Need Advice...

[catcrazylady]

Ok guys I'm thinking way to much and I'm probably going to get myself into trouble. I'm thinking about adopting or fostering the blind kitty (Ocular,I hate that name! ) I'm only thinking about it and I haven't even discussed it with the director yet or my poor hubby! He is not comfortable outside of his cage so I would need a large cage or kennel to keep him in. I don't think I can afford that but I would have to see. BUT since he would be spending most of his time in a cage I wouldn't have to worry to much about how my cats react. He would only be out when I was there and monitoring.
I have NO experience with a blind cat. I know I have heard they do really well once they adjust to their surroundings. This is only in the considering stage but I want advice from the pro's! I don't want to get into something more than I'm able to handle. I'm gone so much of the day and would only be there for him in the evenings and weekends. It's more than he gets now I'm sure but I hate the thought of him being lonely.
I know you all will immediatley say "Go For It" but think about what you would do if it was you.
Hubby will probably veto this immediatley but we have ways around that!!
http://petoftheday.com/talk/images/our_smilies/wink.gif http://petoftheday.com/talk/images/our_smilies/biggrin.gif

[catmandu]

I adopted a Blind cat , Ebony who had be blinded , in a Lab , and was brought here , by Animal Rescue , about 8 years ago. He stayed in the Spre Bedroom , and was able to manuever ver well , and only had accidents when the litter was on the floor. He spent a lot of his time , in the Closet , and in the three years that he was here , I saw him , maybe a dozen times.He was so afraid , but Mr. Fluffy , Mr Scrappy , and the other Cats realized his handicap , and actually guided him to his food bowl , and Smokey , 22 , brought him human food , carrying it in his mouth.He contrcated a Skin Disesase , from somethomg theyu did to the Poor Cat , at the Lab , and they had to put him to sleep. And not a day goes by ,that I dont think of Old Smokey , carrying a Pork chop , that he wanted , to his Blind Pal.If you can help that Poor Blind Cat , you will be rewarded ,beyond you wildest Dreams.Bless You, and please keep us informed! They shared the Pork Chop!

[sirrahbed]

Hey Lisa, "Ocular" has been on my mind today and I have been thinking what might be good for him - your idea fits with what I am thinking:D Not for you to keep him permanently - but to keep him as something of a foster for an elderly person being cared for by a caretaker!!! Wouldn't that be an ideal situation for him? To live in one or two rooms with an elderly person?? The caretaker of course would have to feed and clean up after him, but what a blessing he would be for the elderly!!! His time with you (or whomever) would see if he would be suitable and gentle, happy to be fairly confined, etc. Just something I have been thinking about today!! Could you bear to keep him, knowing you might have to give him up???

I am probably just dreaming here because it would mean additional work for the caretaker...they would have to love cats ...but if they realized the enormous benefits this could be to the elderly or infirm....:)..or even a blind person!!

[Sara luvs her Tinky]

I don't have any advice but ... i saw his story and picture in your other post and would love to see Ocular have a wonderful furrever home. I don't personally know the challenges of owning a blind cat but i think sirrahbed had a nice idea for him to live with an elderly person...


keep us updated... i would loove to hear that you can take him.:)

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

I'm one that is going to say if you can work around hubby's veto - go for it! I was actually already scheming on how to get around Terry's veto - which isn't likely - but like you, I hate the thought of him being alone in that cage all day. I have no experience with blind kitties so I can't help you there, but from what Catmandu says, and from what I've read here about other blind kitties, the others will help him. Probably one will take over as his caretaker like with rkidsrcats Pippin (I think it is). She would actually be the one to ask advice from because she has a blind kitty and others who are "sight challenged."

I would be so grateful if you did take him because then I could stop worrying about him. ;) :)

[catcrazylady]

You guys are so sweet! See you just see his picture and you go crazy like me!
Catmandu-That porkchop story made me cry! I can't imagine any of my brats being that kind but I guess you never know! There could be some magic in the making but that would remain to be seen!
Sirrahbed-I love your idea but you know me well enough to know that if he comes home with me then that is where he will stay! I would only do the foster thing for his vet care but if someone wanted to adopt him I wouldn't take him back. I would adopt him forever. I don't think anyone would even know about him because I'm not putting him online!
Of course, I say all this without fully checking into any of the details and also assuming that my brats don't totally freak out and try to hurt him through the cage. I really don't see that happening but you never know. Not to mention the fact that hubby hasn't heard a word about any of this!
I'm going to do some more investigating to be sure that the director doesn't already have some wonderful plan for this wonderful guy and start bribing the hubby! You never know he might be all for it (NOT!)
I will keep you all posted!

[Ally Cat's Mommy]

I can't think of a better home for Ocular, but I can't offer any advice about a blind cat. I suppose as you say, if you weigh up the attention he gets at the shelter, he would get more attention at your house, so the obvious conclusion would be that it is a good idea.

If you do decide to go for it, know that you have all our thoughts and prayers supporting you.

