Vision and Hearing Dysfunctions in Senior Cats

Just as people are challenged by having deficiencies with vision and hearing over time, so are senior cats. In senior cats, pet owners may notice their cats are no longer responding to them in the same way; however, it may be difficult to figure out.

- Theresa Gleason EdD., MS.

Senior cats may have subtle or drastic behavior changes.3 With swift intervention, cats can continue to live happy and healthy lives with these conditions but may need some help. In this article, we will review blindness and deafness in the senior cat, and discuss how these conditions typically occur, the diagnoses, and some strategies to help senior cats live out their lives confidently and without fear.

Blindness

Age-related blindness in senior cats can occur from conditions resulting from injury, disease (such as glaucoma and toxoplasmosis), infection, and high blood pressure.2 If you believe your cat is having difficulty with its vision because of evidence of infection, such as eye drainage or inflammation, clean the eyes with warm water. In each instance when a change in vision is occurring, see your veterinarian as soon as possible.1 Left untreated, eye infections may lead to permanent blindness.

Diagnosis

Knowing if your senior cat is losing or has lost vision can be tricky. Your veterinarian will likely complete a retinal examination2 and ask you about any behavior changes you have noticed. The veterinarian may wonder if your cat has been cautious, confused, has startled more easily, or has misjudged heights when jumping.1 The appearance of the cat’s eyes may be another indication of vision changes. Sometimes senior cat eyes will appear cloudy, have a change in color, or be swollen. The pupils of the eyes may also not be equal nor respond to light by changing size. If retinal degeneration is the cause of a vision change, it may be a result of high blood pressure, trauma, cancer, or lack of taurine in the diet, to name a few.1 Some cats will have increased vocalizations as if they are in distress, as vision loss may make them fearful within their own environment.1

Strategies