Another Challenge This Way Comes: Blind cat with PTSD

[Siamic]

This is the first blind cat we have ever had at our rescue and certainly a new challenge for me as a cat behavior consultant. Name is Stevie and he is 8 years old. We are working with him on the various challenges that are being presented. It will be quite the challenge. We are doing bird sounds on the television along with other fun sounds, catnip, silver vine sticks, feliway, calming collar and a slew of toys. And we are working on many other enrichment outlets. Stevie has a 30 square foot enclosure with plenty of space but not too much to overwhelm him either.

Unfortunately he flips a switch instantly at the smell of other cats so he has his own space that he can enjoy. And he get stroller rides outside - he thrives on having outdoor air. He has PTSD from living on the streets of Dubai, India and having lost both of his eyes due to cat fights, infections and so on. Stevie needs to be the king of his castle. He will love you, head butt and rub up against you, but he will also turn and hiss if he senses anything that causes him to fear, eg: other cats, feeling like he is trapped or restrained, too fast movements. He tends to hiss and growl a lot as just to say stay back and don't hurt me, but we believe that in the right home he can make a great addition.

Anyone have experience with blind cats? Any neat tricks, toys or behavior enrichment that is tied and true for them with their heightened senses? Obviously he has been through so much. But we are not going to give up on him even though the lady offered to take him back if he did not work out at the rescue. Yesterday he really calmed down for bird sounds and silver vine sticks.

 

[tabbytom]

Anyone have experience with blind cats?

Thank you for taking in Stevie

I do not have experience with blind cats but we do have an article on blind cats and the comments after the article may be helpful to you :- blind-cats

 

[moxiewild]

Utilize scent, sound, and tactility. Ooof. Brace yourself...

I’ve cared for many blind animals of many different species.

There was some social media challenge this past year with some Sandra Bullocks movie on Netflix where people blind folded themselves and walked around (I don’t know the exact details).

I think it was criticized for being dangerous, and it is - but I highly recommend doing it, just with a partner by your side. Pay very close attention to what areas are harder or easier to navigate, and why. Then apply that to what you do.

Routine -

Sound will be your very best friend with a blind cat. Announce softly when you enter his room and when you leave. Use the same words every time. “Hi”/“bye” will literally do.

Announce when you’re close, announce when you’re about to touch him, announce when you’ll be walking by him but not touching him, announce when you’ll pick him up, brush him, etc.

Again, always use the same word for every specific action in order to create associations. And be consistent.

Cats like routine and are stressed by unpredictability. For a blind cat, it’s up to you to bridge the gap. Take the guesswork out of as many things as possible (note, some cats, even blind cats, actually do enjoy “new”, so take that into account. However, I am making some assumptions based on your description of this particular kitty).

Refrain from changing his environment. Routine will be more important for a blind, traumatized, anxious senior cat than almost any other cat you can think of.

Navigation -

Now, I’ve had quite a few blind fosters before, but it wasn’t until my little “Unadoptable Oliver” came to me that I really started using more than sound - he’s not only blind, but also deaf.

Since him, I’ve had two blind-but-hearing fosters come and go, and what I’ve learned from Oliver helped me to make their lives even easier than the blind animals before them.

I have only two real senses to work with when it comes to Oliver - scent and tactility.

Initially, I majorly goofed. I thought “well, he can’t hear anything, but he can still feel a thump on the ground!” He’s a super laid back cat, so it took me longer than I’d like to admit to realize this stressed him.

But it was really, really hard to figure out what to do without two primary senses.

Here’s what I do now -

I leave scent and texture trails and indicators all around the house for Oliver.

“No Go/Danger Zones” (doors outside and fussy cat territories, respectively) are marked by a particular scent, and mat texture.

Water and food share the same scent and texture.

I add Dr. Elsey’s liter additive solely to help finding the boxes easier for him.

Hallways also have a particular scent and mat texture because he was frequently getting “lost” in them.

The stairs are also assigned a scent and texture at both the bottom and the top.

