Advice requested: blind cat

"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 just saw this thread, and thought this would be a good opportunity to
reiterate some of my thoughts on adopting a blind cat. I have posted a
number of messages on the subject, so a lot of this was cut-and-pasted from
some of my previous messages.

I have divided the message into 2 basic components -- first a description
of life with Duffy, then some suggestions for caring for a blind cat. I
hope your questions will be answered in the process. I am going to try to
address your specific questions but also to generalize for others because I
would really like to encourage people to adopt a blind cat (or other
"special needs" kitties).


THE STORY OF DUFFY - OR - WHY YOU SHOULD ADOPT A BLIND CAT

Many people have questioned whether the "quality of their life" made it
worth saving a blind cat, and still others have questioned whether they
should adopt a blind cat. The answer, in both cases, is a loud and
resounding "YES"! Blind cats can function as well as sighted cats, and many
of them maneuver so well that it is difficult to even realize that they are
blind. They certainly are not "handicapped" in the traditional sense of
that word, yet many of them are destined to be euthanized simply because
potential adopters are afraid that they will be "too much trouble" to care
for or they have fears that the lives of such cats are somehow diminished
(and therefore not worth saving - and some even consider it "cruel" to save
these little lives). Nothing could be further from the truth!

This is the story of Duffy, my wonderful little blind cat -- a truly
remarkable, delightful, loving companion. People who had seen him at the
shelter and rejected him were simply "blind" themselves; they couldn't see
past their perception of his so-called "handicap." I first saw Duffy's
picture on Petfinder (www.petfinder.com). His picture just tore at my
heart. He had been at the shelter for several months, and I knew that he
probably would not survive once kitten season arrived and the shelter became
overcrowded. So, I decided to adopt Duffy and do whatever was needed to
introduce Duffy to my resident cat, Holly. I had not had any previous
experience with a blind cat, and I expected when I adopted him that I would
need to make many accommodations for my "special needs" kitty (such as slant
boards so he could get up on the bed and chairs). I soon learned that he
can do almost anything that a sighted cat can do except that he can't tear
around the room like Holly does (for fear of running into something), and he
needs to be able to "feel" something (such as a shelf) so that he can make
his way back down after climbing. Other than that, his life is much like my
sighted cats' lives have been, and he is an absolutely dear, sweet, loving
companion. I originally expected to be extra-careful not to move furniture
or to do anything else to disorient him. In actual fact, I soon learned
that Duffy had adjusted so well that I didn't need to do very many "extra"
things for him. In fact, I have had visitors who didn't realize for some
time that he is blind. Nevertheless, I strongly recommend that anyone
adopting a blind cat should first take the step of leaving furniture in
place to give your new kitty an opportunity to become acclimated. After
that, you can watch how he/she becomes oriented and then decide whether it
is necessary to continue with this step.

Duffy loves what I call his "vertical space." He dearly loves to climb and
is like a little gymnast, so I bought a cat tree with several poles and
"stations," and he will go whipping up and down those poles faster than I
ever imagined possible. They do need to be carpeted because he can't see to
jump from one level to another. Instead, he makes great use of his claws to
climb up *and* down. He will even run at a pretty good rate of speed if
Holly is in front of him. For this reason, I sometimes call her his
"seeing-eye cat." The two are hilarious to watch at times. One would think
that Holly might pounce on Duffy in play, but it is usually the reverse.
Duffy will stalk and tackle Holly, the two will roll around together; this
will be repeated a couple of times, and then they will both stretch out for
a well-earned rest.

Duffy is an extraordinary little cat. He has adjusted so well to his
blindness that it often takes visitors awhile to realize that he can't see.
He even notices tiny little insects. He gets around so well and is so alert
to changes that I thought he might have a small amount of vision. I arranged
for an evaluation by an ophthalmologist at Texas A&M University College of
Veterinary Medicine because I wanted to see if there was some vestiges of
sight (and, if so, what I should do to preserve it). There, I learned that
Duffy is completely blind and that he has a condition known as "anterior
cleavage syndrome." There should be space between the iris and the cornea.
In Duffy's case, the two components are adhered, and there is no space
between them. This probably happened before birth and possibly was caused by
infection in the mother. He is content, active and happy. I suspect that the
fact that he has been blind since birth helped him to compensate for his
blindness - he has never known anything else, so it is normal to him. I
overuse the word "delightful" when I talk about Duffy, but it's the perfect
description - he is adorable and an absolute delight.



What precautions should I take?

Let's be realistic about this. Not every blind cat will adjust as quickly
as Duffy did, just as not every sighted cat adapts immediately to a new
environment. So, what precautions or actions should a person who adopts a
blind cat expect to take?

