Short for Pipistrella, because she’s “blind as a bat!”

We adopted Pippi from a local rescue a few weeks ago. She’ll be a year old next month. She was rescued from the side of the road, iirc, and lost most of her eyesight as a result of FIP. She’s not totally blind, but still runs into things and struggles the most with seeing things right in front of her.

Pippi spent most of her kitten hood being sick, so she’s still got a lot of kittening to catch up on! She’s very playful and likes to “stalk” us around the apartment, even if she’s pretty bad at being a predator.

She’s not comfortable enough to cuddle yet, but hopefully that comes soon because she’s sooo soft!

My cat Mona Lisa (15 years old) recently went completely blind. She wasn't born blind, and of course we were blessed by the kitten distribution system earlier this year, so her losing her vision completely has been very stressful for her, to the point where I've genuinely thought about rehoming the kitten for her peace of mind (he wants to play but she gets scared when he comes up to her now because she can't see if he's going to pounce or not and he's already bigger than her).

Do you lovely people have any advice on navigating this big life change? I've never had a blind pet before, and have never had to navigate the social dynamics of a newly blind cat combined with a kitten whose playfulness and size is changing all the time, leaving Mona uncertain and scared.

She currently has a hiding spot that Howie can't get to her in, and I do my best to usher him away when she growls and hisses at him. Sometimes they lay together and I make sure to pet them both and love on them to foster that type of calm interaction. I also give them their tube treats next to each other every night.

What can I do for Mona specifically to make her life easier and less stressful as we make this transition? Thank you in advance 🖤

I adopted phoenix from someone who found him on his own on the street. I immediately fell in love with him from his picture and went to pick him up, that was 3 years ago.

Phoenix didn’t take long at all to deem my place his home, he immediately started cuddling me and was so open to playing and cuddling with my other cat (although he wasn’t). He was super playful and energetic and brought so much lightness and joy into my life.

Soon after I’ve adopted him I discovered his favourite toy. it was a little unexpected. but while cleaning one day I was crumbling up a piece of paper to throw away and he bolted towards me with the speed of light, stood on his back legs and waited. the more I crunched up the paper the more excited he would get. so I tried throwing it away. he ran after it, picked it up, brought it back, dropped it, and looked at me and waited again, he was playing catch!!! and he’s been consistently getting excited for every crunch of paper he hears for three years. [last slide is him with one of his precious papers]

This theme of him liking to hunt papers, insects, different toys is very prominent in his life. if he’s fully asleep and a buzzing insect makes its way into my apartment - that insect gas 0.2 seconds of life left.

Needless to say, I had zero suspicions he had any problems with his eyes, maybe some question mark about how he doesn’t look me straight in the eye, or sometimes bumping into new furniture raised some eyebrows but I was like surely not. it wasn’t until I was playing with a very silent string with my other cat, which he tried to join - but I quickly noticed he wasn’t following the string at all.. I continued testing how he follows my hands or different silent objects (which was hard because he can hear the faintest whoosh of air) that i started having serious doubts, which then got confirmed by a visit to an eye specialist vet.

Phoenix is a constant inspiration to me everyday at how much he enjoys and takes on life with such a huge handicap, and I’ve learned through him how truly awesome and powerful cats are!! Other than a few adjustments to be wary about how I move furniture (or try not to at all) and the occasional new height he finds himself in which he doesn’t know how to bring himself down from, he requires almost no assistance!

I love my cats with all of my heart, they’re the number 1 joy of my life and continue to be so. I wanted to share phoenix’s life and traits and pictures with you so he brings you joy too :)