Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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How do you locate your cat? (self.Blind)
submitted by smarthome_fan
I am blind and my girlfriend is fully sighted. My girlfriend has a cat that is generally well-behaved but will try to sneak out of the apartment whenever someone opens the door. Generally the cat just walks several feet and then flops down in the hallway expecting a stomach rub, and it is a little game to her. But to me it's really hard to locate her because she doesn't make any noise or wear a collar. It is also potentially more serious if I want to go out onto the patio alone, because she could easily run and hide under a bush or something and be lost forever. I really don't want to be the guy who causes her to lose her cat, but it's very quick and I feel like when I'm at her apartment I don't have the freedom to grab a drink and head out to the patio, or pop in and out of the apartment without constantly worrying about this cat.
We are wondering how this could possibly work in a shared living space. It obviously won't come when it's called or anything of the sort, cause it's a cat lol. Any advice?
We are wondering how this could possibly work in a shared living space. It obviously won't come when it's called or anything of the sort, cause it's a cat lol. Any advice?
MostlyBlindGamer 12 points 2y ago
Definitely get it a collar with a bell. What's worse, getting it used to a collar or having it get lost outside?
Even then, the cat that thinks it owns all my chairs is some kind of a ninja. I make sure it's very far from the door, before opening it. And then I'm quick about it.
Even then, the cat that thinks it owns all my chairs is some kind of a ninja. I make sure it's very far from the door, before opening it. And then I'm quick about it.
Serendipitea17 7 points 2y ago
Mine has a collar with a bell. It's certainly handy a lot of the time, but if she doesn't want to be found, she can be quiet enough to keep it from ringing. She's gotten outside occasionally, and even when the bell rings out there, she's fast enough that I can often locate the general area where she is but can't grab her. My husband's also blind, and we've sometimes discussed the idea of putting a bluetooth tracker on her collar if running out became more of an issue. It would hopefully beep if we triggered it from a phone. I've heard that the beep can be pretty quiet, though, so not sure how effective that would be. We've also video-called people to help us look.
MakihikiMalahini-who 6 points 2y ago
Give Apple's new airtag a shot. I don't have a cat anymore but it'd be extremely useful.
smarthome_fan [OP] 2 points 2y ago
OMG. The AirTag is a fantastic idea for any pet with a collar.
EDIT: Except only one of us would have control/access to locating the cat with that AirTag.
EDIT: Except only one of us would have control/access to locating the cat with that AirTag.
MakihikiMalahini-who 1 points 2y ago
I'm fairly sure family sharing will arrive sooner or later, but someone being able to find it is definitely better than no one ever finding it.
MostlyBlindGamer 1 points 2y ago
There's also Tile, which isn't as good, but works with Android.
BlindLuck72 1 points 2y ago
I use the tile on my dog collar. Not so much for around the house but if he got out I’d have a fighting chance!
smarthome_fan [OP] 6 points 2y ago
Yeah I was thinking of the collar. How well do most cats get used to these though? I suspect her cat will hate it.
The thing is this cat is really quick. It can run across the apartment in the time it takes me to open the door and slip outside.
The thing is this cat is really quick. It can run across the apartment in the time it takes me to open the door and slip outside.
MostlyBlindGamer 1 points 2y ago
It depends on the cat, much like lots of things depend on the human. Some don't mind at all, others hate it and take a long time to get used to it.
The good news is it it runs a lot, it'll make a lot of adorable noises with the bell.
The good news is it it runs a lot, it'll make a lot of adorable noises with the bell.
[deleted] 2 points 2y ago
Remember that cats are /really/ good at slipping collars. Get her chipped as well, and there are apps you can use to track her by the RFID chip.
MostlyBlindGamer 1 points 2y ago
I just assume everybody gets their pets chipped, but it never hurts to mention it.
As far as those apps go, I've never heard of that. Do you have any suggestions?
As far as those apps go, I've never heard of that. Do you have any suggestions?
Cake4Meeks 3 points 2y ago
I have a cat and she wears a collar with a bell. Any movement she makes is usually followed up with the tinkling sound. It’s very helpful.
Mister-c2020 1 points 2y ago
Definitely recommend a collar with a bell. I have a pet rabbit. As you know, rabbits really don’t make much noise when they move around. A small collar with a bell has really improved the way I locate my rabbit. I could hear him each time he moves and I know exactly where he is located at all times.
Shadowwynd 1 points 2y ago
Aside from getting a collar with a bell (and/or clipping a tile/Airtag to it), get an old electric can opener and introduce the cat to the joy of canned tuna fish (older can openers have lots of noise cats can hear). Once you have established a good Pavlovian relationship between the cat and the tuna and the sound of the running can opener, you now have a way to summon the cat by operating the can opener.
vip-sizzles 1 points 2y ago
When I had a cat, she had a collar with a bell. Occasionally, she would get outside but feeding time would always get her back inside. Bell was always helpful to know if she was nearby.
laconicflow 1 points 2y ago
I don't know if this is the advice you should take, but if it was my girlfriend, I'd crack the padio door, slide out sideways and be kicking with the foot to go out the door last, it's like there shouldn't be much of a gap between the door because your feet and legs are in the gap.
I don't mean kick like you're trying to hurt the cat, I mean like how you'd use your foot to wake a sleeping person, like a poke.
At least that way you'll know if the cat runs out the door, and if cats are smarter than cows, it'll just avoid you when you're exiting.
Or you could ask her to make the cat wear a bell when you're around.
I don't mean kick like you're trying to hurt the cat, I mean like how you'd use your foot to wake a sleeping person, like a poke.
At least that way you'll know if the cat runs out the door, and if cats are smarter than cows, it'll just avoid you when you're exiting.
Or you could ask her to make the cat wear a bell when you're around.
UpsideDownwardSpiral 1 points 2y ago
I'm going to echo that you should get a collar with a bell on it.
My roommate has two cats and not long after I lost my vision one of them decided to bolt out of the door without me realizing it and he was gone for 24 hours or so. I felt horrible, now with the bells I can generally tell where they are and when they try to sneak up while I'm about to open the door.
Both of the cats got used to it very easily, but that depends on the kitty. Just keep putting it back on when they slip out of it, eventually they'll let it be.
And add extra bells if you need to, some of the bells on these things aren't very jingly so adding another, or adjusting how the bell attaches to the collar can make it jingle more.
My roommate has two cats and not long after I lost my vision one of them decided to bolt out of the door without me realizing it and he was gone for 24 hours or so. I felt horrible, now with the bells I can generally tell where they are and when they try to sneak up while I'm about to open the door.
Both of the cats got used to it very easily, but that depends on the kitty. Just keep putting it back on when they slip out of it, eventually they'll let it be.
And add extra bells if you need to, some of the bells on these things aren't very jingly so adding another, or adjusting how the bell attaches to the collar can make it jingle more.
hamletreadswords 1 points 2y ago
None of my cats try to go outside now, but they did before they were spayed or neutered. Is this cat fixed? This could help her lose interest in running outside. Also just keeping the door closed and quickly closing it behind you, cats are kinda scared of going outside so they probably wouldn't immediately bolt out there, but slowly approach an open front door
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