First, it would be wise to set one room aside as the new cat or kitten's
room and give him or her *lots* of time to adjust before you try to
introduce her to other areas of the house. This is especially important if
there are other pets (or even children) in the home. Once you do begin to
acclimate her to the rest of the house, do it with "baby steps." For
example, I first closed off all doors except one so that Duffy could feel
his way around the hallway and learn the location of that one room. You
will probably find that it is natural for your blind cat to "hug the walls"
for awhile as he becomes accustomed to his new environment. It is also a
good idea to set your cat down in familiar areas for the first few weeks.
That is, after holding your cat for awhile, set her down beside a chair or
sofa that she can use as a point of reference. Don't just set her down in
the middle of the room as we might do with a sighted cat because she may not
recognize the location. During the time your new cat is kept in a single
room (and for awhile even after letting him roam throughout the house), it
is helpful to keep a radio on in her room, tuned to easy-listening or
classical music. She can use that to always have a way to return to home
base, and it will also help to prevent loneliness when you are not around.
I think you will find that your cat will gradually become more and more
accustomed to taking care of herself and feeling comfortable in her new
environment.

As I mentioned earlier, I did not need to take any special precautions
concerning the placement of furniture. Nevertheless, it is important to at
least start out with furniture in one location and keep it there. Your cat
will use furniture as a reference point, and you will want to watch him for
awhile to see if he has any difficulty maneuvering around furniture and
other objects. Likewise, be wary - at least in the beginning -- of placing
books, dishes, etc. on the floor because your cat will not be able to see
(and avoid) them.

My one concern when I adopted Duffy was whether my other cat, Holly, would
accept him. I took a great deal of time in introducing them (including
techniques such as separate rooms for awhile and a temporary door with
screened bottom used while they got used to one another). It worked
beautifully! My two cats are now real furbuddies and are almost always
together. You can see a picture of the door I used in some of the photos in
the albums linked below my signature. Above all, it is *very important* to
introduce the new cat to your resident cats in a very *slow* and *careful*
manner. Those who fail have usually just put the cats together and
"expected" that everything would "sort itself out." Well, that sometimes
works, but it can also be a recipe for disaster. And once you have done
that, the whole process will be made more difficult and time-consuming. So,
"a word to the wise..." is to ignore those who say to just "put them
together and let them work it out." Instead, take a few extra precautions
and thereby make success far more likely.

I recommend that you buy a tall and very sturdy cat tree. This provides
"vertical space" for a blind cat and accomplishes the dual functions of
providing play space and exercise. Be sure to get a tree with carpeted
poles (not bare wood) because a blind cat needs to be able to climb up and
down the poles; he will not be able to leap from platform to platform as a
sighted cat can. In fact, I added an additional pole to mine so that one
edge of the pole could be attached to the edge of the upper-level bed. The
pole was centered underneath the bed when I bought the cat tree, but that
meant that Duffy could not find his way back down because he could not
"feel" where the pole was. I also was careful to get one with beds that
have a raised lip all around and not one with open edges. Duffy loves to
climb to the very top and will often sleep there. He will also roll around
and play while up near the ceiling -- so I think it is important not to have
an open edge where he could slip off if he wakes up and forgets the height.
I bought my trees from www.createacatcondo.com. These are extremely sturdy
and well-designed trees. It is a small, family-owned business, and they
will made modifications to precisely fit your needs.

Have a selection of toys available, in a variety of configurations. Then
watch to see which types are most attractive to your cat. Duffy frequently
plays with catnip toys and a little squeak-n-play mouse. However, his two
favorite toys are toys that he can always find because they are always in
one place. You might want to consider the same. First, he loves his "turbo
scratcher." It is a round toy with a corrugated scratcher in the center.
It has a track around the outer edge with a ball permanently mounted. Duffy
will jump back and forth over the toy, tackle the ball, hit the ball back
and forth (using both paws so that he will often change directions). I
bought mine at WalMart, but you can see a pictures at this location:
http://www.nextag.com/turbo-scratcher/stores-html. Duffy's other favorite
toy is even cheaper...it's free. I'm sure we all have noticed how cats like
to play with paper bags and boxes. Duffy created his own toy from a
cardboard box that held some items my sister gave me for Christmas. I
noticed that he would frequently get in the box to play (not just to sleep).
There was another very small empty box inside (a little larger than the size
for lipstick), and he frequently gets in the larger box and bats the smaller
one around. As a result, I now have an empty cardboard box as part of the
permanent decor in my computer room! As with the turbo scratcher, this
gives him a toy that is always in place and where he can knock the little
box around without losing it. You can see a picture of "Duffy in a box" if
you scroll down through the pictures in the second link under my signature.
I later found a round toy with "jingle" balls inside that Duffy can find by
reaching through a series of holes. He spends a lot time with that toy and
somehow learned to pull the toys out of the holes. His catslave (me!) then
has to find the balls and replace them for him.

