Blind cat - what would you do?

siennamum

siennamum

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We inherited an old cat with our yard. She is a darling cat and a superb ratter/mouser. She is in her late teens and has been at the yard all her life.

We realised a few months ago that she is completely blind. Don't know how long she has been like this but you wouldn't know about it unless you move something to a different place, which she may then walk into.

She has all creature comforts, lots of food within reach of her bed, a litter area, water & a warm bed, she is still confident though & goes all over the farm, sunbathing & following us.

Her general health is getting poor, she limps, has some kind of growth in her abdomen and eats a vast amount to maintain her weight.

She seems very cheeful, purrs a lot, gets lots of attention and is well in herself.

I am paranoid that she will get killed by a fox or dog. We have dog walkers who go through the yard and a couple of dogs from the village would kill her if they could. I am thinking she should be pts. I would probably have pts as soon as I discovered she was blind as I think it would be terrible if she were attacked & couldn't escape.

My friends/liveries are keen to give her as much time as possible & I have to say - she seems great.

What would you do?
 
Difficult call. I'm inclined to say leave her, the dogs haven't got her so far and she's been canny enough to keep away from the foxes so let her enjoy herself whilst she can. I'd keep an eye on her general health because it sounds as though next winter - the miserable months of January or February - might be the right time to let her go.

If you're worried about dog walkers going through the yard why not put up notices asking them to keep their dogs on a lead? I'd be furious if people chose to take their dogs for a walk through my yard but absolutely incandescent if they were running free.
 
I would say personally I agree with you, if she has an abdominal mass, sounds slightly hyperthyroidic or in early stages of kidney failure, and as you say is now at risk of either being caught and killed, or if you are near a road.... run over due to the blindness...... and lame (which is never comfortable no matter how well the hide it!) I don't think it is fair for her to be left until she shows obvious signs of pain/discomfort! Don't forget cats are preditors, they are naturally designed NOT to show pain etc they are really hardy and will keep going.

But this is just my opinion others may say keep her going until she does seem much more "down" or "ill" etc.....

Also is it your cat? The YO's cat? Or just a sort of everyones cat? (in which case has it been vaccinated/wormed etc? as otherwise it will be difficult in making a decision as it will be a group decision which never generally ends up going well........ and who will pay for it?)
 
Difficult one but TBH I think I'd leave her for now. Our old dog (the one who has just been PTS) was blind for the last 5 years of his life and it didn't really bother him until this year. Animals adapt very quickly. We were just told not to do anything drastic like move all of the furniture around because he was used to where things were. He knew his way around the house, the garden and all of his regular walks. The cat has probably adapted pretty well to being blind.

I'd just keep an eye on her for now and if she starts to become confused, then you know the time is coming...
 
Lucy_Nottingham said:
I would say personally I agree with you, if she has an abdominal mass, sounds slightly hyperthyroidic or in early stages of kidney failure, and as you say is now at risk of either being caught and killed, or if you are near a road.... run over due to the blindness...... and lame (which is never comfortable no matter how well the hide it!) I don't think it is fair for her to be left until she shows obvious signs of pain/discomfort! Don't forget cats are preditors, they are naturally designed NOT to show pain etc they are really hardy and will keep going.

But this is just my opinion others may say keep her going until she does seem much more "down" or "ill" etc.....

Also is it your cat? The YO's cat? Or just a sort of everyones cat? (in which case has it been vaccinated/wormed etc? as otherwise it will be difficult in making a decision as it will be a group decision which never generally ends up going well........ and who will pay for it?)
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She's kind of everyone's cat. I rent the yard tho' so responsibility will lie with me. It horrifies me that previous yard managers walked away from yard & left the cat. She is very sociable and loves people but was just left to fend for herself.

She has had shots by the vet & steroids for skin complaint. Due another lot now, which I'll get done & see how she is by the Autumn I think. Thankfully no roads nearby, that would change things I think.
 
chestnut cob said:
Difficult one but TBH I think I'd leave her for now. Our old dog (the one who has just been PTS) was blind for the last 5 years of his life and it didn't really bother him until this year. Animals adapt very quickly. We were just told not to do anything drastic like move all of the furniture around because he was used to where things were. He knew his way around the house, the garden and all of his regular walks. The cat has probably adapted pretty well to being blind.

I'd just keep an eye on her for now and if she starts to become confused, then you know the time is coming...
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She is unbelievably clever at getting around. We realised she is blind a few months ago when she walked into Sienna. Thankfully Sienna, who was asleep at the time didn't do anything, but cat rebounded off Sienna and walked into the wall. It was a bit of a giveaway.
 
in that case, if she is due another steroid shot then that means another trip to the vets (yey!) But this would be a good opportunity to discuss your concerns with the vet. Don't feel like a consult is just to get hte jab and leave, if you have any concerns then talk to them about it :)

And its good to know that you are taking responisibility for an animal that was abandoned by other people (gosh doesnt it just make you mad!!!!)
 
euthanase her whilst she still has a quality of life. better to end it now than when she is really suffering. you have the power to prevent her suffering. sorry maybe not what you wanted to hear but working at a vets you see far too many allowed to suffer for too long as they were too upset to do it sooner.
 
