Why is my senior cat's eye black and she's having trouble walking?

What a beautiful girl! It does look like her left eye and pupil are larger than the right. There could be a few reasons for this including increased pressure (glaucoma) or a mass behind the eye that pushes it forward and makes it appear larger. I would strongly recommend an examination by a veterinary ophthalmologist to fully evaluate her eye and her vision to see what can be done for her.

There is anisocoria (the two pupils are unequal in size) and possibly ptosis of the upper eyelid (the eyelid cannot open normally) on the left side (where the pupil is bigger). There are many causes that can provoke this presentation: -Corneal injury such as an ulcer. -Disease or injury to the brain or to the nerves running to the affected eye, such as Horner’s syndrome. -Glaucoma, a disease in which there is increased pressure within the eye (the pupil in the affected eye will be dilated). -Uveitis, or inflammation of the interior of the eye (the pupil in the affected eye will usually be constricted). -Retinal disease. -Scar tissue formation between the iris and the lens (called posterior synechia), a condition that may develop following uveitis. -Iris atrophy (a decrease in the amount of tissue within the iris) usually a degenerative change associated with aging. -Congenital defect of the iris, in which the iris tissue does not develop properly. -Cancer within the affected eye. -Spastic pupil syndrome - a syndrome that may be associated with feline leukemia virus infection. -Other infectious diseases such as feline immunodeficiency virus or toxoplasmosis. Unfortunately is difficult to be more specific than that and a clinical examination at your local veterinarian is essential to confirm these clinical suspicions and treat appropriately. Antibiotics may be needed. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

I would recommend that Monet see a veterinarian. Sudden onset of blindness and dilated pupils can be secondary to high blood pressure in older cats. They can suffer from hyperthyroidism or a heart disease called hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Both of these geriatric cat problems can cause these changes with her eyes. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I would guess that Ebony may have had retinal detachment secondary to high blood pressure. Kidney disease can cause increased blood pressure. If her retinas partially reattached she may have regained some vision.

Hello, I agree that Buddy's left pupil appears more dilated than the right. This could be associated with age related atrophy of the iris (makes up the pupil). However, cats can get cancer of their eye and this it would be best to have him evaluated to ensure there is not mass growing behind the pupil and to rule out other potential abnormalities within his eye. Hope this helps and best of luck.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Skipper. Has he has his blood pressure measured? That would be my first recommendation given his dilated eyes. High blood pressure in cats can cause changes to the eyes. If left untreated, blindness can result. I hope this information helps!

It may not be his time yet but he does need to be examined by the veterinarian today. The disorientation and potential blindness is concerning for low blood sugar, hypertension, a brain tumor and a few other conditions. Some of these conditions respond very well to treatment and some don't but first, you must know what is happening so you know the treatment options. Just like humans, diseases are best diagnosed and treated early so have him examined today. I hope he gets this figured out quickly! Please feel free to post any additional questions.