Toys that make noise are good choices. Again, this makes it easy for your
cat to follow its path. Duffy especially likes those little balls that are
made of a very heavy foil-like material. They make a little "clicking" or
"crinkle" sound as they are rolled around the room. Catnip-filled toys are
also helpful. Many cats like catnip, and it will give your blind cat
another way to locate and identify a favorite toy. Holly and Duffy both
love the cat-nip filled mats that are available from a number of pet stores.
One of the best is called a "boogie mat." You can see one he
http://www.petsmart.com/product/inde...ductId=2754317. I leave the
mats out until I see that they have become so routine that the cats ignore
them. Then I put the mats away for awhile, then bring them out again. Each
time, it's like a new toy and both cats roll around and attack them with
obvious glee.

Be sure to always leave food bowls, water, and litter boxes in the same
location, and make them easy for your cat to find. This is especially
important during the period when your new cat is learning her way around
your home. At one time, I moved the litter box to a different location.
Duffy had no difficulty remembering where the new box was, but he still
would return to the original location and leave some "deposits." Well, in
that case, he trained me -- I moved one of the boxes back to the original
location, and that solved the problem (and he continues to use *both*
boxes). The original location seemed to be some sort of "comfort zone" for
him. I also found that I needed an extra-deep box (the container, not the
litter itself) for Duffy because he originally would back up against the
side of the box and some liquid would end up outside the box. He is not a
large cat, but I think this was due to his blindness -- at first, he did not
seem aware of the dimensions of the box. I bought the large-size hooded box
and discarded the hood. That solved the problem. There have not been any
"accidents" since that time. Actually, there will probably not be any
problems with the litter box. Just show your cat where the box is, and
mother nature will probably take over. If the cat has previously been an
outdoor cat (as described in this thread), you will want to watch carefully
for awhile. You may want to place the cat in the box and scratch for them.
If kitty seems confused, you could first sprinkle some dirt from outside on
top of the litter until your cat gets the idea. It should not take long at
all. One thing I did notice after the visit to the A&M vet was that Duffy
was somewhat disoriented after we returned home. It was an all-day trip,
and I had to show him where the litter box was. He soon learned his way
around again, and all is back to normal. But I learned that one adjustment
that needs to be made is to make sure he knows what "home" is after I remove
him his environment.

Take it very slow, and don't try to rush things. Remember, your blind cat
will need some extra time to adjust because he will not be able to use sight
to help him learn. He may be fearful or intimidated when you first adopt
him. After all, he has to learn about his environment, just as any new cat
may need to go through this period of adjustment; but he will have to do so
without one of our most important senses, sight. I used Feliway during the
process of introducing Duffy and Holly, and I found it to be very helpful.
You may also find it to be useful. Feliway is a behavior modification
spray. It is frequently used to calm cats in stressful situations and is
used to prevent marking and spraying. I bought three diffusers when I
adopted Duffy because I knew that Holly had become agitated in the past, and
I wanted to create a calming effect. Each bottle lasted slightly more than
two months before needing a refill. Here is a study from Ohio State
University that explains the methodology:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...1129074611.htm.

I don't think that Duffy even has any awareness that he is supposed to be
"handicapped." No one has told him he "can't" do things, so he just goes
right ahead and does them. He is fearless and can climb to the most
unlikely locations. For that reason, I took steps to make certain areas
safer for him -- basically, I "Duffy-proofed" the house in much the same way
that some people "child-proof" their homes. I didn't need to worry about
damage because Duffy has never damaged anything, but I did have concerns
that he might become disoriented and fall and injure himself. Therefore, I
installed a carpeted pole on the side and top edge of the computer hutch to
give him something to grasp, and I was careful to buy a cat tree that had a
raised, carpeted rim all around the edges of the beds were stationed on each
level. On the other hand, my original assumption that I might need to
install slant boards so Duffy could climb up onto a bed or chair now seems
laughable.

