Cats have excellent eyesight when indoors or in the wild. In addition, cats' eyesight is also very sharp during the day or night. However, certain injuries and illnesses can seriously damage a cat's eyesight or even cause blindness. If you can recognize the symptoms of blindness in your cat quickly, your cat can get treatment that can cure or help her vision return to normal. If the cat is already blind, you must help him. In order for the cat to receive optimal treatment, observe the cat's behavior and physical changes that may indicate that he is blind or his eyesight is deteriorating.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Observing Changes in Cat Behavior
Step 1. Observe the cat looking sloppy
Watch how the cat roams around your furniture. Also pay attention when the cat fails to jump on the furniture. Watch for a cat hitting a wall or a familiar object. If a cat looks careless in an area he is used to, his eyesight may deteriorate or he may go blind.
- One of the characteristics of a cat whose eyesight is impaired is when he falls or slips when jumping from stairs to his favorite place.
- Also pay attention when your cat has trouble recognizing familiar objects, such as a place to eat or drink.
Step 2. Observe the way the cat walks
Watch how the cat walks. Observe the cat bows more when it walks. This is probably what cats do to touch the ground with their noses and whiskers. Also pay attention to when the cat walks with his head down or moves his head up and down to calculate the distance traveled.
Also observe the cat wandering around aimlessly
Step 3. Listen to the cat
Does your cat meow more often? Cats whose eyesight has deteriorated or are blind are generally more likely to meow to indicate their difficulty. In addition, your cat may appear nervous, frightened, or upset as he adapts to his deteriorating eyesight.
Cats will also be more easily startled
Step 4. Observe overly spoiled cats
Pay attention to the features of a cat that indicate that it lacks self-confidence. For example, pay attention to when your cat is closer to you or spending more time with you. Also, watch for cats who are always asleep or quieter than usual.
Method 2 of 3: Observing Changes in Cat's Eyes
Step 1. Pay attention to the cat's pupils
If you feel your cat's vision is getting worse, pay close attention to the pupils. Observe the cat's pupils that do not change when in a bright or dark room. Also, pay attention to cats with different pupil sizes. Both of these are characteristics of cats who experience symptoms of blindness.
Observe the cat squinting or not reacting to changes in light
Step 2. Check the cat's eye color
One of the observable symptoms of blindness is a change in the color of the cat's eyes. Also pay attention to the cat's eyes that look more reddish. Also, your cat's eyes may appear webbed, cloudy, or white.
- Pay attention to the reddened tissue around the cat's eyes. If the tissue looks pink, your cat's eyes are normal.
- If your cat's eye lens looks dull, this may be a symptom of cataracts.
Step 3. Test the cat's reflexes to danger
Bring your finger close to the cat's eye without touching the cornea. Cats with normal eyesight will dodge or blink their eyes when your finger approaches. However, a blind cat will not react to your finger. Don't place your finger too close to the cat's whiskers. Don't let the cat's whiskers detect the wind blowing from your finger. This is done so that the cat cannot detect your finger approaching it.
Step 4. Drop the ball in front of the cat
Observe when the cat notices or follows the ball. Most cats with normal vision will notice a falling ball. The blind cat won't notice the ball you drop. Make sure the ball doesn't touch the cat's whiskers so he can't feel the ball.
Step 5. Observe the cat's eye size to check for glaucoma
If one of your cat's eyes looks bigger, see your vet immediately. This may be a symptom of glaucoma. Although cats are not necessarily blind, glaucoma can cause blindness if not treated immediately.
One or both of the cat's eyes may look cloudy
Method 3 of 3: Caring for a Blind Cat
Step 1. Take the cat to the vet
If your cat is blind or his vision worsens, take your cat to the vet immediately. Describe your complaint and the symptoms that have been observed. Take your cat to the vet immediately because early treatment is very important in preventing blindness or conditions that cause the cat to develop the symptoms of the disease that you have observed.
Blindness can be a symptom of a serious disease, such as high blood pressure. High blood pressure can cause strokes and seizures. Therefore, it is important for cats to get early treatment
Step 2. Make sure your home stays consistent
Make sure you don't make any significant changes to the cat's environment. This can help the cat adapt to his deteriorating eyesight. Don't move your cat's feeding, drinking, and littering areas so he can find them easily.
- You can lower furniture or provide a perch for the cat to climb on more easily.
- Make sure there are no items scattered on the floor of your house so that the cat can roam easily.
Step 3. Supervise the cat when outdoors
Accompany the cat when outdoors and make sure he is in an enclosed area. You can also keep your cat indoors to keep him safe. Always keep windows and doors closed to keep the cat in the house. You can also close the cat door.
Step 4. Put a badge on the cat
Microchip your cat when he leaves your house. Make sure the cat has a collar and badge on it. List that your cat is blind or has poor eyesight on the badge.
Step 5. Don't startle the cat
Do not make loud noises or startle the cat. Act calmly around your cat so it doesn't startle. Also, remind family members, especially children, and your household guests not to make noise or startle your cat.