[jazzcat]

Of course I say go for it if everything looks good once you've checked into the details.

Since I know I can't do anything like that because of my husband's vetoes then I'll have to live vicariously through others.:D

[rkidsrcats]

Hi CCL - we got your PM and are ready to help!
Without knowing Ockey's temperment or disposition, I will say off the bat that if he is normally a calm, friendly cat, he will not stay confined to a cage or a few rooms for long. He will use the cage as a safe place when scared, but he will explore. Obviously, your idea of keeping him confined to one area of the house is good at first, but don't be surprised when you find him wanting to explore more. We just allowed Pips to take it at his own pace, and at that time, we were both gone most of the day.

But they figure things out fast! For example, when I brought Pips home, I immediately got the flu and Jim had to take over the intro duties with a blind 5 month old kitten. He didn't know any better and just took the kid everywhere in the house and let him sniff around. Combined with TigerTiger being big brother, Pippin was tooling around the upstairs within a week! My point is not to assume that Ockey will only want to stay in his cage. When he becomes comfortable, he will want to be with you or the other cats that seem friendly. Hopefully, some of your tribe will be interested in making friends, but they will be wary of him at first, having never seen a cat that bumps into things.

He will memorize the house layout very quickly - via rugs on the floor, changes in flooring texture, corners of rooms and hallways, how sound bounces off the walls, what sounds come from what areas of the house (Pips can hear the fridge door a mile away!). I'm convinced that cats rely much more on their whiskers and ears than their eyes when sensing things and I have read that they don't see well close up anyway. That said, try to keep things consistent for him at first - no major renovations or furniture moving! Cat boxes in the same place always. And we put a rug in front of the catbox so Pips knew he was getting close!

And this goes without saying, I'm sure (although I goofed a couple of times at the toy store...) buy toys that rattle, squeak or otherwise make a little noise. Ockey can't see what he can't hear!
Pips just got himself a track ball toy and loves the sound of the ball going round and round - very intriguing at 3 AM.

Couple of other tricks...we built a little ramp to attach to the cat tree for getting up an down without crashing. And, we stacked storage bins with soft blankets around the beds so he could get up and down via the stair step method. Eventually though, Pips learned how far the jump from the bed to the floor was and didn't need this "baby stuff" anymore! Basically though, whatever they can jump up to...give them a way to get down safely by not jumping.

And finally, when blind cats get scared, they get low and backup usually against a wall, corner or piece of furniture. They backup, because they want to keep their hearing oriented in front of them, so if he does get scared, stop your movement, let him get himself oriented first before you start walking toward him to pick him up, otherwise he will panic. Pips rarely gets freaked, but when he does, I kneel down to talk to him, so I don't seem so big. Remember they are going to judge size by where the sound comes from...

Hey, if you take this guy home, you are going to figure things out, I'm sure, but the most important thing is that they just want to be loved. They adapt to the physical stuff very well once they know they are loved and wanted in this world!

Good luck and don't hesitate to ask Pippin, William and TigerTiger for any other tips!

[catcrazylady]

Wow! I knew you would be a fountain of info! My plan was to keep him kenneled during the day and very slowly let him out and about only when we were home. I guess I thought he would always stay in the kennel but I may be very wrong! I have no rooms that I can block off strictly for him. I have a very old house and one room leads off of others so we and the other cats need access with no doors closed. I could use a small gate I suppose and the others could jump over it. That would keep him confined to a few small rooms until he was ready to move on. He would have to be kenneled for some time in the beginning to get everyone used to each other and then I guess it would be just one step at a time after that. HMMMM, lots to think about!
Thank you so very much for all the tips and advice. I'm going to have to really start checking into this.
Got to get by hubby first!! Wish me luck!!!

btw-He is extremely gentle, kind and very very loving! He follows your voice and lays his head up to the cage to be petted. I picked him up for the first time and he held on really tight but enjoyed being held. I understood his fear of being dropped so I made sure I held him securely. He is a true sweetheart but I don't know how he will do with other cats. He is alone in a cage so I don't know how that would go but his personality shows no signs of aggression. I'm guessing that it would be like introducing any other cat...hold your breath and pray for the best!

[Kirsten]

I must have missed Ocular's story, but it's wonderful of you to think about adopting him.

I don't have experiences with blind cats, but you've already got great info here, and I also have heard that they can live a good life as indoor cats once they have adjusted to their home.

However, if he comes to your place, I know he will be a very lucky kitty!

Kirsten

[sirrahbed]

If I was a cat, I would like to be YOUR cat! :D What a great meowmie you are!! I suspect Ocular will soon be at home. But he MUST have a new name!!! You know me and my poet names - but how about Homer or Milton?? Homer was the greek who wrote the Iliad and the Odyssey and Milton is John Milton, the 17th century author and poet (Paradise Lost, etc):D ...guess I am getting ahead, eh?:rolleyes:

edit: PS Both were blind, BTW

[catcrazylady]

Yes, Sirrahbed you are getting way ahead but thats ok! I totally agree that if he comes to my house we will have to come up with a new name because I refuse to live with a cat named Ocular!!!

