Alex is gone, and my heart is breaking

[jenluckenbach]

Poor Alex. He will be so much better once he learns his new place.

Just to answer some questions, Aramingo was NEVER at the ER. Whoever took this (black) cat in to the ER did not know which cat they had.

And Alex was not caged. Our shelter has "rooms", but his room is very small. There is lot of verticle space (shelf upon shelf, up each of the walls and then an over head loft), but the floor space is minimal. This is one room in our shelter that I do NOT like. I feel the cats in there NEVER get to run. And come on, let's be real, ALL cats, no matter what the age, want to run at some times.

So Alex must have found his way up to the loft and then fallen off the edge onto the floor.

As far as advice for helping him, I have none. The only cat I ever had who was blind had lived here many years before he wnet blind, so her knew the area and the other cats. He adusted on his own.

Good luck with that sweet boy.

[emilysgk]

Oh that poor boy! Im glad you have him now. I just dont see how no one noticed this sooner? Im sure he will adjust in time. I have no experience with blind cats, only a dog. I rescued her from a breeding kennel!! She always done quite well and in time knew her home very well. She would even get excited and jump around, it was the cutest thing. (I found a home with a sweet lday who can't have kids, spoiled rotten)

Maybe encourage him with treats or something to walk farther in a strait line? Maybe that will help him realize that he has more freedom. I just feel so bad for him. I cant imagine being in a small room, that he can only go up in and he couldnt see a thing. I know he is in a good place now, im sure it wont take long for him to figure it all out.

[Medusa]

Oh the sweet boy. And bless you for keeping him. I know you've got oodles of love to give him and that's what he needs more than anything right now. My Creamsicle is partially blind, she has no peripheral vision so I doubt that anything I say will be helpful to you. A friend of mine had a blind cat who stretched out her legs/paws in a motion similar to swimming and kinda felt her way around. That's how she eventually handled it. I'm just so glad you took this boy in. I KNOW he's gonna be alright, after a breaking in period and lots of love and patience.

Blessings,
Mary

[jennielynn1970]

To answer some questions...
For now I am fostering Alex. Unless there is an adopter out there who would have a single level house and lots of patience and hopefully background in having blind pets (I want him well taken care of, not reprimanded for things he can't help), he'll be with me till the end. I will not put him back in the shelter, because it is not appropriate for a blind cat. Too many nooks, crannies, lofts and places to fall from (again).

Aramingo never went to the vet. The volunteer thought Alex was Aramingo, and that's why he went to the vet. I still wonder what would have happened if they had known it was Alex and just ignored it as his being normal. Well, I guess I do know.. he'd still be there

He is doing well up in the room I have him in. He cries out every once in a while, like, where is everyone?! Frankie stays close by him, and is very sweet to him. Alex was grooming him again today as they were both sleeping on my lap. Last night I was holding Alex and he fell asleep, so I laid down on the bed up there with him, and we both napped for about an hour. He stayed asleep and I went to spend time with the fosters in the next room. I have two other fosters up stairs, and they are such good boys too. One is a russian blue mix and the other is a black domestic short hair. Woody, the russian blue, is FIV+ and very sweet and docile. Sassy, the black cat, has an anxiety condition and pulls out his fur, and the owner who had him before was very heavy handed with him and he will bite out of fear with even the slightest tap on the nose. I've had Woody a year and a half, and Sassy a year. Sassy has come a long way and is so loving and just wants attention and to know he's safe and loved. Unless I find him a home where they too will understand his fears, he will go nowhere else. I absolutely adore him, and will never let him be hurt again.

Sassy, looking very sweet (notice sparse fur on legs)






And here's Handsome Woody... He's so gorgeous! I wish he'd get adopted!!!

[Kalei]

AW they are all so cute. And I am so happy to know that you did get Alex and now Alex won't be hurt anymore. You are such a nice caring person to be doing everything you can to make sure Alex is safe and comfortable and I am so glad to hear it. Now Alex can have a long happy life and hopefully someday will grow out of his walking in circles, it is definately sad watching the poor kitty feel like he is only safe walking in circles, i'm guessing its because that's what he did in the shelter for years.

Thanks so much for helping this sweet kitty

[Medusa]

They're both so beautiful. And you are beautiful in spirit for giving them such love. When I first got her, my Creamsicle behaved just the way Sassy does; she'd cry out and wander around aimlessly looking for me. I know it isn't just because she has no peripheral vision; she's also deaf. Creamsicle can feel vibrations, of course, so if she's upstairs crying for me and I'm downstairs, rather than run up there, I'll slap my hand hard on the stairs and she'll feel it and run to the top of the stairs and see me and then run down to me. Are you sure Sassy can hear?

Blessings,
Mary

[jennielynn1970]

It's Alex with the vision problem (Sassy just has anxiety issues... they are both black and look a lot alike though, lol).

I'm pretty sure Alex has hearing problems as well. I do the banging on the floor and stuff to get his attention to come my way as well. Like when he goes into the one carrier, can't figure a way out, howls, and I'll rap on the floor in front of the carrier and normally he'll figure out to turn around and come out. A few times today he just laid back on my chest and shoulder and heaved a sigh and relaxed. I'm sure this is just exhausting for him. When he cries, just like a normal cry, it sounds almost like a baby... but when he gets distressed, wow... it's like a loud wailing baby. I want to see how much surgery for cataracts would be. I hate for him to be so distressed.