Moving home with a newly blind cat - advice needed

[ymv13]

Hello

I am in the process of moving from a flat to a house and will be taking my lovely 21 year old cat with me. She has been partially deaf for a couple of years and was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism in January. My worry about now she will cope with the move has been made greater because she has now gone blind, due to high blood pressure. She is managing to find her way around after a couple of stressful days, but I am now petrified that she will not cope at all with a move, especially as she has never experienced stairs before and is used to sleeping either on my bed or under it. I dread the though of leaving her downstairs in the new home at night with me upstairs and also having to leave her when I go back to work after the move.

Can anyone offer me any comfort that she will cope and find her way around with only smell to guide her.

Yvonne

[booktigger]

Sorry to hear about your cat's health issues. I've fostered both a partially blind and deaf cat and a completely blind and deaf cat - both had been found wandering the streets so we didn't know their background, and they coped quite well with new surroundings, although to be fair, they were both kept in one room, mainly because one of the cats I had at the time wasn't good with them, but when I could supervise them, the partially blind/deaf cat was very quick and had no issues with the stairs.

[ymv13]

Thank you for that re-assurance. I am probably stressing more than the cat ever will, but as I am still getting my head round the fact that my baby can no longer see, I am struggling with my emotions and thinking that I am being cruel by moving home.

Yvonne

[Lilith]

Hi, I DON'T think you're being cruel. Your concern is obvious and as Booktigger describes, cats can amaze you.

To start out in one room as well, would be ideal I think, and maybe confine her in there while you're at work, until she learns the place. I once had an elderly cat with wonky eyesight and she'd toddle down into the cellar to use the trays, which were kept down there; I never had to 'special' her in that respect.

21 is a great age - congrats on your care and to her as well

[Crewella]

Your concern for her is obvious, but I'm sure she'll cope with plenty of love and support. I agree with the others that starting her off in one room is the best way. When my Alpha went blind I used to tap the floor in front of her, or do little stampy 'fairy steps' for her to follow when I wanted to guide her into unfamiliar territory or when I had moved things around. On the rare occasions that she bumped into things I'd say 'oops' and gradually it became that if I said 'oops' she'd stop, so I was able to warn her of something in her path. She can then use her other senses of smell, touch and sound to familiarise herself with her new surroundings - it's amazing how they do learn to cope.

The one thing I would do is keep her with you at night, as that's what she is used to. You're right to worry about her on her own at night in a new environment - your presence will be a great comfort to her. Good luck.

[Gothgranny]

Moving house with a blind cat
These are not definitive rules, but common sense guidelines. For the most part they are similar to settling a sighted cat into a new home - starting with one room and expanding this territory over time. For a blind cat, you will need to take extra care that the surroundings are safe and progress may be slower. Encouragement, reassurance and rewards are essential.
Before you move, get your cat used to spending time or sleeping in a room on his own. Make sure the room is kitted out with a litter tray, a bed and with food and water. These facilities will be in addition to his normal litter tray, bed and eating area. This is necessary because you will have to confine him to one room when you arrive at your new home. Spend time with him in that room before closing the door for the night. So that he knows it is not a punishment, put some treat foods (varying these over time) in the room or give him special fuss e.g. petting, grooming. He will associate the room with quality time. If possible, spend the first few nights in there with him. Leaving a radio playing on low volume will provide company if you feel he is suffering from loneliness.
After you move, you will have to introduce your blind cat one room at a time to the new home. This room must be set up with familiar things (bed, litter tray) and will be his new "safe room". He needs to scent mark (with his cheek glands and flanks) the new surroundings so he can find his way and feel at home. He also needs to feel his way around and memorise his surroundings. This is best done one room at a time. At first it will be difficult to watch because he does not know where he is.
When he gets his bearings on the first room, let him extend his boundaries. Supervise these excursions until he seems confident. If you are in a home with multiple floors, temporarily block off the stairs. Use your voice to provide encouragement for him to follow you. Getting down on hands and knees to "walk him around" may help (I have used this trick with a very shy sighted cat). At first he must spend his nights in his safe room until he gains confidence and has memorised his surroundings. Once he is familiar with one level, you can extend his boundaries to the next level at his own pace i.e. remove the block on the stairs. When you can't be there to supervise, confine him to the original level until he is confident on the stairs and on both upstairs and downstairs.
Eventually you will have to shift his core territory from the safe room to the intended sleeping, eating and eliminating area. He may already have chosen a preferred area and you can move his bed and his food there. More likely you will have to duplicate his sleeping, eating and eliminating facilities i.e. one set in his safe room and one set in the final areas (living room, kitchen, bathroom etc) otherwise he will get totally confused at the sudden disappearance of his litter tray and accidents may result.
When he is consistently using the tray in the preferred location, you can remove the one in the safe room Make sure there are lots of treats and plenty of interaction while he settles into the new surrounding. Provide encouragement to explore and reassurance when he becomes disoriented or uncertain. If he becomes disoriented, guide him back to a familiar place, preferably with your voice or be walking with him. Only pick him up and place him in a familiar place (e.g. his bed) as a last resort.
© Messybeast

[catslave16]

It's amazing how well cats can cope with what we consider serious disabilities. I had a little tortie who went completely blind at the age of 13, but lived another two years. I've told this story before on this forum, how she'd pick her way through my son's lego which was all over the living room, how she still went outside and you'd never guess she was blind. She used her whiskers as well as her sense of smell.
I agree with the advice people are giving but I'd just like to tell you to try not to worry too much. That's easy to say, but really, cats are amazingly adaptable. Good luck with the move, and congrats on having loved and looked after her so well - 21 is a pretty amazing age. Hugs to her.

[Mayday21]

Hi Yvonne please keep posting re: your move. Congrats on reaching 21 glorious years with your fur baby. I had my tortie Mayday, my avatar, for 21 yrs 7 mths & she too had gone blind but knew her way round. She was such a treasure & a real gentle soul. She also had 3 legs - her rhs back leg was lost in a horrific accident - someone had put a trap out & she got caught but managed to escape with a very mangled leg. It happened within 15 mins of me being home & when I used to let her & Crystal out while I got their dinner. Give your fur baby a huge ((((hug)))) for me. Vivian