Blind cats

[berties mum]

Gwen, I checked about the litter training with my neighbour ... she said she trained her two blind siameses by doing what you'd do with a kitten - popping them on the litter tray when they looked like they needed to go.  She would then leave them to find their way back to the other parts of the house, so they'd remember where it was and eventually they found their way back to it.  She says she's had no little accidents in three years ... which is better than I've managed with Bertie, and there's no problems with his eyesight!!!

[unseeliechylde]

I've never had  blind cat, but I had two blind rats years ago, and I would go with the steps already suggested - speak to her softly as you approach, and let her sniff you before you touch her. I would suggest you start touching her on her face and head to begin with, and stay away from her back until she is mor relaxed, as this will be less threatening to her.
If you can get some felifriend (made by the same people as do feliway), it might help her to relax around you, especially of she is not too used to people. Hand-feeding and letting her lick catmilk or something similar off your fingers should also help her bond with you.
I would add that the blind rats acted just like the sighted ones, except they would swing their heads side-to-side and "nose" towards things or people before approaching. Though rats have an easier time being blind than cats do (their sight is not great at the best of times, and they have a primitive "sonar" they can use instead), from what people have already said, she will no doubt adapt just fine

[Millys Mum]

Is it feral/semi feral?
I think once it learnt who to trust it would be a lot happier!

I hope your friend takes him/her on and at least have a go, i was going to say it cant be left outdoors but then remembered you said about pts 
Whilst your friend is there she should try to convince them to get mum/dad/anything else neutered. 

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

Blind cats, kitten in this case need to hear you coming and then it would be better to talk rather than touch and maybe have some treat in your had she can smell. Give your hand to her slowly and do not ouch her, try to get her to sniff out your hand with the treat.

If she eats it keep talking gently and then try to stroke the back of her head, if she lashes out stop. It could be this kitten is not used to humans and not socialized yet.

The way to her heart will be gentle talking , let ahe know you are there before touching , food as a comforter and then teaching her gently that stroking is nice,. The best way is to let her come to you even if you are very close, dont make sudden movements that might scare her. Her ears will be very sharp so a slight noise made by you will be picked up and therefore she will scare easlily.

[Mark]

The only problem I have ever had with her is when she had the operation on her second eye and her whiskers were caught with the clippers on one side - she had some  difficulty judging distances until they grew back.

Just made me realise - I was saying to Caroline (one of the fosterers) that Alice isn't very agile jumping on the bed. She said it might be to do with the fact that she lived under a car for a year. I now realise what it is - I noticed on monday that they had shaved her whiskers off last week when she had the tumour removed. So hopefully that explains her "clumsiness" 

[Rosiecat]

One of my cats Rosie is blind - she has had both eyes removed due to untreated cat flu.    She has never had any problem using a litter tray or finding her way around.  She plays with crinkle balls, catnip mice etc and will chase after the other cats with no problem - she can jump on Darcy Persian from across the room with amazing accuracy!!

She goes up the scratching post quite happily but abseils down instead of jumping as it is quite high - she is fine jumping on and off furniture etc.

The only problem I have ever had with her is when she had the operation on her second eye and her whiskers were caught with the clippers on one side - she had some  difficulty judging distances until they grew back.

To see her playing it is not immediately apparent that she is blind and I personally would not think twice about having another 

[Ela]

I would go for the sound approach and confine to a kitten or large dog pen and try training tht way,

This was my initial thought. My Jeannie went blind earlier this year and she has adapted remarkably well. Although I appreciate she already knew the lay out of the house. I m sure given a little time the kitten after perhaps a few mishaps will be fine and enjoy an indoor life or a life with a cat safe garden.

[Mark]

My mum's cat Sukie managed happily for 12 years after going blind at 6 months. She needed extra care. She only went into the garden supervised carefully, my mum said she didn't move any furniture or go away for 12 years to be there for her. Exercise & diet can be a problem. She was a happy cat although it upset me every time I saw her 
When I vivited, she also rsan upstairs to my old room and waited on the bed for me. We used to nuzzle and purr  (she slept on my pillow as a kitten  )

[Liz]

Our Bert went blind at 18 and apart from sometimes going head first in to the grit box and not turning round he coped really well.

we always spoke to him before touching him so he knew we were there instead of touching - their other senses make up for the site loss and his hearing and  sense of smell were impeccable he could hear the fridge at 100 yards and could smell any meat frsh or chilled and was first in the queue

We also used catnip as a calming influence as the smell seemed to make him happier.

I would go for the sound approach and confine to a kitten or large dog pen and try training tht way, a small space will make them feel more secure and as we have done we still have a kitten pen up permanantly as its the only place Storm feels secure to use the grit box and she is now 6 - its in the cat room so not on show!  They also like covered litter trays in our experience Bert was happier as he could sense the entrance

[berties mum]

My Minnie is blind in one eye, and my neighbour has two completely blind Siamese cats.  Hers were already litter trained when she got them (I'm not sure how - I will ask) but I do know that you would never know they're blind as they find their way around the house just like any other cat, and know exactly where their litter tray and food are just by smell.  Last time I went round there, one of them managed to find and climb inside my handbag!  The only thing I have found with Minnie is that you need to be very careful approaching a blind/ partially sighted cat as they will lash out if taken by surprise, and also that moving furniture or putting anything down in a strange place will result in a bang on the head for her!

[Gwen]

Somebody I know is looking at having a kitten who is blind,he/she at the moment is on a farm and is on a bed of hay,everytime you go and touch him/her he just lashes out. 

Anybody know or have experience with blind cats?  Is there special ways of teaching them to use litter trays etc?

Apparently if my friend don't take the cat on he/she is going to be put down