A cat’s eyes are one of the first things we notice when we’re presented with a cat. Whether we’re searching for a kitten to adopt, playing with a stray on the street, or teasing our neighbor’s tomcat, we’re drawn to their eyes because they’re typically a cat’s most distinctive feature. We’re guilty as charged.
Sometimes, the beautiful bright blue or amber eyes face difficulties. Cataracts, early-life eye infections, injuries, diseases, or hypertension are common conditions that can cause blindness. Contrary to what we might have been conditioned to believe, blind cats make for affectionate, appreciative pets, too.
With millions and millions of adoptions happening every year, we’re drawn to conclude that blind cats get adopted as often as cats that aren’t blind. Unfortunately, that’s not the case.
We tend to overlook the fact that people avoid adopting blind cats because of the stigma that follows them. There’s a belief that they’re going to be a burden, or the fear that they’re going to get hurt every time we take our eyes off of them.
While cats that become blind due to a certain condition do need more time to get used to the situation, figure out how to navigate through space, and get comfortable walking around, playing, and doing silly things – that doesn’t mean they’re unable to have a “normal” life.
We can’t forget about cats that were born blind, either. More often than not, cats that were born blind don’t even know they’re blind. So, they’re as energetic, playful, and friendly as cats that don’t suffer from the same problem. What’s the takeaway, then?
When you’re thinking of adopting a kitten or a cat, for example, don’t shy away from checking the beautiful, blind moggies, too. We urge you to check out the story about a kitten named June, who had been abandoned before due to her blindness but managed to find her forever home, nonetheless.
When June appeared on the streets of Hout Bay, Cape Town, everyone wondered where she came from. She was a tiny, timid kitten roaming the streets alone – where was her mother?!
She was rescued by a good Samaritan who took her to the Domestic Animal Rescue Group (DARG) hoping they’d know what to do with her. Holly Gilbert-Jones, a volunteer at DARG, figured out that the kitten’s mother was killed and that’s why the kitten was alone when the good Samaritan noticed her.
Now, the DARG staff noticed that the tabby kitten was different right away – she was blind. She appeared to have been blind her entire life, and she wasn’t phased by that, whatsoever. She didn’t know she was different from other cats and she wasn’t affected by the fact that she wasn’t able to see anything.
She was energetic, playful, and friendly. She started running up and down the hallways, meowing at the staff, and greeting everyone who came to the rescue. She was a happy and healthy kitten, and she didn’t allow anyone to argue otherwise.
Holly fostered the kitten for months and months and decided to name her June. June made Holly fall for her because she was the embodiment of positive energy. She was ready to snuggle whenever Holly approached her, she craved attention, and she wanted nothing more than to love and be loved.
Everyone at DARG, along with her foster mother Holly, was excited to find a forever home for June. Even though she was blind, she had a gift of winning people over and Holly knew she was going to find a family that was willing (and thrilled) to take her home.
Everyone was sad to see her go, but Holly knew that little June deserved a home to call her own.
A few weeks passed and Holly decided to post about June on Facebook.
She’d seen that kittens get adopted much, much quicker when they’re exposed to a wider public. She hoped and prayed – and then she was contacted by Andrew Duff and Rebecca Warner who wanted to adopt June without even meeting her.
Andrew and Rebecca saw the Facebook post and couldn’t believe how cute June was. When they read her story, they knew they wanted to adopt her right away. When they came to DARG to pick her up, the two knew they made the right decision.
June was smitten with Andrew from the moment he entered the room. She curled up on top of Andrew’s arms and she didn’t want to leave. She didn’t want to look at anyone else. She showered Andrew with affection, purred, and took a nap. She knew she found her forever family and she was at peace.
Andrew thought that she was the most affectionate, appreciative animal he’d ever met. Rebecca was over the moon that the two took to each other right away, and she was more than happy to allow Andrew and June to bond without interrupting them.
June had plenty of love for Rebecca, too, but she was obsessed with Andrew. When the three drove home, June crawled on top of Andrew and snuggled around Andrew’s neck. She stayed there for the rest of the trip. She felt safe and secure, and she didn’t want the snuggle to end.
When they came closer to home, Andrew stopped to get a little collar and a tag that read “Daddy’s little girl.” Andrew was more than happy to live by that title – he was as obsessed with June as she was with him!
Now, the two that weren’t that obsessed with June were Andrew and Rebecca’s other cats, Leia and Leeloo.
For the first few weeks, Leia and Leeloo didn’t want anything to do with June. For the most part, the two cats couldn’t figure out that June couldn’t see them – chaos would ensue every time the three tried to play or hang out together. However, June eventually won Leia and Leeloo, too.
June became the cutest member of the family, and the five lived happily ever after!
Read more: This Kitty Was A Christmas Gift To A Person Who Wasn’t Allowed To Have Pets And Travelled A Lot
