Cataracts in Cats

Cataracts in cats can strike a feline at any age. As a pet owner you need to be aware of the signs of cataracts in cats to help your animal overcome this condition with timely medical help. The following article on cataracts in cats will help you detect any signs of this eye disorder.

Cataracts not only affect humans, but also strike pets of all ages. Cataracts lead to cloudiness of the lens or the capsule of the eyes. Cataracts in cats are not as common as cataracts in dogs. It is also not surprising to note that cataracts in kittens are present at or after birth. Congenital cataracts in cats occur due to nutritional deficiencies in the diet. Cataracts in cats can occur in single eye or both eyes. Cataracts in cats is more common in older cats or may occur after an injury to the eye.

A cataract clouds the lens that prevents the lens from functioning as it normally does. This clouding initially does not cause much problems, but as more part of the lens get involved, the vision of the cat gets blurred. Then the entire lens gets opaque and the eye losses vision. You can read more on cat eye infection

Causes of Cataracts in Cats

There are many causes of cataracts in cats that may be inherited or due to some other diseases. Many cataracts in cats develop due to inflammation of the eye, trauma or other eye disorders. Cataracts in cats are rarely inherited and may be seen along with abnormal development of the lens. Nutritional abnormalities may be the cause of cataracts in young cats. Cataracts in cats is often due to aging and does not cause total blindness.

Symptoms of Cataracts in Cats

The following are some of the signs of cataracts in cats that will help you know if your cat is developing cataracts.

• Bluish, gray, or white color development on the inside of the eye
• Tendency to bump into things
• The cat is reluctant to use stairs or jump up onto objects
• The cat is hesitant to move about in unfamiliar environments
• The cat may start squinting its eye
• Redness, or inflammation of the eye

Treatment of Cataracts in Cats

If you observe any of the symptoms of cataracts in cats, take your cat to the vet immediately. The vet will be able to diagnose the condition as cataract and help provide the necessary treatment. There is no method to clear the lens but the vet may carry out surgery to remove the cataracts. The cost of cataract surgery in cats may range from $1,500 to $3,000 that covers pre-op analysis, surgery and post-surgery checkups. The vet may also advise anti-inflammatory medicines along with antibiotics that will help reduce the inflammation.

Future of Cats with Cataracts

Cats with cataracts will quickly learn to adapt to their physical condition. They have strong sense of smell or hearing that will help compensate for vision loss. As a pet owner, you need to keep your cat's environment stable and not move around the furniture. You should keep the food dish and water tray in the same location at all times. Even the litter box should not be moved. You should try and keep the cat indoors at all times. You can read more on cat health.

This was a brief information on cataracts in cats. You need to take good pet care to keep your cat happy and secure. I hope this article on cataracts in cats helps solve some of your queries related to cats and cataracts.