Progressive retinal atrophy in cats – signs and care

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. Progressive retinal atrophy is a group of genetic disorders that cause the retina, the light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye, to deteriorate.

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. Keep fresh water available
  5. Let your cat rest somewhere calm

Don't

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

What it is

Progressive retinal atrophy is a group of genetic disorders that cause deterioration and loss or wasting of the retina, the light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye.[1] The condition eventually leads to blindness, but it does not cause pain or discomfort.[1]

Signs

  • Appearing disorientated
  • Bumping into things
  • Struggling to find food and water bowls or litter trays
  • Becoming withdrawn at night
  • Reluctance to go up or down stairs
  • Dilated pupils, with the black centre of the eye larger than usual

Causes and risk factors

  • Abyssinian
  • Somali
  • Ocicat
  • Bengal
  • Balinese
  • Cornish Rex
  • Munchkin
  • Oriental

How a vet finds out

  • A vet examines your cat’s eyes
  • A veterinary ophthalmologist, or eye specialist, may be recommended
  • Blood tests
  • Blood pressure measurement

How vets treat it

  • There is no treatment for progressive retinal atrophy
  • Your veterinary team can advise on modifications around your home to help your cat cope
  • A diet change

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.

AbyssinianBengal catCornish RexOcicatSiameseSingapuraSomali

What the experts say

“Appearing disorientated ; Bumping into things ; Struggling to find food and water bowls, litter trays etc ; Becoming withdrawn at night ; Reluctance to go up/down stairs ; Dilated pupils (when the black centre of the eye is larger than usual)”

— 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.

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Common questions

What is progressive retinal atrophy in cats?

It is a group of genetic disorders that cause deterioration and loss or wasting of the retina, the light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye.[1]

Does progressive retinal atrophy cause pain?

The condition does not cause your cat pain or discomfort, although it eventually leads to blindness.[1]

How does a vet diagnose and treat it?

A vet diagnoses it by examining your cat’s eyes and may recommend referral to a veterinary ophthalmologist. There is no treatment, but your veterinary team can advise on changes around your home to help your cat cope.[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

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