Just as human eyes age, animal eyes are no different. Most animal species experience a decrease in the strength and effectiveness of their eyes as time wears on. Cats are no different from this, and they are an animal that requires their sight to be able to do many of the activities they do. Cat vision can be checked just like human vision is checked, so it is important to have that done from time to time. Continue reading to learn more about how often you should get your cat’s vision checked.
How do cats use their eyes?
Before you begin analyzing how often you should have your cat’s vision checked, you might be curious as to how cats use their eyes in their everyday lives. Since a lot of domesticated cats do not perform their own food gathering, it might seem like their vision does not need to be completely effective for them to have a good life. This is not quite true, as cats experiencing vision problems are much more likely to have trouble performing their everyday activities. Cats use their eyesight for everything, including navigating your home, playing with toys, and even maintaining their depth perception. Continue reading to learn about how vision loss can affect cats.
How will vision problems affect my cat?
Just like humans, vision problems in cats can take the form of a wide variety of different problems, as well as different implications. For example, there are some forms of cat vision problems that will impact their distant vision but will leave their close-up vision functioning perfectly. Conversely, there can be problems with close distance, while leaving the distance vision perfectly fine. A very problematic vision problem that can leave cats defenseless, troubled, and sometimes even helpless, is total blindness which begins to worsen each day. This is the worst-case scenario, as the cat will not be able to judge anything or see anything. For outside cats, these vision problems can lead to much more serious consequences, as predators could get the cat more easily, especially if the cat’s night vision is impaired. What starts as a small vision problem for cats leads to an eventual quality of life decline, making cat vision a very important thing to consider.
How often should my cat be checked?
When it comes to having a veterinarian check out your cat’s vision, it might seem like this is something that should be performed regularly. In fact, you might not know it, but most vet checkups will check your pet’s eyes. If you are regularly taking your cat, dog, or other pet to the vet for a routine checkup, they are likely observing for problems of any kind, including vision. It is a wise idea to take a cat to the vet once a year, and sometimes even twice a year when they begin to get older and display more health problems.
What symptoms show up with cat vision problems?
If you want to be proactively looking out for the beginning of any type of vision problem with your cat, it is very wise to be knowledgeable about the symptoms that will first appear. Some of the most obvious early symptoms will be when your cat begins being clumsy. Judging heights incorrectly, running into doors or furniture, and being scared when you come up to it are three very common problems that could be encountered. Additionally, there are a couple of visual symptoms that you can see in a cat’s eyes if you look closely. If your cat’s eye looks inflamed, discolored, or milky, this could be a warning sign. In addition, if you notice that your cat’s pupil is always large, this could also be a sign.
What should I do?
If you have noticed some of the early warning signs that cats begin to display as they start to get vision problems, you will want to take some important steps. The biggest thing you need to decide is which veterinarian office you are going to take your cat to. Some people will likely stick to the local vet that they can find through a simple search of, “vet near me” or something similar. Others might opt to take their cat to a specialized pet hospital. This decision point is a personal decision that will depend on many factors, such as location, cost, and severity of your cat’s problems. Either way, taking care of this problem early on will prevent your cat from having very serious problems.
