Sudden Kitty Blindness?

[Pipp]

I went to put Putty's food down last night, and realized she couldn't find it. :shock:

She's always had a terrible sense of smell, I'll put a piece of food on the ground and she frantically looks for it even though it's inches from her nose).

I checked her out, and she's blind as a bat! :tears2:

Her eyes are a bit cloudy, but I didn't really notice a slow progression, it seems pretty sudden. Does this happen often to old cats?

She's 18 or so, she's been slowing down and sleeping more, but until now, otherwise in goodhealth. She has a high metabolism, she's always skinny and pretty skittish (in spite of being born here and never even close to mistreated by anyone).

I don't think she's taking it well, she's bumping into things, her instincts aren't great for finding her way around. She's been curled up on top of a heat vent in the kitchen -- her usual spot come fall and winter, which is why nothing seemed amiss when she stopped jumping up to sleep on her chair.

Don't think there's much I can do for her other than keep obstacles out of her way, but it's weird to me that this happened so suddenly.

sas :nerves1

 

[Thumpers_Mom]

Oh sas...I am sooo sorry! :tears2:The poor baby mustbe scared. Hopefully her instincts will start kicking in.

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

Oh, I'm sorry Sas. Poor thing. Could be cataracts as opposed to blindness?:huh

 

[seniorcats]

It could be diabetes which needs a blood test or uveitis, an eye disease treatable with cortisone drops and Dexamethasone pills. It could also be an issue with hyperthyroidism which seems to plague elderly cats and effects every bodily function. Sounds like vet visit time. Cloudy eyes aren't simply a sign of old age.




[*]Untreated Feline Hypertension
This is by far the greatest cause of "sudden blindness" seen by veterinarians. Hypertension often accompanies diabetes, hyperthroidism, and kidney disease, and cats with any of those conditions should be monitored closely by a veterinarian for evidence of hypertension. There are few early symptoms to watch for at home, but red flags include dilated pupils which do not respond to light, and the appearance of blood in the eye chamber.
Sudden blindness is always considered a medical emergency, and the cat should be seen by a veterinarian without delay. Feline Hypertension is handled primarily by treating the underlying condition. At the present time there are no medications approved for cats with this condition, although a low-sodium diet may be prescribed by your veterinarian.

 

[Bo B Bunny]

Could be a stroke or something unfortunately. Prissy was playing one day and couldn't move the next.

I'm so sorry - it's so hard

 

[Pipp]

seniorcats wrote:

It could be diabetes which needs a blood test or uveitis, an eye disease treatable with cortisone drops and Dexamethasone pills. It could also be an issue with hyperthyroidism which seems to plague elderly cats and effects every bodily function. Sounds like vet visit time. Cloudy eyes aren't simply a sign of old age.

Yikes, thanks SC.. I'm going to have to find a new vet, pronto, or bite the bullet and hope the old one is better at treating this than he has been with my other cat's problems.

I'll make an appointment ... somewhere ... tomorrow.

She's been my constant companion for 18 years, but honestly, I find it easier to cope with the loss of old pets (and people). I know none of us can live forever, and being very old and slipping away is pretty much the best case scenario available to us.

But Putty wasn't sick before this (bless her), she deserves every opportunity to 'bounce back.'

Thanks for your kind thoughts, all.

sas :clover:

 

[m.e.]

:hug: to you and ray: for Putty.

 

[Leaf]

You may want to check out this blind cat & kitten yahoo group...



http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/blindcatsandkittens/

All of us there have experience with cat blindness - from birth, injury, age or illness.

 

[seniorcats]

Pipp wrote:

seniorcats wrote:

It could be diabetes which needs a blood test or uveitis, an eye disease treatable with cortisone drops and Dexamethasone pills. It could also be an issue with hyperthyroidism which seems to plague elderly cats and effects every bodily function. Sounds like vet visit time. Cloudy eyes aren't simply a sign of old age.

Yikes, thanks SC.. I'm going to have to find a new vet, pronto, or bite the bullet and hope the old one is better at treating this than he has been with my other cat's problems.

