Cats always surprise us with their “superpowers,” and among the most impressive of all are blind cats. They generally navigate their worlds with such ease that it’s truly like magic.
As the saying goes, when you lose one sense, the others become stronger. That definitely appears to be the rule for blind cats. They have such keen senses that one might not realize they are any different at first.
It would be a mistake to feel sorry for any well-cared-for blind cat. Often, they’re even bolder and more confident than the other kitties in the home!
Ray of Sunshine
‘Blind Ray’ is the happiest, most playful adult cat in his home in Finland. He’s a so-called ‘foster fail’ and a favorite of his mom, Ezgi’s six kitties and foster babies.
“My little angel 😇. If I had adopted Ray first, I would adopt blind cats only. He is everything ❤️,” the Happy Cat Family shared.
Images and media via Instagram/happycatfamily
Ray has no difficulty navigating his home and loves the other kitties, particularly Ron, a younger ginger boy. But when Ezgi moved, all the cats had to start over from scratch to learn the new home’s layout.
Moving is always super stressful, and it can take a long time for any cat (or person) to adjust. Yet while the other cats stayed in hiding, Ray was the bold, confident explorer. It didn’t take him long to learn where every object was located.
He found and jumped to empty bookshelves as if he could see them. He found the bathroom and learned where the shower was. And he even reached up and started walking along the decorative brick trim on the walls! How does he do it? It’s truly incredible.
Ray somehow walks along the wall!
“We just moved to a new place 🥳 . This will not surprise anybody, but Ray was the first to discover everything while the girls were hiding in the closet for hours 🤭🤭,” Ezgi shared.
Video via Instagram/happycatfamily
Ray Figures it All Out On His Own
In the comments, people often ask Ezgi what to do to make life easier for a blind cat. But she explains that she never had to do anything special. As with her other cats, she keeps dangerous things and places out of reach for them all.
“Start from a restricted area, expand slowly let him explore. That’s all I have to say,’ Ezgi shared. “Maybe it’s the way Ray is, but I seriously never did anything special for him. Expect for cat-proofing windows, balconies, etc., which I normally do for my seeing cats as well 🤷🏻♀️.”
‘Someone pass him the remote.’
A Detailed Map in His Adorable Noggin
Ray was adopted at four months old from the shelter in Turkey where his mom volunteered. By that time, he had already lost his eyes. Possibly, he was born without them, or lost them as a kitten. Unfortunately, it’s common to find blind cats and kittens in shelters, whether due to infection, malnutrition, or traumatic injury. Sometimes, kittens are born with a painful eyelid condition like entropion or agenesis. In such cases, cats frequently lose their vision if its left untreated.
Whatever happened to Ray in his past, he has no worries about it today. After just a week in the home, Ray had ‘completely memorized’ the layout in detail.
When navigating new spaces, Ray sometimes bumps his noggin. But after just one time, he knows what to avoid. It’s as if he has a very complex map in his head. Using the map, he finds the litter box without difficulty. So, taking care of this blind cat is just like caring for the other cats.
“He has a map in his head, and it is amazing,” said Ezgi. “He knows every single detail; he doesn’t bump anywhere unless we change the furniture around.”
‘Ray the Gardener’
Of course, Ray doesn’t always behave like the other kitties. But he doesn’t care, and that just makes him all-the-more lovable.
“How can I tell him that he doesn’t really fit into that box? It’ll break his heart.”
You can see more of Ray and the Happy Cat Family from Finland on Instagram.
