How to tell if a blind cat is asleep or awake (✿◡‿◡)

I’d never thought of this before. I am not even sure it is a great topic for discussion but it caught my eye in TikTok because it is unusual. Normally the main way you can tell if a cat is asleep is because their eyes are closed (❤️ ω ❤️). For blind cats that have lost their eyes to infection when strays (usually) and they’ve been removed by a vet, their eyes are always closed (bless them).

But the obvious point is that eyes closed or open is only one of several aspects of body language that gives us the clue as to whether our cat is awake or asleep (usually snoozing actually). When a cat is really asleep and not just snoozing, they are often dreaming and twitching. Their whiskers might be twitching. Their ears might be moving and their tail flicking slightly. Even their body may twitch.

The TikTok video maker is the caregiver of a couple of blind tabby cats and they say that there are three signs of wakefulness:

• Active ears
• Alert
• Twitchy tail

Fair enough. Good signs but there are others. You can tell quite easily. Remarkably, even when cats are genuinely asleep they can awaken in a thrice and jump into action rapidly. I guess it is all down to survival in the wild. Millions of years of evolution.

For asleep, the TikToker says that these are the signs:

• No movement
• “Closed eyes” – not sure about this for the reasons as stated. It is very strange to mention this as closed eyes for these cats is not a sign that one can rely on for obvious reasons.
• Still tail

I have my personal thought about blind cats and it is this: they make great full-time indoor cats. No issues about whether your cat should be an indoor/outdoor cat or a full-time indoor cat. They have to be the latter for their safety, which makes for a more relaxed relationsip.

A blind cat is more likely to be content being indoors all the time. No urges to escape to the exterior. I’d recommend adopting a blind cat if you live in an apartment and have to keep your cat indoors.

The only very important caveat is that you can’t leave him or her along all the time.That rule is the same whether they are blind or sighted. Cats need our presence. They rely on us. We are their best buddies. Their mothers. Their fathers. Their everything. (❁´◡`❁)

RELATED: Are blind cats more affectionate?

I think there is a fair argument that blind cats are indeed likely to be more affectionate because they are more reliant on their caregiver. And their caregiver is likely to be very tender-hearted. A combination which is likely to lead to a very close bond in which the cat is extremely affectionate.

There is a blind cat rescue at 74 Prairie Ln, St Pauls, NC 28384, United States. It is called ‘Blind Cat Rescue and Sanctuary’. Blind Cat Rescue is a life time care sanctuary for Blind, FIV+ and FELV+ located in St Pauls, NC USA. I believe that blind cats make great companions. And they can enjoy life as much as sighted cats because of their superb adaptability in using their other senses. And cats don’t have negative thoughts about their blindness. They get on with life.