Her general health is getting poor, she limps, has some kind of growth in her abdomen and eats a vast amount to maintain her weight.
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Time to say goodbye.

Our yard cat went in to rapid decline over a number of days just before Christmas - and as difficult as it was because he was much loved, the vet was summoned and he was pts. He's burried in his favourite field.
 
Picture of her, very unusually a ginger girl, with Beans who loves & wants to mother her:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=4240282&l=b65ccef7fc&id=535976198

We have had vet see her when he is doing something to the horse, I don't think she would want to go to the surgery, that would probably finish her off. Last vet was fairly relaxed about her and said she seemed fine. Shall have another chat I think during next visit.
 
Personally I think it will very soon be time to let her go. One of my old girls had what was probably stomach cancer and soon started to do dark poo - sign of blood in it and went very withdrawn and keeping to herself. Once this happened, it was time to say goodbye as she was not happy, and in pain due to the growth. Purring can be a sign of them being in pain.

I would maybe give her the warm summer months, can you keep her safe at night in say a very large cage with tray and food and a bed? If you are near Harlow/Epping in Essex, I could lend you a 3 x 6 x 3 high one. Often they like to be secure with an igloo type bed as they get old and infirm, another of my old girls wanted to live in the cage, in an igloo bed in a big box as she got to her last days and this was in a house with cats she had lived with and got on all her life.

I would have her pts come the autumn as the cold weather etc will not be kind to her, and the growth may have got to the painful stage. Maybe the vet could do it when on a routine visit to a horse to avoid the stress of travelling her?

One of mine is now 22, very stiff, rather thin, but still on the whole healthy though she sleeps lots, I had another until 27, and consider my cats not that old until they are 18 but I seem to have long lived cats (probably due to they live in total pampered conditions at home). However, I do know when it is time to say goodbye when they go withdrawn or have obvious health problems.
 
She looks a lovely cat. I'd be inclined to get the vet to have a look each time they come for a visit, then maybe let her go on a good day, def not to the surgery. She sounds for now to be enjoying life still but I'd be worried about wandering dogs too, can you put her in a stable at night? A friend of mine lost her young but 'disabled' cat (born with stunted front paws) to a dog that got into her garden, I'd be fuming about people walking through or allowing their dogs to wander.
 
Have the same problem. Sugar is 17 years old, gone blind and slightly deaf,but she's still enjoying life, still gets fed 3 times a day and yes she wants more and her kidneys are packing up, we had her sister put down 2 months ago, but she was in some distress, so we are playing it by ear, while she is still enjoying living, but as soon as she isn't a one way trip to the vets.
 
I have to say I agree with Custard and would leave her alone for now, and just ask the vet to check whenever they visit. Is there actually something inside her abdomen or is it just one of those droopy bellies some cats get? We once had an FIV cat who had a big lumpy belly but it didn't bother him, and he had a very good quality of life until a decent age.

Being blind isn't as terrible for animals as it is for us. Remember our other senses are very poor; cats have their superb hearing, smell and of course their whiskers. If she seems happy in herself then why have her pts now just because at some indeterminate point in the future she may have to be? Animals themselves are usually the best judges of when it's time. As for the foxes and dogs, if she's managed until now then there's every chance she knows what she's doing and can keep out of their way.
 
I would also be inclined to heve her PTS before she really becomes ill. I recently had my 7 year old cat PTS,sadly. He had started drinking alot,and eating HUGE amounts. £130 vet bill later, he was confirmed as a diabetic. As he was the type of cat who didn't always come home on time, I couldn't inject him. Had him PTS, and before his quality of life deteriorated further, so I knew what had happened to him, rather than him not coming home and maybe lying in a hedge having a lingering death and me not being able to find him to do anything about it.
Cost another £80 to have the deed done too:eek:
 
Personally, I would leave her for now and have the vet look at her at the yard when possible. I would never want an animal to suffer but if she appears well, happy and is eating sensibly then I would be inclined to let her go on.
 
Hi there

Not a very happy topic for a first post, but I had exactly the same situation with an abandoned cat that I rescued.

The vet thought she was around 20 when we found her, and we gave her 2 happy years before her liver really started to fail and she became more and more blind.

I did everything for her, lots of steriods etc and one of my biggest regrets is that I probably kept her going for a month or so than I should have. In the end she had lost most of the things that made her the cat I loved and her world had retreated to inside the house that she knew well.

As with most animals, I really think you should PTS before she gets to this stage. It's the kindest option.

She looks beautiful, and I hope whatever you decide, you get to give her some huge hugs and some lovely last days.

L
 
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