinds of pits must be covered or covered.

Do sighted cats hurt blind people?

A rather surprising observation, but as it turns out, even such famous loners as cats and felines… help fellow cats in trouble! Exactly. Immediately after acquaintance the cats are competing for some time, but if they notice that the other cat is in trouble they slowly begin to help him.

You should not be afraid of cat blindness. To live in an apartment or a private house the lack of eyesight will not be a problem at all. Sight is really important if the cat is out on its own and has to get rid of rats and mice and a large area. All that is required of the owner of a blind cat is a little attention to the needs of the pet. You need to talk to the fluffy, be careful with the household, and try to give the cat a little more time (just to keep the cat from gaining weight). Basically, that's it. There are plenty of stories online about blind cats and you can see for yourself that blindness is not a sentence for a cat.