Do Siamese Cats Go Blind – Understanding Their Vision!

Siamese cats are well known and popular, but like many popular breeds of animals, they have some well-known genetic issues. It’s not that long ago that Siamese cats were known for their strange appearance, thanks to bright blue and sometimes cross-eyed eyes. But do those traits indicate trouble for your Siamese cat? Do Siamese cats go blind?

Generally, Siamese cats do not go blind. However, Siamese cats do tend to have less healthy eyes than other cats. Siamese kittens with poor vision may eventually develop blindness as they age.

Poor vision can have a wide range of impacts on your Siamese cat or may not affect them at all. However, no matter how old your Siamese cat is, it’s essential to monitor them for signs that their eyesight might be declining. Here’s what you need to know about Siamese cats and blindness so you can decide if you’re ready to take on a Siamese cat.

Are Siamese Cats Prone To Go Blind

Yes, Siamese cats are one of the breeds that’s relatively likely to go blind in their lifetime. The problems with Siamese cat eyes are being addressed slowly through careful breeding and avoiding bad breeding practices. That doesn’t mean that the blindness problem in Siamese cats is solved, though, and it probably won’t be for a long time.

For one thing, the pale blue color of most Siamese cats’ eyes means that their eyes are more prone to light damage.

But light damage isn’t the only cause of blindness in Siamese cats, which means that even keeping your cat’s eyes protected isn’t a reasonable guarantee that your cat won’t have genetic blindness or other health problems that cause blindness.

Do All Siamese Cats Go Blind

The good news is that not all Siamese cats go blind, but many of them do. Owners who are interested in adopting a Siamese cat should be prepared for the possibility that their cat will go blind and may go blind much earlier than average.

That doesn’t mean that your Siamese cat will go blind as a kitten or even as a middle-aged adult, but your Siamese might be more likely to go blind at any life phase and especially as a senior cat.

Do Siamese Cats Have Sight Problems

In addition to the struggles Siamese cats have with blindness, many Siamese cats have other kinds of sight issues. For instance, some Siamese cats might be sensitive to light and not want to spend a lot of time in bright sunlight.

Other Siamese cats can see well but struggle with depth perception and other aspects of clear sight.

Siamese cats are also pretty well evolved to deal with their sight issues, which may make it harder to tell if your Siamese cat is starting to have health issues. Siamese cats being more vocal, for instance, may be because being noisier can help them navigate your home even after their eyesight has started to decline.

You may want to talk with your vet and see if they recommend actively checking your Siamese cat’s eyes or if you think you should

Can Siamese Cats Have Brown Eyes

No, Siamese cats can’t have brown eyes. That’s because Siamese cats have a form of albinism that prevents their eyes from turning brown, even if they have the gene for brown eyes. It’s much more likely that your Siamese cat’s eyes will be either blue or a pale silver or white color.

That’s because, like your cat’s fur, their eyes are warm enough to be affected by the heat-sensitive albinism that prevents their irises from producing melanin.

Do Siamese Cats Get Cataracts

Any cat can get cataracts, but they are generally rare in most cats. However, Siamese cats are one of the breeds that tend to have cataracts more often, so they probably have some genetic predisposition or genetic vulnerability to cataracts.

That’s important to know because cataracts are another cause of sight issues and blindness. So, in addition to the other reasons that Siamese cats are more vulnerable to blindness, they are also more prone to cataracts.

If you suspect that your cat might have cataracts, it’s essential to take them to the vet right away. That way, you can have your cat evaluated to see if there are treatment options and to learn how much sight loss they already have.

Are Most Siamese Cats Cross-Eyed

Not anymore. It used to be that being cross-eyed was incredibly common in Siamese cats. Some people even thought that cross-eyes Siamese cats were more valuable than Siamese cats with normal eye positions.

However, Siamese cats mostly aren’t cross-eyed anymore because breeders realized that being cross-eyed made it harder for Siamese cats to see and navigate. Careful breeding helped to reveres the cross-eyes issue, and breed standards shifted to prefer cats with normal, healthy eyes.

There may still be some individual cats that are born with crossed eyes, but responsible breeders are trying to avoid producing kittens with the condition.

Things To Consider

Adopting a cat that’s more likely to go blind over time can be a big commitment. Taking care of a needy, attention-seeking, blind cat isn’t right for everyone. It’s usually better to think carefully about whether you can care for a cat in that position before you adopt rather than having to give up a cat that’s starting to go blind if you can’t take care of them.

It’s alright if the tendency toward blindness is a reason you choose a different breed of cat. Siamese cats aren’t for everyone, and it’s essential to make sure you choose a cat that you can be happy with and that you can support and keep happy.

Thankfully, while Siamese cats do tend to hide when their sight starts to fade, they also tend to do better with only partial sight or even total blindness. Siamese cats are good at navigating even when they can’t see.

So, while a Siamese cat is going to be higher needs if they go blind, they may need less support from you than another breed of cat that’s also gone blind.