Our Cat Has Gone Blind: Sudden Blindness in Cats

Sudden blindness in cats isn’t as unusual as you would think. Last night my husband and I realized that Peanut Butter had gone blind. If I get emotional telling you this story, you’ll have to bear with me, because I’m not talking about hypotheticals. For the past several weeks, we’ve had Peanut Butter on an oral pain medication to help her cope with the pain of advanced arthritis. But she wasn’t improving much.

Surprised by Sudden Blindness in Cats

Last night we were concerned because she was moving very hesitantly. After watching her creep along the edge of walls and furniture, my husband said, “Lori, I don’t think the cat can see anymore.” Soon after that observation, Peanut Butter, who was halfway up a flight of stairs, turned toward Bruce’s voice and calmly stepped out into the void, falling four feet off the end of a step.We wrapped her in her favorite blanket and drove to the 24-hour veterinarian’s office where they confirmed the diagnosis. Peanut Butter was suffering from sudden blindness. There are several causes of sudden blindness in cats, including: hypertension, diabetes, thyroid problems, kidney disease and side effects to medicine. Peanut Butter was checked for all of these. The only thing abnormal was her (slightly) elevated blood pressure, which could have been due to her apprehension being blind at the vet’s office. Nevertheless, the veterinarian opted to give Peanut Butter a low dose of high blood pressure medication as well as a new pain reliever, since she was still obviously in pain with her hips.

Cats Adapt Quickly to Sudden Blindness

Now what? Now we wait. Her eyesight might return if we are lucky. Or not. We will be watching her closely and won’t move anything in the house while we wait to see what happens. Sudden blindness in cats isn’t all that unusual in older cats, and PB is 17 years old. But watching her adjust to being sightless is both distressing and heartening. She can still sense light and dark in her left pupil, so she walks along the wall on her left side, feeling in front of her as she slowly walks. When she gets to a chair or other obstacle, she walks with it to her left, making longer paths than necessary in order to adjust to this “new normal.” I wish people could adjust this quickly to a sudden loss of one of their senses!

Peanut Butter has also found a place to relax that’s safe and secure. She curls up on her quilt next to the heat vent in the family room. When she is there, no one can accidentally bump her, etc., as she is next to the wall on one side and next to the sofa on the other side. She seems content to sit here and take naps and let us sit on the sofa and reach over to pet her. Instinct is a great thing – she knows what she needs to do to be safe.

Sudden Blindness in Cats Always Means a Trip to the Veterinarian’s Office

While some forms of sudden blindness are permanent (retinal detachment is one example of this), cats can and do get better if treated quickly. If you suspect your feline’s eyesight is diminishing rapidly or is already gone, get an appointment with your local veterinarian as soon as possible. In some cases, blindness can be reversed if caught early enough. We don’t know yet what will happen with Peanut Butter, but since it is related to hypertension and she is now on blood pressure medication, we could see some improvement in at least one eye. Diabetes is another culprit that can lead to temporary or permanent blindness. Always assume there is a positive outcome possible and talk to your veterinarian about treatment options.

Peanut Butter’s Tenacity vs. Her Age

We knew that watching our pets grow older would lead to sadness, but I have to admire Peanut Butter’s tenacity. Of course, our vet has warned us that this could be the first symptom in a domino effect of health and mobility problems since she is a senior cat. She’s lost weight recently, and sometimes cats simply die because their bodies have worn out. At less than nine pounds, Peanut Butter doesn’t have much to work with. Despite eating well, she is losing weight steadily. With this trifecta of problems – weight loss, pain and blindness – I have to brace myself for the fact that eventually – probably much sooner than I’m ready – Peanut Butter will simply fade away. If the pain becomes too much for her, we may have to help her cross the Rainbow Bridge.

Peanut Butter has been a pest, a companion, a napping buddy, a comedienne and much more to our family these last seventeen years. I hope when it is her time to leave us, I am strong enough to make the right choice for her. In the meantime, we’ll reassure her with our voices, our touches and our presence. If you could send healing thoughts our way, we appreciate those very much!