Cat McAuliffe
When Beatrice Rosato was preparing to a move to a new home where she would be living alone, she decided she wanted a feline friend to keep her company. While browsing the website for Ente Nazionale Protezione Animali (ENPA), an animal rescue near her home in Parma, Italy, she spotted Cassandra, a beautiful blind cat.
“When I saw Cassandra on the internet, I immediately knew we could become good friends,” says Beatrice, so she went to meet the gorgeous ginger and white kitty in November 2018. “She immediately jumped on my knees, and I felt like I already knew her for a long time.”
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Beatrice learned Cassandra was born in August 2017, making her 15 months old, and before she was rescued by ENPA, she’d spent most — if not all — of her life on streets. “When the volunteers found her she had a bad infection which was affecting her eyes very badly,” explains Beatrice.
Unfortunately, the young feline’s eyes were so severely damaged by the untreated infection, they had to be surgically removed. Thankfully, it didn’t take long for Cassandra to recover from the operation, nor did it take long for Beatrice to decide to adopt her. “I loved her from the first time I saw her,” says Beatrice, so she brought Cassandra home with her the same day they met for the first time.
This gorgeous girl wasted no time learning the layout of her new home, and Beatrice found Cassandra so easy to care for that she adopted another blind cat — Omero — from ENPA just three months later. “They are not relatives, even if they look very similar,” says Beatrice.
A year later, Cassandra and Omero are both doing great, and while people often assume blind cats are harder to care for than sighted felines, that definitely hasn’t been Beatrice’s experience. “I think that most people imagine having a blind cat as a sort of big challenge,” explains Beatrice, but she’s found Cassandra and Omero don’t really need a lot of extra care or special accommodations. “They are able to use their litter box, eat, and get around the house easily. They have a sort of map inside their heads.”
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While she might not be able to see, Cassandra is a typical cat who loves to sleep and eat, and she is extremely cuddly with her mom and even strangers. “She is very confident and loving with everyone — she’s not afraid of humans at all!” says Beatrice.
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However, it’s extremely unsafe for blind cats like Cassandra and Omero to spend unsupervised time outside, so Beatrice makes sure never to leave doors or windows open in her home.
Aside from taking this relatively minor precaution, Beatrice hasn’t had to do very much in order to provide Cassandra and Omero with a secure and happy home. “You just have to be very loving with them,” says Beatrice.
In return, Cassandra showers her mom with affection, and Beatrice hopes this fantastic feline will inspire others to consider adopting blind cats. “I wish that more people knew how special and loving blind cats can be.”
When Beatrice went looking for a pet to adopt in November 2018, she knew she wanted to open her home to an animal in need, but she definitely wasn’t searching for a cat with special needs. More than a year later, Beatrice now has two blind cats, and she considers herself very lucky to be able to share her life with Omero and Cassandra. “She really brightens my day,” says Beatrice. “I think that special needs cats really have the power to make you feel better.”
To learn more about this beautiful cat, you can follow Cassandra on Instagram.
