Bandit's Going Blind

In article , CatNipped
wrote:

"Tish Silberbauer" wrote in message
...
CatNipped wrote:
I know there is at least one person here who lives with a blind cat.
Any
advice on how I can make Bandit's life easier would be very much
appreciated.

Ted (RB), our calico dominatrix, was mostly blind** towards the end of
her life. She coped *just fine*. In fact, she coped not only with
normal life, but also with moving house when we moved cities. Her
whiskers were her eyes, and a fine job they did too. We adjusted
things a little bit - avoided shifting furniture, made sure we were
aware of her so that we walked around her rather than expecting her to
shift out of the way and, if she was outdoors, we kept a close eye on
her so that she didn't get lost.

We noticed that she made a lot more use of walls as navigation aides
after she lost her sight, but apart from that there was very little
discernible difference from when she was sighted. She could jump up
and down from beds, sofas, chairs, etc up until the very end.

I think you'll find that Bandit will be OK - her whiskers and ears
will compensate for the loss of her sight.

**Ted could see contrasts - dark shadow against bright light and she
could see some movement, but that was about it.

I think that's how Bandit is seeing right now. She can see my hand when it
occludes a light source, but not otherwise unless it's very close to her
face. She's coping *MUCH* better than a human could - I didn't even notice
it until she was walking across the room and ran into Sammy!!!! Now Sammy
is a bit big to miss!!!!!!! ;

Chatterley did well for several years. There was a period when she
still had vision in one eye, and tended to circle. Otherwise, she
seemed to know where things were -- even sensing temporary obstacles.

On 2006-03-24, CatNipped penned:

I know there is at least one person here who lives with a blind cat.
Any advice on how I can make Bandit's life easier would be very much
appreciated.

Purrs for you and Bandit. I think that in a lot of ways, animals
handle this better than humans do.

--
monique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully

pictures: http://www.bounceswoosh.org/rpca

On 2006-03-25, Stormmee penned:
*delurk Victor this may be true for animals and for some people but not for
all of us, Lee *relurk

If blind people don't use memory to find their way around a room, what
do they use? Using a cane or similar device makes sense in an
environment that you're not in very often, but in your own house?

--
monique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully

pictures: http://www.bounceswoosh.org/rpca

"Monique Y. Mudama" wrote in message
...
On 2006-03-25, Stormmee penned:
*delurk Victor this may be true for animals and for some people but not
for
all of us, Lee *relurk

If blind people don't use memory to find their way around a room, what
do they use? Using a cane or similar device makes sense in an
environment that you're not in very often, but in your own house?


Many legally blind people are not totally, everything is pitch black blind.
Neither are most animals that lose their sight as they get older.

Our dogs could distinguish between light and dark nearly up until the end,
and could get around fairly well in the daytime. After dark even with the
lights on became more of a challenge.

Jo

Sorry, I meant about moving the furniture, memory is the key to living blind
in or out of the house, I find it a stereotype that blind people propagate
through laziness and it bothers me a bit is all, I thought later I shouldn't
have posted it as it was just my reaction to the thought of other blind
people I know who use their blindness to not clean or move furniture, Lee,
hoping she didn't offend anyone
Monique Y. Mudama wrote in message
...
On 2006-03-25, Stormmee penned:
*delurk Victor this may be true for animals and for some people but not
for
all of us, Lee *relurk

If blind people don't use memory to find their way around a room, what
do they use? Using a cane or similar device makes sense in an
environment that you're not in very often, but in your own house?

--
monique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully

pictures: http://www.bounceswoosh.org/rpca

"Monique Y. Mudama" wrote in message
...
On 2006-03-25, Stormmee penned:
*delurk Victor this may be true for animals and for some people but not
for
all of us, Lee *relurk

If blind people don't use memory to find their way around a room, what
do they use? Using a cane or similar device makes sense in an
environment that you're not in very often, but in your own house?


I know a blind woman who has strings along the wall in her apt. I presume
they help her get around. I have never seen her use a cane.
There was a blind guy at the company I used to work for. I used to see him
on the bus to work. When he got off the bus, he just stuck his cane out and
crossed
a busy street. I worried he got run over. At work, we had to make sure not
to leave stuff like empty boxes in the hallway so he won't tripped over
them.
I heard he delivered his own babies twice. Don't know how he managed that.

Winnie

--
monique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully

pictures: http://www.bounceswoosh.org/rpca

On 2006-03-28, Stormmee penned:
Sorry, I meant about moving the furniture, memory is the key to living blind
in or out of the house, I find it a stereotype that blind people propagate
through laziness and it bothers me a bit is all, I thought later I shouldn't
have posted it as it was just my reaction to the thought of other blind
people I know who use their blindness to not clean or move furniture, Lee,
hoping she didn't offend anyone

Oh. That makes sense. I can well imagine it's frustrating when
some people in your demographic make it seem like they are less
capable than they could be. I feel that way about some women
sometimes!

--
monique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully

pictures: http://www.bounceswoosh.org/rpca

exactly, Lee
Monique Y. Mudama wrote in message
...
On 2006-03-28, Stormmee penned:
Sorry, I meant about moving the furniture, memory is the key to living
blind
in or out of the house, I find it a stereotype that blind people
propagate
through laziness and it bothers me a bit is all, I thought later I
shouldn't
have posted it as it was just my reaction to the thought of other blind
people I know who use their blindness to not clean or move furniture,
Lee,
hoping she didn't offend anyone

Oh. That makes sense. I can well imagine it's frustrating when
some people in your demographic make it seem like they are less
capable than they could be. I feel that way about some women
sometimes!

--
monique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully

pictures: http://www.bounceswoosh.org/rpca