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Post by jess on Jun 5, 2013 20:48:00 GMT
Hi everyone, my 8 year old tom cat Oscar will be one-eyed as of next week. I was just wondering if anyone has any experience with one-eyed cats? Are they good at adapting to it etc etc? Also I have read that you should keep one-eyed cats indoors - is this the case? I really hope not as my cat adores being out and about and it would drive him mad if we have to keep him in. Thanks very much  |
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Post by tonib on Jun 5, 2013 20:56:43 GMT
Welcome to the forum jess.
I'm sorry to hear that Oscar is going to lose his eye. From what I've heard cats adapt well to the loss of an eye although I don't have any experience of this.
As to going out I haven't a clue, hopefully someone else will be able to help there. If the advice is to keep him in, could you cat proof your garden so that he could at least go out there or else provide a cat run. Would the vets have any advice on this?
Hope all goes well for Oscar next week.
Do let us know how it all goes.
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Post by jess on Jun 5, 2013 20:59:36 GMT
Thank you for the best wishes, will keep you updated! Unfortunately it would be very difficult to cat proof our garden as we essentially live in the woods! Probably why he loves going out so much, which is why I would hate to see him indoors all the time!
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Post by gladys on Jun 5, 2013 22:22:47 GMT
Well growing up the neighbors ginger tom was a one eyed cat and he was a happy boy roaming around the streets with no problems. I seem to remember he was kept inside for a while but then he was fine to go outside again and visit all the neighbors gardens again.
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Post by lotsofcats on Jun 6, 2013 10:10:14 GMT
Poor Oscar! I hope all goes well and he recovers quickly. He will be okay. Years ago I adopted an old black stray tom cat who I called Willow. He was almost blind in his one eye and then developed something wrong with his good eye so I took him to the vet and they couldn't save it and it was removed. This left him almost totally blind but he was an outdoor cat and it didn't stop him going around the garden and even into next door's garden by walking along a 6 foot wall. He did wander out of the garden one day and I found him stuck in brambles behind the garden. I think Oscar will adapt very quickly and he will be fine going out as usual. He will probably have to be kept in a few days after the operation. Let us know how he gets on.
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Post by jess on Jun 6, 2013 16:28:08 GMT
Thanks very much everyone! I feel a lot more reassured now, Oscar has been through a lot already, always getting in trouble, so I'm sure he will be fine like you've all said. Will keep you posted! |
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Post by tonib on Jun 6, 2013 17:59:11 GMT
Jess - may I ask what has happened to Oscar that he needs to lose an eye?
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Post by jess on Jun 6, 2013 18:13:26 GMT
The vets aren't 100% sure, he had to go to a specialist and once the eye is out it will be taken for examination but - I'm not sure if you can tell from my avatar that his eye on the left is a lot darker than the other. Initially we just thought he had two differenct coloured eyes like other cats/humans but then the pigmentation started 'leaking' - the vet reckons it's because too much pigment is being produced and eventually his eye will be swollen by this pigmentation until it (sorry to be vulgar) pops from all the fluid, it has been a bit of an emergency really - we only found out yesterday and he's being operated on next week. I just hope it's not cancer! Colour difference is a bit more obvious in this photo:  |
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Post by tonib on Jun 6, 2013 20:28:46 GMT
What a beautiful boy he is (I have a slight penchant for gingers)! I see what you mean about his eye, poor boy. Thank you for explaining so well, its something I'd never heard off. I hope all goes well next week.
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Post by gladys on Jun 6, 2013 23:50:26 GMT
Poor boy. I hope it all goes well. |
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Post by cia on Jun 7, 2013 8:58:00 GMT
Hes stunning - i hope it all goes well for him - how unusual.
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Post by jess on Jun 7, 2013 9:37:47 GMT
Thanks for all your kind words everyone. |
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Post by lotsofcats on Jun 7, 2013 9:44:11 GMT
Oscar is a very handsome boy - I love ginger toms (that's why I adopted my lovely Toffee). What you described about his eye is what I believe happened to my cat Willow I told you about - his eye must have popped as there was all jelly stuff on it. When I took him to the vet they took him off me there and then to get him operated on that day.
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Post by jess on Jun 7, 2013 9:55:11 GMT
Yes, that's it - they're sending it off for testing to make sure it won't spread to the other eye  |
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Post by stfrancissister on Jun 7, 2013 20:59:51 GMT
 Moses Hi Jess, So sorry to hear about Oscar. My little cat Moses, now four, was a feral kitten born with only one eye and rescued at a few days old by a cat rescue charity. He has an eye socket, but there was no eye inside. Our vet recommended stitching up the eye socket to prevent any future problems with infection. He's a very nervy little boy, and has only ever been in the cat rescue or our house. We have never let him out because we live on a busy road, and are worried that a/ he would be disadvantaged without full sight, and b/ he would be too skittish to be anywhere near any road! He has never shown any interest in wanting to go out. Eyesight wise, he seems to have no problems seeing things from the house windows, and will play quite happily with small toys and is very adept at catching and chasing them. I hope all goes well for Oscar. I'm not an expert, but I would imagine that as Oscar already loves being out and copes well with it, that he will probably still be able to deal well with going out after losing his eye. Best wishes! |
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