Upon stumbling upon Shadow and his siblings, Loki and Odin on Instagram, we were intrigued to learn more about how they found their forever home in Winterthur, Switzerland. Our curiosity also led us to wonder about the circumstances that caused Shadow and Loki to lose their vision, as well as Odin losing one of his eyes. Fortunately, their caring mom Anna was kind enough to share their story with us. In addition to revealing the details of Hana’s unfortunate passing – the fourth kitten in the litter – Anna also dispelled some common myths associated with blind cats. We thoroughly enjoyed learning about all three feline brothers, as well as their beloved sister Hana, whose absence is still felt by their loving owners. It is our hope that by sharing their unique story, we can help increase awareness and understanding towards special needs and visually-impaired cats.
Meow As Fluff:
What was your experience learning about Shadow and his siblings?

Last year, my significant other and I made the big move to a different apartment that came with a wonderful perk – we could finally have cats! Both of us had a long-standing desire to have feline companions, so we chose to adopt two cats from a nearby rescue organization called Katzenfreunde Schweiz. We were immediately captivated by a unique litter of four kittens that were sadly affected by the cat flu when they were still young, causing damage to their eyes. Despite this setback, we couldn’t resist their charm and decided to give them a loving home.

There were four kittens and they had a unique way of keeping watch. While two of them were alert, the other two seemed to be in oblivion. However, their carefree attitude only made them more charming and adorable. As soon as we saw them, we couldn’t help but fall in love with Shadow. He was the only one with a black fur coat while the rest were all gingers. Shadow’s playful and affectionate nature made him stand out among his siblings.

We were hesitant about adopting blind cats as our first pets, so instead we decided to bring home two adorable kittens with one eye each named Odin and Hana in January of this year.

The visually impaired cats were adopted by someone else, but sadly, after six months our beloved Hana passed away due to an unexpected illness. This news was shared through a post on Instagram by user @ayeayekitty.

After realizing Odin needed a friend to play with, we reached out to a rescue organization. To our amazement, we discovered that his blind siblings had been returned only a few weeks earlier! Initially, we were unsure about adopting three cats, especially ones that were visually impaired. However, when we met them, Shadow won us over by climbing onto my shoulder. Ultimately, we decided to bring Shadow and his sister Loki home with us in June 2021.

MAF:
Were you apprehensive about taking in cats with visual impairment?
A:
When we reunited with Shadow and Loki (our cats’ siblings) in 2021, we instantly formed a strong bond with them. Despite their blindness, we felt an emotional attachment to them and it didn’t concern us in the slightest.

MAF:
Could you provide me with some details regarding the factors that led to Shadow and Loki’s blindness?

A:
During their early days, the entire litter contracted the cat flu. Upon discovering the kittens at five weeks old, their veterinarian initially proposed euthanizing them due to their poor physical condition. Despite this, the rescue decided to take a chance on them, as they were still cheerful and lively. We remain deeply thankful for this decision.

MAF:
What do you believe people misunderstand the most about blind felines?

A:
There are numerous misconceptions that exist regarding blind cats. When we were considering adopting Shadow and Loki, we conducted a Google search on blind cats and came across several articles that perpetuated certain myths. For instance, some sources claimed that we would need to keep our furniture in the same position at all times, or that the cats would struggle to navigate between different rooms. However, after having Shadow and Loki with us for only a week, we realized that these ideas were not at all accurate. Our cats love exploring new spaces and rearranged furniture, and they have no problem figuring out their way around the house. In fact, they always seem to know exactly where they are!

Through my experience with owning Loki and Shadow and sharing their story online, I was enlightened to the overwhelming presence of ableism that exists. It’s unfortunate how people often assume that just because someone is visually impaired, they must be unhappy. However, this couldn’t be further from reality. It’s essential that we start examining our preconceptions for the benefit of both disabled animals and individuals.

MAF asked about the origins of Shadow and Loki’s monikers. In response, it was shared that Loki’s name was inspired by the mischievous Norse god, which perfectly fits her personality. On the other hand, Shadow’s name was influenced both by his appearance and the eponymous character in Neil Gaiman’s book “American Gods.” Interestingly, the character in the novel also has connections to Norse mythology.

Shadow and Loki, as shared by @ayeayekitty on Instagram, enjoy various things that keep them entertained and happy. These two furry friends love to cuddle, eat their favorite food, and engage in clicker training. Shadow, in particular, has a special attachment to his furry mousie toy, spending hours tossing it around. On the other hand, Loki loves to chase her sighted brother around the house and play with noisy toys at 5 am, being the adorable little monster that she is.

MAF holds a significant place in our lives. My partner and I value them greatly. Personally, I have gained immense knowledge about animal behavior and cat senses. It’s fascinating to learn how animals perceive the world differently than humans. If you want to know more about Shadow, Loki, and Odin, you can catch up with them on Instagram.