Advice requested: blind cat

My son (who is very soft-hearted about animals) lives in an
apartment complex where they are very limited about how many
animals they can have. There are also a lot of abandoned animals.

A few weeks ago, he told us about this blind cat they've been
feeding. She's a she, nearly as we can tell, and it looks like
she's been blind from birth...there is no obvious damage to her
eyes. She's a total sweetheart tuxedo girl, and gets around
pretty well by scent, whiskers, and sound. She was well
socialized, clearly.

They can't keep her (and can't really afford to keep feeding her).

We're down to six now, and really would like to take her, but
wonder if it's fair to her.

How much trouble is it likely to be to integrate a blind cat into
a household with six other cats and a dog? Will she be able to go
outside eventually (she's an outdoor cat now). We have no clue if
she's litter trained or not; is that likely to be a problem?

We've had blind cats and dogs before, but it's always come on as
they've aged, and they've known the house and yard long before
they lost their sight. This kitty would be coming into someplace
new and unknown.

If they take her to the animal shelter, she'll simply be
euthanized, I would expect.

Any advice, helpful hints, etc?

--
Deborah
apparently not enough masters yet

"Phoenix" wrote in message
...
My son (who is very soft-hearted about animals) lives in an
apartment complex where they are very limited about how many animals
they can have. There are also a lot of abandoned animals.

A few weeks ago, he told us about this blind cat they've been
feeding. She's a she, nearly as we can tell, and it looks like she's
been blind from birth...there is no obvious damage to her eyes.
She's a total sweetheart tuxedo girl, and gets around pretty well by
scent, whiskers, and sound. She was well socialized, clearly.

They can't keep her (and can't really afford to keep feeding her).

We're down to six now, and really would like to take her, but wonder
if it's fair to her.

How much trouble is it likely to be to integrate a blind cat into a
household with six other cats and a dog? Will she be able to go
outside eventually (she's an outdoor cat now). We have no clue if
she's litter trained or not; is that likely to be a problem?

We've had blind cats and dogs before, but it's always come on as
they've aged, and they've known the house and yard long before they
lost their sight. This kitty would be coming into someplace new and
unknown.

If they take her to the animal shelter, she'll simply be euthanized,
I would expect.

Any advice, helpful hints, etc?

So if you took her, and things didn't work out (sometimes they really
don't) she would be no worse off than she is now?

Others on the group with experience will speak up, but it seems that
cats handle being blind quite well. One that has been blind from
birth likely has very good adaptive skill.

I would be reluctant to ever let her back out though, since she may
have no experience with staying close enough to be called. And she
would be in more danger of getting run over than that average cat.

Its spring, if you have room in your home and heart for her, get her
to the vet to make sure she is altered before she does what cats do.

Jo

"Phoenix" wrote in message
...
My son (who is very soft-hearted about animals) lives in an apartment
complex where they are very limited about how many animals they can have.
There are also a lot of abandoned animals.

A few weeks ago, he told us about this blind cat they've been feeding.
She's a she, nearly as we can tell, and it looks like she's been blind
from birth...there is no obvious damage to her eyes. She's a total
sweetheart tuxedo girl, and gets around pretty well by scent, whiskers,
and sound. She was well socialized, clearly.

They can't keep her (and can't really afford to keep feeding her).

We're down to six now, and really would like to take her, but wonder if
it's fair to her.

How much trouble is it likely to be to integrate a blind cat into a
household with six other cats and a dog? Will she be able to go outside
eventually (she's an outdoor cat now). We have no clue if she's litter
trained or not; is that likely to be a problem?

We've had blind cats and dogs before, but it's always come on as they've
aged, and they've known the house and yard long before they lost their
sight. This kitty would be coming into someplace new and unknown.

If they take her to the animal shelter, she'll simply be euthanized, I
would expect.

Any advice, helpful hints, etc?

--
Deborah
apparently not enough masters yet


I hope MaryL will chime in. Her cat Duffy has been blind from birth and he
gets along just fine. She has some great photos of him sitting high up in
her Christmas tree

I read an article recently in Cat Fancy magazine about having a blind cat.
I'm afraid I gave the magazine to my neighbor. The only thing that stands
out in my mind is they mentioned it's important not to "sneak up" on them.
My cat Persia isn't blind yet I've been known to give her a fright if she
wasn't expecting to be touched (from behind). So verbal clues are
important. The blind kitty may have more acute hearing but sometimes cats
are off in their own little worlds, as you know

I agree with Jo. I can't see the cat being any worse off if than if you
left her to her own devices. It sounds like she's living outside. It's a
big scary world out there even when they *can* see. (If it doesn't work
out, is there a no-kill shelter in your area? Being blind isn't a death
sentence, although if it's a kill-facility they probably would euthanize a
"handicapped" animal sooner.) Good luck and I do hope you give her a
forever home!

Jill

I think for her, having difficulty learning a new area, as opposed to being
PTS is definitely a better alternative, and speaking as a blind person, if
you start her off in a small place and go slowly everything can be worked
out, perhaps, Duffy's slave can help as well, Lee
"Phoenix" wrote in message
...
My son (who is very soft-hearted about animals) lives in an apartment
complex where they are very limited about how many animals they can have.
There are also a lot of abandoned animals.

A few weeks ago, he told us about this blind cat they've been feeding.
She's a she, nearly as we can tell, and it looks like she's been blind
from birth...there is no obvious damage to her eyes. She's a total
sweetheart tuxedo girl, and gets around pretty well by scent, whiskers,
and sound. She was well socialized, clearly.

They can't keep her (and can't really afford to keep feeding her).

We're down to six now, and really would like to take her, but wonder if
it's fair to her.

