15 year-old with vision loss due to cataracts and anxiety

david68

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My oldest cat is 15 and otherwise pretty healthy, but he has cataracts that are slowly diminishing his vision.

He will periodically start doing what I call "distress meowing," that peculiar yowling sound they make when something is wrong. He'll either find me and jump up in my lap or wait for me to come to him. He wants to be picked up and held, and he starts purring and rubbing against me.

Is this typical behavior for a cat made anxious by the fact that his vision is failing? He's always been a little on the high-strung side. I've had him since he was a couple of weeks old, and he's very attached to me.
 

fionasmom

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I would say that this behavior could be from distress about the loss of vision. Especially in a cat who is anxious, he may feel insecure and may want to be sure that you are around. If he has lived in the same house for many years, and if the furniture is not moved around, he should be able to adjust. Cataracts come slowly, so he is probably quite secure in your house and he probably does know where everything is. Don't move furniture or anything that he is dependent upon using.

Having said all that, watch for any signs that his anxiety is not from the blindness but from some other cause that might need the vet's attention. Look out for litter box regularity, food and water consumption, anything else that might indicate that he is having another medical issue which is masked by the blindness.
 

di and bob

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He may be getting a little 'senile' too, older cats often do and feel confused and anxious. Just love on him and make him feel as secure as you can......
 

FeebysOwner

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It may or may not be of any help, but for darker areas of the house try to ensure they are lit with night lights or something similar. It might help to make him feel more secure while he still has some of his vision left. It also helps older cats who just feeling a bit less confident in general.

You might want to consider using pheromones (Feliway diffusers are one example) around the house. They can help some cats who tend to be anxious, and might also serve as a guiding beacon for him as his sight further diminishes and he has to rely more on smells.

Feeby (17+ yo) does the 'distress meowing' at varying times of the day; the vet thinks her sight/hearing are just fine, and she doesn't demonstrate (yet) senility that I can tell, so I tend to think it is more the slow loss of a sense of security that seems to come with age.
 
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