Blindness in cats – signs and when to see a vet

Updated 2026-09-30 · 1 sources

Based on: International Cat Care (iCatCare)

Book a vet visit

Book a vet appointment if you think your cat has this – a vet needs to confirm it and plan the treatment. Blindness is loss of sight in a cat.

What to do now

What you can do now

  1. Contact your vet.
  2. Note when it started, how often it happens and what else you see.
  3. Take a photo or short video to show the vet.
  4. Let your cat rest somewhere calm.

Don't

  • Do not give any human medicine.
  • Do not wait if it gets worse.

What it is

Blindness is sight loss in a cat.[1] Several conditions can cause it, including an eye injury, an untreated eye infection or an underlying condition.[1] Sight loss can be gradual or sudden, which may affect how well your cat adjusts.[1] Changes to your cat’s eyes or vision should be checked by a vet.[1]

Signs

  • Discharge from the eyes
  • Swelling
  • Inflammation
  • Cloudy eyes
  • Squinting
  • Rubbing at the eye(s)
  • Dilated pupils (the black area looks larger than normal)
  • Appearing disorientated
  • Wandering aimlessly
  • Bumping into things

gradual

Causes and risk factors

  • Injury to the eye
  • Untreated eye infection
  • An underlying condition
  • Abyssinian cats may be more prone to retinal degeneration

How a vet finds out

  • Physical examination
  • Urine tests
  • CT scan
  • MRI
  • Blood pressure measurement

How vets treat it

  • Eye drops or ointment if an eye infection is present

Breeds prone to this

Veterinary charities list these breeds as more likely than others to get this condition. Each breed page lists the inherited conditions documented in the breed.

Abyssinian

What the experts say

“If an eye infection is present, your vet will prescribe eye drops or ointment, and often, infections respond well to this. If caught early, it can reduce the risk of blindness.”

— International Cat Care (iCatCare) [1]
If your pet is struggling to breathe, has collapsed, is having a seizure or can't stand up: go to the nearest vet now.

Not sure how serious it is?

OkPaw asks a few quick questions about your pet and tells you in 30 seconds whether it can wait. Free on Google Play for Android.

Get it on Google Play

OkPaw is on Android now – an iPhone version is on its way.

Common questions

What signs might suggest blindness in my cat?

Signs can include cloudy eyes, squinting, dilated pupils, appearing disorientated and bumping into things.

Can sight loss happen suddenly?

Sight loss can be gradual or sudden, and this may affect how well your cat adjusts.[1]

What might a vet do if an eye infection is present?

If an eye infection is present, a vet may prescribe eye drops or ointment, and infections often respond well to this.[1]

Sources

  1. International Cat Care (iCatCare)

How this page was made: written with the help of AI from the sources below, then checked claim by claim against those sources. Urgency levels follow OkPaw’s fixed safety rules. It is guidance, not a diagnosis. How we write our pages

Other conditions in cats

Bordetella Bronchiseptica InfectionCardiomyopathyCat bite abscessCat FluChlamydia infectionChocolate poisoningChronic kidney diseaseChronic Upper Respiratory Tract DiseaseCognitive Dysfunction SyndromeConjunctivitisConstipationCorneal ulcers