Please Help!

[Kmf129]

My cat's mane is Shadow and she is 15 and blind. She has a rare genetic disorder called 'retinal degeneration' but seems to be handling it fine. However, some things have been harder than others.
My first question, does anyone have any tricks or games they play with their blind cat? Exercise is becoming harder and harder to accomplish and I believe the lack of energy use is leading into the next issue...
My second question, what should I do when my cat licks me then bites me hard, like draws blood hard? Often times, I'm not petting her or touching her when she starts licking so I know it's not over-stimulation and she used to do it so lovingly until she started losing her eyesight. Since then, every time she licks she bites so hard it draws blood or leaves indentations. We try not to scold her but it's hard to stifle the loud "OWWWW" when she clamps down. Why is she doing this?

Please help us!
Kelly

 

[Mamanyt1953]

OOOOOH....tricks or games are so much fun! ANYTHING that makes noise! A wand toy with a bell VERY firmly attached to it will work, those crinkly balls that make a noise, balls with bells inside, a small plastic bottle with a few dried beans inside and the cap FIRMLY screwed on, ANYTHING like that!

As for the biting, feel free to say OUCH as loudly as you need to! Or hiss at her, which is universal Cattish for "STOP THAT NOW!" It won't hurt a thing. Another cat would not hesitate to yowl or hiss if she hurt him, so she'll accept it as perfectly normal, not as abuse in any way. These sound like love-bite gone awry , and this article may help you deal with it:
How To Deal With Cat "love Bites"?

Yep, it's common enough that we actually have an article about it! Now, be aware, cat bites that draw blood are DANGEROUS! Many of them get infected very rapidly. Should a bite begin to swell AT ALL, DO NOT WAIT, seek medical attention.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

OH! Blind cats...watch this. You'll learn a lot about playing with them!

 

[rubysmama]

Hello and welcome to TCS. So sorry your Shadow has gone blind, but glad to hear she is dealing well with it.

Mamanyt1953 's suggestion to say "owwww" when Shadow bites you is good advice. Shadow needs to know she is hurting you.

And, yes, please watch any bites that break the skin, and seek medical attention if they look at all infected. Here's a couple articles with more info:
Cat Bites - What Every Cat Owner Needs To Know
Ouch! More Than You Ever Wanted To Know About Cat Bites

Also, here's a couple threads regarding a 14 month old cat that just went blind. There may be some replies in them that will help you and Shadow.
Toys For Mostly Blind Cat Who Can See Brights In The Dark
Help With My Blind Cat