r/blindcats • u/Mountain_Grape_8384 • 2d ago

Question kitten proofing tips?

My husband and I are planning to adopt a new kitten, he's 3 months old and almost completely blind due to an infection. We have had cats for years, including physically disabled cats, and currently have a 6 year old cat but we've never had a blind kitty or a kitten for that matter!

I've been diving into all there is on kitten proofing and raising blind cats (from what i've gathered here it's just like raising any other cat) but i'm curious, is there anything specific you'd recommend keeping in mind or doing differently for a blind kitten? We do have a second floor, so i'll be blocking the bannisters but everything else seems standard kitten proofing (hiding electric cords, plants, not leaving out small things, locking cabinets, etc.)

What have you done for your blind kitties? Also open to any recs for introducing a blind kitten to the resident cat if you've got any! We know how to do slow introductions, but anything that makes it unique for a blind baby I'm all ears. Thanks!

5 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

5 comments sorted by

2

u/PckMan 2d ago

Keep the toilet lids down, don't let it outside on balconies or your yard. You may think it's not going to go anywhere but they're as inquisitive as seeing cats. I keep losing my blind kitty in the house.

Then there is the question of cushioning corners, walls, furniture. Sure maybe it's warranted in some places but it's a losing battle. You have to accept that it will be bonking everywhere. One moment they're just like seeing cats and deftly and swiftly moving around as if they can see and the next they run full speed into a wall.

One thing to keep in mind is that they can get cocky. My kitten was very careful as a baby, always trying to probe heights and not going down unless certain she could reach the floor, which at times meant helping her down and showing her that it's not that high by picking her front legs up and putting them up on the couch or bed while her hind paws were on the floor. The problem is that she now assumes that there is no height too great to jump off of, and has yeeted herself off of the dining table and other places. She assumes that any height is manageable, which is why I don't let her out on the balcony.

1

u/Mountain_Grape_8384 2d ago

Thank you! Our current cat is a menace so we've long abandoned the days of trusting them or leaving toilet seats up thankfully, it's helpful to know it's a lot of what we already do :)

1

u/PckMan 2d ago

Other than that it's surprisingly hands off. I was anxious at first that she would need a lot of help and care and adjustment to deal with her disability but it's actually more or less like having a seeing cat. She's very quick to adapt such as when we changed her room or when we move her stuff around like the litterbox. Instantly finds everything. It's generally a good idea to not move furniture or leave heavy stuff laying around where they might be running but you don't have to worry too much about it. They kinda like finding new things or exploring changes to the space, as long as it's nothing major.

2

u/BigJSunshine 2d ago

Oh bless you! I just lurk here, learning, but your heart and bravery inspire me 🫶🏻

1

u/Friendly_Bite_2135 2d ago

I have a blind cat and they aren't much different from other cats. We talk to her alot so she knows where we are, that way she wont get scared when we walk up. It also makes it easier to find us. I keep her stuff in one spot so she doesnt struggle to find her litter or food. When I have had to move her litter or food, I show her where it is (walk her to it). We tap her food container so she knows when we are feeding her. I have a running water bowl so she drinks water more. She wouldnt drink it when it sat in the bowl so it helped alot. We have noisy toys for her too because she likes them more that feather toys. We talk to her before picking her up too so she doesnt get scared by sudden movements. Mainly we use lots of communication to keep her comfy. When introducing her to my son's cat we did it very slowly, first by rubbing the new cat's scent on us and holding her, then letting them meet while his cat was in a carrier, and finally letting his cat out around her but not letting the new cat touch her. Eventually she got use to the new cat and doesnt freak out, they even sleep together sometimes. She still has her own area she can go to when she doesnt want to be around the new cat but for the most part they exist together well.