Bandit's Going Blind

Or at least very, very near-sighted. At 16, I guess that's not all that
unusual. She's been to the vet recently and is in great health otherwise,
so this isn't the result of an illness, just age. She doesn't seem to be
bothered by it, the only reason I noticed is that she doesn't look me in the
eyes any more, she just looks in my general direction when I talk to her
unless I'm very close to her. Also, she'll be walking along and get very
startled by another cat in her path.

Marina...

Frank gradually became very near-sighted during his last years. I also
think he went deaf during his last autumn, because he didn't react to
loud noises any more. It didn't seem to bother him much, but it may
explain why he spent most of his last years sleeping on the bed.

Enfilade...

I offer many purrs for Bandit.

I think that, unlike Duffy, Bandit is realizing she's not what she used
to be and so she clings to the familiar. (Duffy, born blind, may not
realize his situation is not every cat's situation.) Trying your best
to keep things in the same position will help her. And lots of love.

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.

Monique Y. Mudama...

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

annoyed...

((((((CatNipped & Bandit))))))
Our hearts go out to you.

Kreisleriana...

Oh dear Lori, and dear Bandit. I have no advice for you, just plenty
of purrs. My dearest Stinky is 15 now, and I know how it feels to
want their every moment to be comfortable and happy.

Theresa

Make Levees, Not War

polonca12000...

Lots and lots of purrs and best wishes for Bandit to adapt really well
and for her sight to not deteriorate any further,
Polonca and Soncek

Adrian A...

I once visited a house where a 23 year-old blind cat lived, I was told the
hoomins never moved the furniture so the cat knew where everything was. I
was sitting on the floor when the cat came in, he bumped into me, thought
for a few seconds, then climbed into my lap and purred up a storm.

Jo Firey...

Mostly just keep things as stable as possible. Also if she can hear, talk
to her a lot. That will help her keep oriented and relieve some of the
stress of not seeing. Use sounds and scents. Tap on things, stuff like
that.

Our little dogs were deaf and blind by the end of their lives. I'd pick
them up and hold them and talk to them with my face up against them so they
could feel me talk when they got stressed to calm them.

Tish Silberbauer...

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.

CatNipped...

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!!!!!!! ;>

Howard C. Berkowitz...

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.

yepp...

a site with help. Purrs to you.

Victor Martinez...

One thing I know is that you should refrain from moving furniture and
putting boxes in the way. Blind critters (and people) navigate their
surroundings based on memory, so if you change things, they have to
re-learn a new layout.

Sam...

Neither of ours is vision-impaired that we can tell, but purrs for you both.

dnr...

I had a totally blind cat who got that way from fighting w/her companions
under a box spring (they had long past tore the thin cloth off originally
over
the wood 2X4's) and knocking her head repeatedly under there...detached
retinas, both eyes. I didn't know till till I saw them all basking in
sunlight
one day and noticed her pupils were not slits like the others there! Vet
said her vitals were fine and that was what had done it, the jumping and
head-knocking under the bed. She avoided the other cats after that happened,
became a "loner"; but I kept the food and water bowls convenient to all, and
picked her up to her usual spot on the bed every night; she knew exactly
where
the litter box was - never failed - and somehow she sensed when I was on
the "throne" in bathroom as she would sidle up, rub my leg, and get picked
up
and given a hearty love session right there. She went to RB a year ago just
before
Valentine's Day. She was originally a stray I picked up and took in and I
guess
she was older than I had believed (no way to tell).Sorry to hear your
beloved
baby is getting like that but she can still be happy.

yepp...

Wonderful story. Thanks for posting it.