When Tara Kawczynski, founder and president of The Odd Cat Sanctuary, asked Bill Coggeshall if he would be willing to foster Beric, a blind kitten who was in a New York animal shelter and in danger of being euthanized, he was eager to help the young special needs cat.
While Bill had fostered a number of kitties for The Odd Cat Sanctuary — a non-profit organization in Salem, Massachusetts, that is dedicated to helping felines who often have difficulty finding homes — and he’d even adopted Shireen, an adorable special needs cat, from the rescue, he’d never cared for a blind animal before, but it was a challenge he was happy to accept. “When I saw a picture of Beric I knew I had to foster him and I welcomed the chance to learn how to care for a blind cat,” remembers Bill.
Bill discovered Beric, who was living on the streets of New York City before he was taken to a shelter, was approximately nine weeks old, and he had multiple eye conditions. “Beric was born with microphthalmia in his right eye and corneal scarring in his left eye,” says Bill. “He also has superior eyelid agenesis in both eyes.”
Micropthalmia is a congenital condition that causes animals and people to be born with malformed and unusually small eyes, and it often results in blindness. Eyelid agenesis — the absence of eyelids — can cause serious vision problems, because cats like Beric don’t have eyelids to protect their eyes from debris — and even their own hair — leading to chronic irritation that can result in permanent damage.
Confident he would be able to provide care for the cute special needs kitten, Bill brought Beric back to his home in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on October 7, 2018, and the pair immediately bonded. “He was so happy to be at my home and was purring right away,” says Bill. “He ate right away — and a lot — and then he came and sat in my lap and climbed up on to my shoulder and was purring so loud in my ear. He was so happy and full.”
Even though Beric seemed completely at ease in his foster home, Bill decided to keep the little blind kitten separate from his other pets for a few days in order to give them all time to get acclimated to one another’s scents. “When he did meet my other cats, he fit in right away,” remembers Bill. Given free rein of his foster home, Beric proved completely capable of getting around on his own, requiring little to no assistance from Bill.
When Bill first started fostering Beric, a lot of his friends were concerned for the blind tabby and white kitten, worried he would bump into walls all the time and be unable to find his food bowl or his litter box. However, their concerns were unwarranted, proving just how special blind cats like Beric actually are. “He has never missed the litter box,” says Bill. “All I had to do was show him where the boxes where at.”
With Beric being so self-sufficient and an absolute joy to be around, it’s not surprising that Bill decided to adopt the fun-loving kitten after just a few weeks of fostering him. It’s been three months since Bill met Beric for the first time, and this incredibly out-going and friendly cat is thriving in his forever home.
Not only has Beric developed a special friendship with Shireen, the cat Bill adopted from The Odd Cat Sanctuary, he loves playing with Trot, a blind kitten Bill is fostering for the Massachusetts rescue, as well as his favorite toy. “His favorite toy is a fluffy pink stick toy with a bell on it,” says Bill. “He even got a new one for Christmas.”
For the most part, Beric — who is now approximately six months old — is able to navigate his home without any problems, but this handsome blind kitten does have some difficulty jumping to high places like Bill’s bed. Fortunately, he’s able to communicate with his dad when he’s having trouble, and Bill is more than happy to help this special little guy. “If he can’t get himself up, he lets out a high-pitch meow and dad picks him up,” says Bill.
Before agreeing to foster Beric, Bill didn’t have any experience caring for a blind cat, and he was unsure of the challenges it would entail. Just a few months later, Bill’s house is now home to two kitties with vision problems, and he hopes other people will consider adopting and fostering felines who often get overlooked. “I would like people to know that special needs cats can have happy, healthy, and full lives,” says Bill, “and caring for them can be fun and rewarding.”
Without a doubt, taking care of Beric — who has a very playful and carefree personality — has been a joy for Bill, and he’s so thankful he decided to open up his home to this special kitten. “He is so happy when I come home from work and he does such a funny spinning dance when it’s time to eat or it’s treat time,” says Bill. “I truly love this little guy.”
To learn more about this adorable kitten, you can follow Beric on Instagram.
