Can She See?

GranolaLouise

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 26, 2022
Messages
1,876
Purraise
1,547
Location
Massachusetts
Hi everyone! First time cat owner, first time poster.
I adopted an 8 yr old calico who is a sweetie!
She had a great vet exam, but I have noticed that when I put a treat in front of her on the floor, she does not see it at all! I have to continually point to where it is!
She sits a distance away from the tv and watches Cat TV great, following the movement s of all the birds and squirrels, etc. She seems to have no trouble as I watch her eye movements as she views.
Is this a norm?
 

fionasmom

Moderator
Staff Member
Moderator
Joined
Jun 21, 2014
Messages
13,123
Purraise
17,354
Location
Los Angeles
Cats cannot see what is immediately in front of them. It is not blindness or an eye condition. My cats never know if a treat is very close to them and I have to call their attention to it, or tap the dish. The estimated distance is about a foot, but I have heard that it can sometimes be slightly further.

Did the vet say anything about her eyes? Does she follow a toy if you play with her, like a wand toy? Not falling off furniture or walking too closely or into objects?
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #3

GranolaLouise

TCS Member
Thread starter
Top Cat
Joined
Sep 26, 2022
Messages
1,876
Purraise
1,547
Location
Massachusetts
Toys? What are they? LOL. She has absolutely no interest in ANY of the toys I puchased . For a few days she played with the feather fishing pole thingy, but now she jut looks the other way. She'd rather watch the feathers on live birds on Cat TV! I figured it was because she was older . I don;t think her previous owner(she died) ever played with her.

The vet did not say anything about sight because I did not mention it. I just noticed it recently...we are into 2 weeks now in her new home.
 

fionasmom

Moderator
Staff Member
Moderator
Joined
Jun 21, 2014
Messages
13,123
Purraise
17,354
Location
Los Angeles
You are very kind to have given this older girl a new home. A couple of other things do figure into this...if she was not played with before, she may not care now or not know how. It can also be personality. Some cats love wand toys or kickeroos, and other just don't care. Older cats are much more settled than kittens and younger cats, so playtime can often fall off drastically. Try to get her to move around and exercise if you can.

If her eyes appear normal and she is functioning successfully in her new home, I would just continue to watch her. See if it makes any difference if the treats you give her are about a foot away when you present them. If something seems amiss, you can contact the vet then.
 

FeebysOwner

TCS Member
Staff Member
Forum Helper
Joined
Jun 13, 2018
Messages
22,436
Purraise
33,200
Location
Central FL (Born in OH)
Hi. Is it possible this is more a smell issue rather than eyesight? Usually, cats can seek out a treat probably more so with smell than sight. Maybe test a really smelly treat to see if that makes a difference?
 

CyberTiger

TCS Member
Young Cat
Joined
Sep 5, 2022
Messages
53
Purraise
67
Cats are farsighted compared to us. Their nose (sense of smell) and whiskers (sense of touch) allow them to deal with things up close.

So yeah, if they don't/can't notice the smell of food or a treat up close, they may need some extra help. I like to help kitties find the little crumbs they missed.
 
Top