I'll make an appointment ... somewhere ... tomorrow.

She's been my constant companion for 18 years, but honestly, I find it easier to cope with the loss of old pets (and people). I know none of us can live forever, and being very old and slipping away is pretty much the best case scenario available to us.

But Putty wasn't sick before this (bless her), she deserves every opportunity to 'bounce back.'

Thanks for your kind thoughts, all.

sas :clover:

Good luck to you both. Blood pressure should be an easy reading for them to get. I would ask about a CBC and thyroid panel for bloodwork especially if she is thin. You mentioned a high metabolism which could be an indicator of hyperthyroidism or diabetes. Both are treatable. Vets usually start with an oral diabetes medicine and then move to injectible insulin. Anti-thyroid meds work well in cats and can usually be purchased online (with a prescription) from a vet supply for a better price. Radioactive iodine as a hyper thyroid treatment to kill the thyroid is pricey ($1,000+ in the US) and probably not the best choice for an 18 year old.

About living forever.... My vet had a Cat Fancy I was reading about cats documented up to age 38. They have an annual seniorcats feature. Our oldest, Tazmanian Devil, died at 22 years.

Let us know how the visit goes.

 

[Pipp]

Thanks Leaf, I did sign up.

And SC, I suspect a thyroid problem only because at her previous 'senior cat' check up, two years ago now (I guess I skipped the 'annual', time flies when you're have fun). I seem to remember the vet mentioning a slightly 'off'thyroid reading, but it was dismissed, she was deemed very healthy. (Wish they would have mentioned the possible complications to watch out for).

If it was diabetes, would she be drinking a lot?She's always been a very skinny, skittish cat.I recently started giving her NutriCal because she was eating her daughter's diet food.

I have to balance her diet with her daughter's -- her daughter is obese and allergic to EVERYTHING, I finally found awet/dry combo that works for her (Felindae dry, Wellness Turkey and Technical Weight Control wet).They all pickat their food (especially Putty, who never eats much when you first put it down) and eat each other's, so that part has been a nightmare. (I havea third gimped cat as well).

I'm thinking it may be timeto introducea raw food diet.onder: Of course this is all happening when I'm FLAT broke (for the first time in years). But one must expect these things with old and gimped kitties. I've been relatively lucky to date.

I'm torn between going back to that vet, who has her records, and going to another onethat may be more asute.I started going to this clinic because they had a great vet there, but she's moved away, now the owner (who I think is a bozo) is the only one left.

:sigh:

Anyway, thanks again for the info.

sas

 

[maherwoman]

I also recommend signing up at www.thecatsite.com and checking out all their health articles. Also, if you sign in, their support system is much like ours here at RO. I completely recommend it. They've got lots of really knowledgeable cat people there that could help with this.

I'll continue prayers for your sweet Putty...ray::heartsurplepansy:

 

[Bunnicula]

Just wondering how Putty is doing.

6 of our 10 kitties are 10+, so I can relate to what you're facing. Our Louise is somewhere between 17 and 21 - we're not sure...she was a Humane League rescue from an abuse case. She's had hyperthyroidism for years, and until recently has done well on her methimazole. Unfortunately, she continues to lose weight though her thyroid readings are within the normal range. We are certain that she is also experiencing kidney disease. But the gal keeps going & going despite being only about 5 lbs.

So, hang in there.It is possibleto provide your cat with a comfortable life in spite of illness or blindness. Give Putty a pet and a snuggle for me.

-Mary Ellen

 

[Leaf]

Bunnicula wrote:

She's had hyperthyroidism for years, and until recently has done well on her methimazole. Unfortunately, she continues to lose weight though her thyroid readings are within the normal range.

-Mary Ellen

A friend of mine recently went through this with her cat of 19 years. One thing her new vet said was Hemphill needed to have her diet switched, as she her bodily needs were changing with advanced age.



I forget what canned (and bagged) food was incorporated into her feeding but I do know that within a short ammount of time the weight issue was resolved.