PLEASE NOTE: It is very important to keep a blind cat *indoors* and *not*
to declaw him. I oppose declawing any cat, but this is particularly
important for a blind cat because declawing would impose a *double* handicap
by taking away much of his climbing ability. Climbing is one of Duffy's
greatest sources of pleasure, and it is also good exercise. You should
never permit a blind cat to go outdoors. Even though he or she may have
lived outside previously, they are simply more vulnerable than sighted cats.
A blind cat would be virtually helpless when faced by a predator -- and
"predator" could be a wild animal, but could easily be a dog or an
aggressive cat. And, of course, think about traffic. Even if a person
lives in a low-traffic area, all it takes is to have *one* cat and *one* car
in the wrong location at the same time.


In conclusion...

Don't ever be afraid to adopt a blind cat. Duffy is content and happy, and
I really can't imagine life without him. I thought when I adopted him that
I would be doing him a kindness by adopting a cat that others had bypassed.
I soon realized that Duffy gives me far more than I can give him. He has
brought incredible joy to my life.

Please give one of these glorious little animals a chance!

I hope this information is helpful. Also, please feel free to e-mail me if
I can answer any questions. The e-mail attached to this message is valid
except that you need to "take out the litter" to reply.

MaryL

Photos of Duffy's introduction (pictorial history of Duffy's integration
into our
household):
Duffy, Part I: The Introduction -- http://tinyurl.com/8y54
Duffy, Part II: Life at Home -- http://tinyurl.com/8y56
Duffy Conquers the Christmas tree -- http://tinyurl.com/clal7

[...my apologies for constantly mixing genders in this message. That was
deliberate because gender is not important when considering the needs of a
special needs cat.]

Debbie Wilson wrote:
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.

If she's been an outdoor cat from necessity rather than choice, keeping
her indoors may not be a problem. Until I moved to an apartment
building (where there WAS no "out" for them), mine had always been
indoor/outdoor, and the male, Patches, had been a stray for three years
or so, before he discovered my pet-door, decided I served better cuisine
than the next-door neighbor provided outdoors, and moved in. Oddly
enough, once we'd moved, he didn't show the slightest inclination to
explore beyond the door of our new apartment - he was perfectly content
to observe from a cat-shelf on the windowsill, even though the view
provided little but the side of the building next door.

hopitus wrote:
On Feb 22, 7:05 am, "jmcquown" wrote:
"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

Hungry coyotes, bobcats, foxes, and the rare mountain lion prowl
nocturnally
here to get the unwary "outside"small pet. Dunno what you got roaming
in
Phoenix.

About the same - plus a native pig-like critter that's omnivorous and
hard to discourage if it chooses to invade your property. (Sounds like
"HAH-vel-leena", not sure how to spell it.)

"EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)" wrote in message
m...


hopitus wrote:
On Feb 22, 7:05 am, "jmcquown" wrote:
"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

Hungry coyotes, bobcats, foxes, and the rare mountain lion prowl
nocturnally
here to get the unwary "outside"small pet. Dunno what you got roaming
in
Phoenix.

About the same - plus a native pig-like critter that's omnivorous and hard
to discourage if it chooses to invade your property. (Sounds like
"HAH-vel-leena", not sure how to spell it.)

You are probably talking about the javelina (or peccary). We have them in
Texas, too--and they can be rather ferocious animals. They do, indeed,
sometimes eat small animals, although that is not their "preferred" diet.

MaryL

"EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)" wrote in
message m...


Debbie Wilson wrote:
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.

If she's been an outdoor cat from necessity rather than choice,
keeping her indoors may not be a problem. Until I moved to an
apartment building (where there WAS no "out" for them), mine had
always been indoor/outdoor, and the male, Patches, had been a stray
for three years or so, before he discovered my pet-door, decided I
served better cuisine than the next-door neighbor provided outdoors,
and moved in. Oddly enough, once we'd moved, he didn't show the
slightest inclination to explore beyond the door of our new
apartment - he was perfectly content to observe from a cat-shelf on
the windowsill, even though the view provided little but the side of
the building next door.

Its kind of cute how that is enough for some cats. They don't really
have a view, but at least seem to feel that IF anything were to happen
they would see it.

Sometimes when ours sit by the glass door to the back yard, I think
they would be just as happy it we cleaned the glass as they would to
be let out. (Out is easier)

Jo

Jofirey wrote:

Its kind of cute how that is enough for some cats. They don't really
have a view, but at least seem to feel that IF anything were to happen
they would see it.

Sometimes when ours sit by the glass door to the back yard, I think
they would be just as happy it we cleaned the glass as they would to
be let out. (Out is easier)

Mine are all indoor-outdoor cats, but often one will meatloaf in the
comfort of indoors, on the doormat, gazing through the window of the cat
flap at the outdoors which they could actually get to in a second :-)

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