Blind kitten gets by with help from his friends

Jeff may not be able to see all the friends who have helped him become the healthy, carefree kitten he is today, but he has definitely felt their love.

The sweet black-and-white kitten came to Best Friends Animal Society in need of some help — fast. He had severe infections in both of his eyes, which not only were impeding his vision but also were causing him a great deal of pain.

[Blind kitten with the heart of a lion]

The tiny, sick kitten could have easily been at risk of being killed in a shelter, especially if that shelter were already full and struggling to save healthy cats and dogs. Best Friends’ goal is for all shelters to reach no-kill by 2025, and that means supporting them with programs and partnerships that give pets the time and care they need to be matched with a new home. And that’s what Jeff got.

The Best Friends veterinary team examined the kitten and determined that a bilateral enucleation, or the surgical removal of both his eyes, would be the best course. So the very next day after he arrived, he was scheduled for emergency surgery to relieve his pain and get him on the road to recovery.

After surgery, Jeff headed to a foster home where he could continue to heal and grow. As he felt better, he began to explore the world around him just like any young kitten would — enjoy the feeling of soft blankets under his paws, flexing his climbing muscles, and testing gravity by knocking papers off the countertop.

[Kitten lends a helping paw to her blind brother]

Jeff also learned an important life lesson: how nice it is to have friends. He made both feline and human friends in his foster home who showed him love and patience as he learned to navigate without his eyesight. For instance, his foster family carefully showed him how to go up steps and gave him plenty of encouragement and cuddles.

Before long, Jeff’s circle of friends grew even more as he was adopted into a loving home. Now, the kitten is fully healed and spends his days exploring his new home, playing with toys, and lounging to his heart’s content.

Our goal at Best Friends is to support all animal shelters in the U.S. in reaching no-kill by 2025. No-kill means saving every dog and cat in a shelter who can be saved, accounting for community safety and good quality of life for pets. 

Shelter staff can’t do it alone. Saving animals in shelters is everyone’s responsibility, and it takes support and participation from the community. No-kill is possible when we work together thoughtfully, honestly, and collaboratively.