 

[Bunnicula]

Leaf wrote:

Bunnicula wrote:

She's had hyperthyroidism for years, and until recently has done well on her methimazole. Unfortunately, she continues to lose weight though her thyroid readings are within the normal range.

-Mary Ellen

A friend of mine recently went through this with her cat of 19 years. One thing her new vet said was Hemphill needed to have her diet switched, as she her bodily needs were changing with advanced age.



I forget what canned (and bagged) food was incorporated into her feeding but I do know that within a short ammount of time the weight issue was resolved.

Thanks! We did try a prescription food geared to cats with kidney disease. Louise hated it: both the dry and the canned. It wasn't worth the money to have it waste away in the bowl. None of the other 9 cats would go near it either.

So, Louise gets whatever food she wants, in whatever quantaties she wants, at whatever time she wants it. She's the queen of midnight snacks. But I figure at this point in life she deserves to have he way unless it would reduce her quality of life. And she's as active and vocal as ever.

 

[Pipp]

Thanks guys...

I took Putty in yesterday, got an appointment with a third vet seeing as the original one with her records was closed on Wednesdays, as was my bunny vet (they were all away at a convention,abit odd, but at least they're learning something).

Basically all that happened at vet #3 was a full work up, advice pending the results. They did say right off the bather blood pressure was very high. .

I had to phone today for the results, but they weren't in. Isuggested that they prescribe something for the high blood pressure even without the results, they agreed, have to go pick it up now, not sure what it is, other than I need to give her a 1/4 tab of it every 24 hours.

I also asked about diet but I guess without the results, no response. I did get a sample ofa Medi-cal (?) Senior diet, canned and dry. It has fish in it, so I"ll have to figure out how to feed it to her without her allergic daughter getting any. (Putty only picks at food at first, and won't eat at all if I lock her in a room).

I think I will also take her to the clinic with her old records as Leaf suggested in the blindkitty forum.Bill so far is $270 I think. Definitely going to have to sell my car! (I don't use it, anyway).

Thanks again for your help!

sas and putty

 

[Greta]

ray: :hug1 :clover: For you and Putty

 

[Bo B Bunny]

Any news today? I have been thinking about her and you!

 

[m.e.]

:bump

 

[Pipp]

Hey M.E., how's your kitty?

I've got a splitting headache, which I thought was either from smashing my eye socket against my excercise bike(aka the semi-clean laundryhanger), the start of a cold/flu, or stress, but no. It's looking like it's a tooth ache and I'll need a root canal. (Although given the current finances, I'll probably have it pulled). :cry1:

Putty'stests came back all clear. :shock: All her kidney and thyroid levels were nothing to be concerned about. I'm not impressed with the vet, for $250, all she did is shrug. Even with support questions like diet. :grumpy:

She's referred me to an eye specialist, I think just the visit is a couple hundred, and I"m not sure what they can tell me, I think the question is still what caused the hypertension. I'm half thinking about seeing another regular vet, first, but I guess that wouldn't be prudent.

Putty is still blind. I'll have to post on the kitty boards and see what they think the chances are her retinas will re-attach.

The eye specialist at least is close to the hospital where my mom is (she broke her hip, has a ton of other problems). That's good news. I guess.

sas :?

 

[Bassetluv]

((((HUGS))) for you and for Putty, sas. Unfortunately I have nothing to offer in the way of suggestions...just wanted to say I do hope you discover the cause of your girl's blindness.

I did have a friend who owned a couple of dachsies many years ago, and her female (Oinky) wound up losing her eyesight...I forget the cause now. But what was interesting was the fact that we discovered she was blind when we watched her trotting around in my backyard one day and she bonked straight into a lawn chair. So my friend took her to the vet's, and the doctor who examinedOinky said that she probably had been blind for quite some time...she was simply quite adept at knowing her surroundings at home and managed to get around easily on her own. I'm wondering if your Putty has had the same thing...perhaps the blindness came about gradually and she was able to get around well despite her failing eyesight.

It's hard when they get older and begin having health concerns...my prayers are going out to Putty...ray: