What this means
A cat that is slowly losing its sight rarely complains. It relies on smell, hearing and whiskers and moves so confidently around a familiar home that the change can go unnoticed for months. The signs show when furniture is moved, the cat finds itself somewhere new or the light fades: it moves hesitantly, bumps into things it used to step around, pats the way ahead with a paw or stops jumping onto high surfaces.
That is why at first glance it can look as if the cat is simply getting old, lazy or odd. But avoiding heights, moving hesitantly at dusk or bumping into furniture is information, not a trait of character. Some cases of sight loss are slow and painless, while others start suddenly or with pain and are urgent.
Only a vet who examines the eyes can find the cause of failing sight. Do not put anything in the eyes at home and do not use any product. If your cat sees less well, it helps to change its surroundings as little as possible: keep things where they are and keep the routes to food and the litter box clear.
Possible causes
These are things that can cause this sign. It is not a diagnosis, and they are not equally likely for your cat.
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An inherited disease of the retina
The light-sensing cells of the retina slowly die off and sight fades gradually, first in dim light. The disease is painless and the eyes can look healthy from the outside.
About the condition: Progressive retinal atrophy -
Damage to the retina from illness in the body
Some illnesses, such as high blood pressure in older cats, damage the retina. Sight can then vanish suddenly and the pupils may be wide.
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Raised pressure in the eye
When pressure rises in the eye, sight can fade quickly. The eye hurts and may be cloudy, squinted or look larger.
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Inflammation inside the eye
Inflammation can cloud the inside of the eye and damage parts of it. The eye may be red and sensitive to light and the pupil may change.
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Clouding of the cornea or lens
When the clear layers of the eye turn cloudy, light no longer reaches the retina. The cornea or lens looks grey or bluish.
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A disorder of the brain or nerves
Even a healthy eye cannot see when the brain or the nerves of sight are affected. Behaviour or movement often changes too.
What else to watch for
These observations help your vet build the picture faster. Note down what you saw and when.
- Whether your cat moves hesitantly at dusk or in the dark
- Whether it bumps into things it used to step around
- Whether it avoids jumping up or climbing down
- Whether it gets lost when furniture is moved
- Whether the eyes look cloudy or the pupils are wide or different sizes
- Whether its voice, appetite or play has changed
When to book a routine visit
Book a visit if your cat has started to move hesitantly, bumps into things or avoids jumping up. If sight changed suddenly, an eye is painful or the pupils are different sizes, see a vet the same day. When getting a kitten, it is worth asking the breeder about the parents' health testing.
Related conditions
Conditions whose entries mention this sign. The list is somewhere to read on, not a way to reach a diagnosis.
Body systems: Eyes