How much trouble is it likely to be to integrate a blind cat into a
household with six other cats and a dog? Will she be able to go outside
eventually (she's an outdoor cat now). We have no clue if she's litter
trained or not; is that likely to be a problem?

We've had blind cats and dogs before, but it's always come on as they've
aged, and they've known the house and yard long before they lost their
sight. This kitty would be coming into someplace new and unknown.

If they take her to the animal shelter, she'll simply be euthanized, I
would expect.

Any advice, helpful hints, etc?

--
Deborah
apparently not enough masters yet

Phoenix wrote:

Any advice, helpful hints, etc?

All I can say as a fosterer is that I am constantly amazed by how
adaptable and flexible cats are, and will overcome physical difficulties
with apparent ease, given enough time and encouragement. So go for it!
You will not regret it. I would hesitate about allowing her outdoors
unless you live in a really safe, traffic-free area, though.

Deb.
--
http://www.scientific-art.com

"He looked a fierce and quarrelsome cat, but claw he never would;
He only bit the ones he loved, because they tasted good." S. Greenfield

"Debbie Wilson" wrote in message
...
Phoenix wrote:

Any advice, helpful hints, etc?

All I can say as a fosterer is that I am constantly amazed by how
adaptable and flexible cats are, and will overcome physical difficulties
with apparent ease, given enough time and encouragement. So go for it!
You will not regret it. I would hesitate about allowing her outdoors
unless you live in a really safe, traffic-free area, though.

Deb.
--


I would add, "or don't live in an area where you can guarantee there are no
dogs or wild animals who might attack cats".

Jill

On Feb 21, 11:41*pm, Phoenix wrote:


We're down to six now, and really would like to take her, but
wonder if it's fair to her.

How much trouble is it likely to be to integrate a blind cat into
a household with six other cats and a dog? Will she be able to go
outside eventually (she's an outdoor cat now). We have no clue if
she's litter trained or not; is that likely to be a problem?


If they take her to the animal shelter, she'll simply be
euthanized, I would expect.

As everyone else here says at least give it a try rather than just
handing her to the animal shelter. Try searching this site for
"MaryL" (Or keep watching the thread she's around a lot and I am sure
when she sees the subject she'll read it and reply) she has a blind
cat. They're very adaptable creatures over in rpch+b a couple of
years back there were some people with a Siamese called Jasper Dudely
who they took in after his previous slave died and he adapted very
quickly to his new home despite being blind and also completely deaf

Lesley

Slave of the Fabulous Furballs

Jofirey wrote:

So if you took her, and things didn't work out (sometimes they really
don't) she would be no worse off than she is now?

That's a perspective I hadn't considered; thank you.

I would be reluctant to ever let her back out though, since she may
have no experience with staying close enough to be called. And she
would be in more danger of getting run over than that average cat.

That is one of the issues, although I think we could work it out
for her. We live on a very rural gravel road with little traffic,
so I'm not so worried about getting run over, but I am concerned
about getting disoriented and lost.

Its spring, if you have room in your home and heart for her, get her
to the vet to make sure she is altered before she does what cats do.

Oh, we are planning to have her vetted & neutered in any event.
She will also need to be tested for FeLeuk and FIV, along with
worms, fleas, earmites... the usual suspects.

She is mostly likely part of a litter from a mama-cat whose human
lets her get pregnant over and over and keeps the kittens "as
long as they're cute" and tosses them out on their own when they
are grown. GRRRRRrrrrrrr.

--
Deborah

phoenixpdx.livejournal.com

On Feb 21, 11:41*pm, Phoenix wrote:


A few weeks ago, he told us about this blind cat they've been
feeding. She's a she, nearly as we can tell, and it looks like
she's been blind from birth...there is no obvious damage to her
eyes. She's a total sweetheart tuxedo girl, and gets around
pretty well by scent, whiskers, and sound. She was well
socialized, clearly.

I suppose what occurs to me is that despite being blind and abanodoned
she'd found a food source presumably is coping with feeding with other
abandoned animals and getting her share of the food

I somehow think when presented with a warm loving home, regular meals
etc she'll adapt easily as she's smart enough to have adapted before
and to much worse conditions in fact she'll probably be happier
indoors- the few people I know with blind cats sayas long as you don;t
move furniture too much they're fine (MaryL's owner Duffy climbs to
the top of the cat tree without a problem)

You say apparently you don't have enough masters yet..this little
tuexedo girl needs decent slaves....you know you're gonna take her in
don;t you?

I think we will just sit back and anticipate some pictures

Lesley

Slaveof the Fabulous Furballs

Phoenix wrote:
My son (who is very soft-hearted about animals) lives in an apartment
complex where they are very limited about how many animals they can
have. There are also a lot of abandoned animals.

A few weeks ago, he told us about this blind cat they've been feeding.
She's a she, nearly as we can tell, and it looks like she's been blind
from birth...there is no obvious damage to her eyes. She's a total
sweetheart tuxedo girl, and gets around pretty well by scent, whiskers,
and sound. She was well socialized, clearly.

They can't keep her (and can't really afford to keep feeding her).

We're down to six now, and really would like to take her, but wonder if
it's fair to her.

How much trouble is it likely to be to integrate a blind cat into a
household with six other cats and a dog? Will she be able to go outside
eventually (she's an outdoor cat now). We have no clue if she's litter
trained or not; is that likely to be a problem?

We've had blind cats and dogs before, but it's always come on as they've
aged, and they've known the house and yard long before they lost their
sight. This kitty would be coming into someplace new and unknown.

If they take her to the animal shelter, she'll simply be euthanized, I
would expect.

Any advice, helpful hints, etc?


No advice unfortunately, but lots of purrs,
Polonca and Soncek