Half-blind kitten

[smokey the elder]

My rescue group has a kitten which was born without one of her eyes! She is very sweet, though, and it doesn't slow her down any. Do any of you folks with special needs kitties know of such a condition, and any precautions that need to be taken? As far as I know, she has an empty socket with skin, so everything is "closed".

[QueenScoopalot]

It may be either a birth defect, or the kitten's eye was injured early on. Was the baby born outside, or in? http://www.messybeast.com/disabled.htm#blind
The above link is a great resource to bookmark. ;)
Here's an excerpt....
BLIND CATS

Cats that keep bumping into things either can't co-ordinate their limbs or can't see. A blind eye is often cloudy or the pupil remains dilated even in bright light. Some cats are born without eyes (anopthalmia) or with very small eyes (micropthalmia) which may not function. Others lose their sight either permanently or temporarily as a result of illness, physical injury, brain damage or poisoning (including extreme reaction to anaesthesia) and conditions such as glaucoma, cataracts or scarring caused by untreated entropion (inturned eyelashes).

[Jennsen]

Hi QueenScoopalot(I love your name!)

My Helen was blind for the last 12 years of her life. I rescued her when she was 5 years old from a farmer that didnt want her anymore. She was blind because he tried to shoot her, but only managed to blind her and shoot off her bottom jaw. She lived to be 17 years old. She got along just fine, great infact, and never had a problem getting around. I never saw her bump in to anything, and when she was playing with the others, she would actually get up and run from them. Now not having a bottom jaw was a liitle more difficult for her. She could only eat soft food and would get it up with her tongue. After she would get done eating she always had food all over her face, and I would have to wash it for her. That's how she got her nick name "Food Face":) She was such a love in my life, and brought a whole new meaning to the words unconditional love!

[smokey the elder]

QSL, thanks for the link. She definitely has anophthalmia; she was vet-checked. I hope she gets adopted soon! There was a lady who was very interested, but is going away for a few days. Hopefully she'll call the foster mom.

[kittyluva657]

oh, I hope she gets adopted!! I would hate to see someone pass her up just because of a missing eye.