Re: Re: OT animal cataracts

> From: Libby Valentine <L_Valentine@adelphia.net>
> Anybody had the misfortune to have to deal with cataracts in a
young animal
> (cat in this case), or had a blind pet?

Libby,

My old cat Abby, who lived to be 24, became blind in the last years
of her life - deaf too, as a matter of fact.  She just kept on
truckin' until she really got old and feeble.  She'd bump into walls
occasionally, but managed to get around the house pretty well.  You
do have to watch out for them when they become old and disabled, just
as you would for a human, but with care, they can do well enough to
keep them content.  I think the age of the animal would make a
difference.  Abby was probably about  18 or 20 when she started to go
blind and at that point, well, even if I could have afforded surgery,
it would not have been an option I'd have taken and my vet did not
suggest it.

If it were a very young cat and you could afford it, then surgery to
correct something like that would be an option.  An animal over, say
age of 8 or 10, I'd think about making a massive investment in
surgery very seriously because from that age, they can start having
other serious problems - heart trouble, liver trouble, kidney
trouble, etc., that can shorten their life spans considerably.  Abby
outlived all her siblings and every other cat I've ever owned, most
of whom departed to cat heaven between ages 8 and 15.

Does your vet give a prognosis on how long before your cat's
cataracts would make it totally blind?  

Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@hort.net
Editor:  Gardening in Shade
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