I Would Like to Adopt a Blind Cat. Why?

Why would I like to adopt a blind cat? Let’s go wider and ask why would a person like to adopt a disabled cat. There are many people like me who would respond to a cat in need. This post is about people much more than it is about cats. It was inspired by cute Daphne:

Daphne, blind cat with arthritis
Daphne, blind cat with arthritis
Two useful tags. Click either to see the articles: Toxic to cats | Dangers to cats

Daphne was seen wandering around parts of Aberdeen in Scotland bumping into things. She was rescued and they are trying to locate the owner. If I was on Scotland, and didn’t have Charlie, I’d put myself forward as a potential adopter.

Is a person who would like to adopt a needy blind cat, needy himself? Are people who want to care for a blind or disabled cat actually indirectly applying therapy to themselves? I think this is, at least partly, what it is about.

It is not entirely altruistic behavior for a person to want to care for a blind cat. It is a two way street. Both parties help each other. In caring for a blind cat the person is releasing some of the emotional baggage or discomfort that he or she is carrying due to past experiences of his or her own. That is my theory but no one, as far as I know has said it before.

I wonder sometimes if anything that people do is truly altruistic or unconditional. Every action, no matter how generous it seems, has an element of self-interest behind it.

An aspect of this discussion (with myself!) is that we know that up to 50% of carers – caring for another person – suffer significant psychological distress. Compassion fatigue sets in and in the end you hate the person you are caring for.

Cats are different. Even blind cats with arthritis can get around on their own, indoors, provided all the furniture remains in fixed positions and routines are strictly adhered to. There are many examples of very active blind cats demonstrating how adaptable cats are when using all their senses even though one is broken.

Associated: Blind Cat Rescue and Sanctuary

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9 thoughts on “I Would Like to Adopt a Blind Cat. Why?”

  1. Michael – being a bit stuck with an indoor only situation I would feel in a good place to adopt a blind cat or two myself if I didn’t already have cats. I think my situation is perfect for it – I would just want to add some carpet and carefully check everything for sharp edges and safety. I’d totally adopt a blind cat now if I was living alone – with the knowledge that my place is too close to the main road.

    Reply
      • Michael you should. I really think thats a nice idea. The cat in the photo looks very sweet and gentle – a real lady, but she is blind. I say go for it. Do you think Charlie would be totally against it? He did live with another cat for along time didn’t he, until recently. Well – just a thought.

        Reply
  2. I think there is an aspect that it is fulfilling a need in the person to be a caregiver.
    I haven’t had a blind cat but we did adopt a cat who was still recovering from being very badly burned. and I later adopted a cat who had had bad experiences with humans, and quite sensibly did not trust our species much, which I knew when I adopted him. In fact , maybe it was filling some need, because I had just been caring for a cat with kidney disease for a year. and after he died , I then adopted the abused cat. and helping him learn to trust was a very rewarding experience to ME as well as being a good one for him.

    But some of it is no doubt that you feel you have an ability and willingness to help a blind cat, and there are many people who would not choose to adopt a cat like that.
    Same with me and Frank. I felt that I would be able to have the patience to deal with a cat who did not trust me right away and wasn’t immediately giving me reinforcement

    So there is some altruism involved , but yes there is also some mutual benefit. or surely must be if someone seeks out special needs cats to adopt.

    Reply
    • Nice comment. I seems we agree. Perhaps their is a special joy in bringing along a disabled cat to live a fuller life, a life that is as full as possible and in doing so perhaps a special bond is formed between person and cat. There are lots of benefits for the person as well as the cat.

      Reply
  3. ‘that up to 50% of carers – caring for another person – suffer significant psychological distress. Compassion fatigue sets in and in the end you hate the person you are caring for’

    No I don’t think you hate the person you are caring for, it’s their illness or disablement you hate on their behalf.
    When caring for our late mother both Barbara and I would have given anything to be able to take her pain from her onto ourselves to give her a rest from it.

    Reply
      • After our mother died I wasn’t strong at all, you can put a brave face on but it gets to you inside and it all catches up when you don’t have to be brave and strong any more for the person you loved.
        Barbara and I have suffered much loss and grief and we wonder sometimes how we have borne it but people do and we have.

        Reply

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