If this pans out then I may, I repeat may let hubby come up with a name to make him feel a part of this after we have our initial battle! If he has no ideas then we will post a name contest and see what you all can come up with!
By the way I love the name Milton. Homer? I'm not so sure about!

[guster girl]

I like the name. :)

[sirrahbed]

PS Homer and Milton were blind poets BTW - that is why I picked those names :D

[catcrazylady]

PS Homer and Milton were blind poets BTW - that is why I picked those names

Now that is interesting! I'm sure I knew that at some time in my past. You are like me thinking along those lines. I was thinking about Stevie (Stevie Wonder) or RayRay (Ray Charles). You went to poets and I went to music!

[sirrahbed]

:D Musicians occurred to me too, but all I could think of was Ronnie Milsap - but then all I really listen to is country :D Poets just fits my theme I have going (Dylan Thomas, Emily Dickinson, TS Eliot);)
Stevie...RayRay...cool:cool:

[krazyaboutkatz]

CCL, I hope that you'll be able to foster Ocular or even adopt him yourself. I think that he'd love living in your home.:) Please keep us posted.

[guster girl]

You could name him after Andrea Bocelli. He's a blind opera singer. I think Wonder would be nice, after Stevie Wonder.

[guster girl]

Here's a list of blind or at least partially sighted famous people...I have put asterisks in front of the names I particularly like. :)


Thomas Rhodes Armitage - founder of RNIB
David Blunkett - UK Home Secretary
Louis Braille - inventor of braille
Ray Charles - American singer and composer
**Cupid/**Eros - Greek/Roman god of love
Eduard **Degas - French painter
Henry Fawcett - UK Postmaster General, 19th Century
Homer - Greek poet
**Horus - Egyptian god
Helen Keller - American author and philanthropist
John Milton - English poet
**Claude **Monet - French painter
Dr William Moon - inventor of Moon system of reading
**Horatio Nelson - British admiral
**Odin - Norse god
**Oedipus - mythological Greek King
Samson - Biblical hero
St. Paul - Apostle
**Tiresias - mythological, Greek seer
Stevie **Wonder - American singer and composer

I think I like Claude or Monet the best. :)

[cutie_chica]

I have never owned a blind cat, but I wish you the best of luck.:D



P.S. And I am glad to be back!!!

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

So, CCL, how did the candle light dinner go? Any luck on persuading hubby to let you adopt....the soon to be re-named kitty? ;) :D

[catcrazylady]

UMMMM, I decided quickly that last night was not the night to approach such things. He had a horrible day at work and I decided not to be mean and make him argue with me for the rest of the night! http://petoftheday.com/talk/images/our_smilies/rolleyes.gif j/k
I did think some more on the matter and decided that I will discuss it with him but my mind is pretty much set unless he can come up with some very persuasive arguments against it. I do need him to occasionally grab me and pull me out by my toes because I'm going in head first! I will listen to him and go from there.
I will be at the shelter tomorrow night so hopefully I will be able to talk to Barb about Ocky.
I forgot about this wonderful animal group in our area called Woodstock. They are a major rescue group and there was an article in the paper about them not to long ago. The article was about this wonderful woman who runs the program and about her cat that was born with no eyes. This ladies name was Denise and she came into the shelter last week. I do know that Barb and Denise had a discussion about her taking Ocky and letting him live with the other blind cat. I don't know where that conversation went or if anything was ever planned. I think that might be good for Ocky too. I will check and see if they are planning to do this or not. I think that whole conversation slipped my mind because they discussed it, dropped it, and never mentioned it again. They are all so overwhelmed that I think Ocky got put on the back burner.
I have not given up yet and I will keep you all posted!

[jenluckenbach]

One of my elderly cats (RB) Bear went totally blind towards the end. Now realize that he already KNEW the house, but he did very well. He could take the stairs both up and down. he never missed the litter pan and he knew where to find food and water. He lived at least 1 year after his sight went.
If you can get him used to a small area then I see no reason it ould not work (but don't move things around.......keep everything in the same place)
That's All I can say except good luck and thanks.

[QueenScoopalot]

I've been thinking about that sweet dear cat since you posted his photo. HE SHOULD BE THE POSTER CAT FOR THOSE THAT WERE ABANDONED! Can you see it? You loved me once, and look at me now! :( :( :( My sweet Willy who died last week was a very neglected cat, turfed onto the streets. He was born with badly crippled front legs, and it's a wonder he managed to survive at all. It took close to a year before I was able to save him, and he was so scared, he wanted to stay in a cage for quite a long time. I gave him his security of the cage, and the choice to come out when HE felt safe, but he had visitors like Chip who is my welcoming commitee for all! I sure hope you can make space in your home (I know he's in your heart, as he is in all of ours) for the dear mistreated boy! Hope you can take him in....Jan