There is then a scent for the couches specifically (and an area rug there already), and one scent for all the other places he likes to sleep most.

For rugs, I use rubber mats, uniquely textured mats, sisal, bath mats, roughly textured outdoor mats, etc.

For scents... honestly, I’m actually using Jackson Galaxy’s Spirit Essences, but only because he had the variety I needed, and I really was (and still am not) sure what is safe for cats, who are particularly sensitive to fragrance (including essential oils). There might be a better/cheaper alternative, but I’ve yet to find it so far.

The upfront cost is a lot. But the Spirit Essences last forever because I only use 2-3 drops every 2-3 weeks per area. I actually spoke with a specialist about application and had Oliver’s ‘niffer tested to be sure he could smell alright.

Stress Reduction -

Rather than bird sounds (or alternating with bird sounds), I would look into classical (solo) harp, classical music (particularly string instruments), and perhaps David Teie’s Music for Cats - all of which have scientific support for their efficacy in calming cats. I think this is especially important for any cat struggling with anxiety issues.

Composure treats and Composure liquid max are made by a reputable brand and are popular in the rescue community.

So is Bach’s Rescue Remedy, although I am admittedly very skeptical of non-evidence based medicine and treatments.

Zyklene is also purported to be quite effective

***Use caution with the calming collar. Many are not break away, and aside from obvious risks with that, I have had/heard/seen dozens too many horror stories about cats getting their jaw stuck in their collar, leading to it deeply cutting into the sides of their mouths, suffocating, choking on stress-induced vomit, physical injury trying to get it off, etc. Additionally, skin issues from fur loss to chemical burns.

So just be careful. I’ve not heard of a single other product on the market causing consistent, identical issues by such a disturbing amount if people more than I have for calming collars.

Play\Enrichment -

For play, get a tarp. It took a lot of trial and error with several blind animals to figure out what worked best, but most cats (and dogs) LOVE tarps, and especially playing with/in them.

I learned they could really feel and anticipate where the toy was like this. They can even navigate where to hide so they could stalk and pounce.

There’s a lot going on to really engage the senses (I let tarps thoroughly air out outside for a few days, then spray them down with catnip spray).

I would especially suggest this for a senior like Stevie since they don’t always get into playtime even when they can see. Younger, energetic blind cats don’t always need a tarp, but seniors often need help with motivation/engagement.

Focus more on providing him varied textures in bedding/perched/trees, etc. don’t use the same texture twice in his room, and offer him more resting spots than you do other cats.

Examples - super plush blankets, thin blankets, mats, cardboard box, packaging paper (Amazon and Chewy are great sources for this!), soft beds, “structured side” beds, sisal mats, etc.

For a senior cat in particular, I would also highly recommend Reflectix insulation (it will reflect heat back to him). I make winter shelters for ferals every year and the biggest pain in the ass about it is that all of my cats are obsessed with sitting on the sheets of Reflectix every damn time I turn my back for even 0.02467 seconds. If you have no use for a roll, then a Mylar/Space/Emergency blanket is a good alternative (can be found under “Emergency Blanket” at grocery stores).

On that note, I’d also recommend a Snuggle Safe. All cats love heat, seniors do especially, and for a blind cat, it’s just another thing to engage the senses. Heat one up at night or just certain days of the week for consistency.

Utilize different perches and hiding places. A hammock, a cardboard box, a hard U shape like you see on a lot of cat trees, tubes and tunnels, baskets, etc.

Different textured scratchers and shapes.

Get you one of these -

Amazon.com : Peteast Catnip Cat Toys, Edible Catnip Toys Balls Safe and Healthy Catnip Cat Family Chasing Game Toys, Cleaning Teeth, Protecting The Stomach : Pet Supplies

And one of these -

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B082HPQDNF/?tag=&tag=thecatsite

And one of these (green) -


A squeaky mouse, jingle balls, crinkle balls, plastic springs, rubber dental toys, mesh dental toys, squeaky and/or rough dog toys meant for small dogs/puppies, etc. Tailor based on his activity level, personality, destructive habits/safety, and finances, but aim for very varied textures, shapes, and sounds.

