Anyone have experience with blind kitties? I’ve recently had one move in with me, and was looking for advice/considerations others have learned?
I adopted one over a month ago (~1.5 yo I think)- they didn’t catch that she’s blind at the shelter - and I recently confirmed at the vet that she’s hella blind and ruled out riskier potentially related conditions (eg high blood pressure). She can maybe see faint light, and her pupils contract eventually, but doesn’t track motion and the vet looked at the rods and cones and said there’s “nothing going on back there” lol.
She was taken to the shelter because she didn’t get along with other cats in her previous home - which she was probably because she couldn’t see shit and was scared all of the time. And absolutely loves playing! She tracks wand toys really well, and loves to play fetch- especially with jingly stuff, but also felt catnip toys.
She’s been adapting well - is learning the layout of the home, has no litter box issues, finds the food and water, finds the best sun beams, and loves watching out the windows (or at least tracking the sounds of squirrels?)
Additional things I’ve done: -Added suction cups on the floor as a textured “rumble strip” around door frames/corners -added night lights to outlets (she can possibly faintly see light) -added different scents to different rooms to help with her mapping
- started carrying a little jingle bell so I don’t startle her
- will occasionally provide spoken description of visual things (CW SNL - https://www.tiktok.com/@coolchaotic.com/video/7472209819257031979)
Tbh she seems to be doing quite well. I mostly wanted to know if there’s anything I'm missing or if anyone has picked up any great tips?
Thanks comrades
Cat for reference