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Loss of Eyesight

You may notice your older cat having trouble navigating around the house. Maybe he/she isn't moving around as much, or when extremely excited, runs into something. It may even be as minor as not connecting with your gaze as much.

Many elderly animals, cats included, may suffer from a certain amount of visual loss. Often, there are no cataracts or other obvious signs to blame for the condition.

Your cat's vision may be getting impaired simply due to a deterioration of the retina, but there are other reasons it may be occurring. Certain infectious or inflammatory conditions can result in damage to any of the structures concerned with vision. Blood tests and a physical exam could help your veterinarian discover the source of the problem.

High blood pressure can also be the culprit, and often occurs in kidney or thyroid patients. The increased blood pressure causes the retina to detach from the back of the eye and thus results in partial to complete blindness. This is often not correctable but can be prevented by checking your cat's blood pressure, and treating the condition if found.

So, before your pet turns into a veritable Mr. Magoo, have them seen by your veterinarian so that they can intervene and hopefully correct the problem.