Hang a big, thick rope from one or two places. You can buy some at Home Depot, but usually tug-of-war ropes meant for medium-big dogs will also work.

Get him a stuffed animal/cuddle buddy. Some cats like them small, others like them almost as big as they are, others like them pretty huge (usually the cats who like those also like to hump them and things like super plush blankets ). And of course, some cats are just not interested at all.

Use treat puzzles, mazes, and treat balls with stinky treats (like Purebites chicken or temptations) or dry kibbles.

Serve his food in slow feeders and/or snuffle mats a few times a week.

When Oliver still had his own room, I could even hide treats all around the room so he could scavenge/forage. I rotated puzzles every night and treats weekly and stuck to a schedule - maze, treat ball, different maze, forage, repeat. I would switch the mazes/treat ball only every month (I have about 10+ different ones).

I have also heard of people using Kong dog treat toys for their cats, but I’m not clear on what they put in them?

Get a water fountain if possible!!!

Engage his taste buds - a sardine, a small amount of tuna, some peices of chicken, a raw egg, or some chicken baby food are all tasty, relatively healthy treats if given only 1-2x/week.

Chicken or bone broth (homemade is best since it can be difficult to find these without sodium or spices added, but sometimes I luck out) or goat milk (particularly raw) and even KMR (Pet Ag powdered, especially in goat milk base is usually preferred) are also healthy treats that also encourage hydration.

Fortiflora on top of food occasionally will also be a nice surprise (most cats love the smell/taste).

Raw or freeze dried chicken/turkey necks (always supervise).

I was going to mention silvervine sticks too, but you’ve already got that covered!

There’s a lot you can do, you’ll just need to get creative! Eventually you’ll find yourself in the habit of automatically considering other senses when it comes to enrichment

 

[Hellenww]

What a sweet face Stevie has. Thank you for caring for this special boy!

moxiewild that's a wonderful guide. This would make a great article for the site so it could be easily found.

 

[fionasmom]

moxiewild certainly has covered an amazing amount of information and the only thing I am going to stress from having had blind dogs is routine. Whatever you are doing, he needs to know that it will be repeated and a part of his world. With a dog, never moving anything in their world is imperative to their success.

 

[Pjg8r]

I have a blind kitten that I’ve had for three months now. The suggestions above are excellent. I always speak to her when I reenter a room. She has been excellent about using the litter box. Crinkle balls and cat dancer toys that I click and then drag or throw are her favorite toys. She climbs up and down the cat tree and the chairs. In fact I had to remove the highest shelf from one tree because she made me nervous. She does live with her one eyed brother and three adult cats. She navigates everywhere and items are moved however the large pieces of furniture have remained constant. Don’t ever pick the cat up and carry it- it will have no idea where it is. Things like human sneezing scare her because they are sudden and she obviously doesn’t know they are coming. I have a thread how to make a blind kitten comfortable that tells some of her story. Good luck!

 

[Elphaba09]

How wonderful for you to take in Stevie and helping to find him a home! Poor sweet baby! I have C-PTSD. It can be terrifying. I can only imagine how terrifying it is for a cat!

My neighbor's daughter lost all but one of her cats and all three of her dogs to a house fire a couple of years ago. I texted my neighbor who is waiting for her daughter to text her back. My neighbor remembers picking up melatonin, L-theanine. and omega 3 fatty acids for her. The vet also gave her a prescription. She thinks it started with a "p." My guess is prazosin, which is one of the medications that I take and I have heard of it being given to cats. It would not hurt to talk to the vet about stronger medications.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Wow. EVERY idea I had, plus several I hadn't even thought of have been given to you! What an amazingly knowledgeable group we have! So, I'll just say...thank you for taking the time and patience that this beautiful boy needs!

 

[FeebysOwner]

And, should it help at all, here is the link to Pjg8r 's thread: Making A Blind Kitten Comfortable